I just want to see my Consey!

July 27, 2009 8:22 PM

I am going to be in LA the week of August 10th, and I'm dying to see a taping of the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. I put in a request for tickets, but the website said they are only taking reservations for September. Any MeFites have any inside tips on how to get tickets?

I know, I know, I should have requested tickets months ago, but I just finalized my trip today. I'll wince in the corner here while you wag your finger at me.

I understand that there are standby tickets available and that about half the people get in...but I was hoping to get a concrete confirmation ahead of time instead of driving to Burbank during rush hour and waiting in line.

I figure we have Mefites in just about every industry, from funeral directing to mythbusting, so I am crossing my fingers that someone has an inside connection maybe?

Mefi, can you hope me?

posted by radioamy to grab bag (9 comments total)

I'm going this Friday, coincidentally. From what I understand, if you get there before noon, you can usually snag some of the standby tickets. Taping actually starts in the early afternoon, not the evening.
posted by so_gracefully at 9:04 PM on July 27

I got tickets to see Conan O'Brien's late-night show in NYC by waking up early, like 6am. I took the subway to Rockefeller Center and waited in line for standby tickets for about an hour.

Later that same day, I returned to Rockefeller Center, waited in line another hour and was finally let in.

I imagine there's a similar scenario regarding the Tonight Show, but I cannot say from personal experience.

However, I found his show in person far less humorous and interesting than the televised version. Remember the studio audience is far less important to the show's success than the televised audience.

Good luck!
posted by aereoperro at 9:08 PM on July 27

Standby is likely to be your best option. Show up early - be there prior to whenever it says standby distribution starts. I attended tapings of Late Night back when Conan was here in NYC and I'd show up in the morning and have to return around 4 and wait to see if I'd get in. I did get in around 90% of the time. I suspect since it's the Tonight Show, it's much more of a crapshoot.

Good luck.
posted by cmgonzalez at 9:10 PM on July 27

(Though, in contrast to aereoperro, I found the show better in person)
posted by cmgonzalez at 9:16 PM on July 27

so_gracefully, let me know how it goes! I know it's in the afternoon - I mean AM rushhour. Ew. LA traffic.
posted by radioamy at 9:32 PM on July 27

BTW, the Conan show doesn't tape in Burbank as you mentioned (That's where Leno's tonight show taped), he's in a new building on the far west side of the Universal lot, in Universal City. I drive past it on Lankershim sometimes and there are usually a few people in the queue before 7am, and it doesnt tape until the afternoon, so it might be a long day for you. The subway stops right across the street if you can find a way to take it.
posted by Spurious Packets at 9:51 PM on July 27

I went on the fourth night. They started leading people into the studio around 5pm and told the general audience to get there no later than 3:30. People began lining up around noon, though.

The line forms at Gate 3 at Universal. What I would probably do is show up early and talk to one of the pages standing around, telling them you'd like to be on the standby list. If one page isn't helpful, talk up another one. Be smiley and nice and act like it is your dream in life that they are helping you to fulfill. Their job is actually kind of boring so they feel good when they actually feel like they can have the power to maybe help someone.

The only other suggestion I can make is to write [e-mail] and tell them that you are only going to be in town for a minute and really want to get on the standby list and if there's any *possible* way you can get in to see the show. They might be nice and write you back, you never know. They might ignore you but it never hurts to try. Again, play up that if you could get on the list it would be like a dream come true for you. They might be nice.

If you can't get in, the main reason will be that there aren't as many VIP reserved seats set aside for Conan as there are for Leno's shows... so fewer extra seats are potential empty when someone doesn't show up.
posted by miss lynnster at 10:26 PM on July 27

Some people do line up at 7am, btw. But we got there at 2pm and didn't have bad seats at all. I don't think there was a huge bonus to getting in line before noon.
posted by miss lynnster at 10:27 PM on July 27

With his current ratings, I don't think the line will be that long
posted by A189Nut at 3:26 AM on July 28