Last Wednesday, The Mirror’s Entertainment editor took a trip to New York to watch a taping of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Here is a timeline of what occurred: 1:30 p.m. – The taping of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is just hours away. I just retrieved a message on my voicemail from my dad confirming that we were on the general admission list. After consulting with him, he and I agree to take the 2:30 train into the city.
3:35 p.m. – We arrive at Grand Central, a few minutes ahead of schedule. My dad swears that the show’s only about 10 blocks away.
3:58 p.m. – He’s wrong. Having already speed-walked or jogged for over 20 minutes in 25 degree weather, I remember how far away it actually is. They told us for the best chance to get a seat, we should get there by 4:00.
4:05 p.m. – We arrive at The Daily Show, slightly winded. Only about 15 people are in the stand-by line. Now it’s time to wait, as the doors don’t open until 5:45.
5:15 p.m. – My legs are starting to get really cold.
5:35 p.m. – A guy comes over with a clipboard, verifies we’re on the list, and hands my dad and I a laminated ticket allowing us entry. I ended up with number 75.
5:45 p.m. – Warmth! They let us into a lobby area where more than 100 of us stand around, waiting to enter.
6:00 p.m. – A production assistant tells us to get psyched and to use the bathroom prior to entering the studio. For the next few minutes I’ll see for the first time a men’s room line that’s consistently longer than the women’s room line.
6:30 p.m. – They start calling people in by group to enter the studio. My dad and I end up with seats in the second row, on the left-hand side of the studio (closer to the couch). There isn’t a bad seat in the house.
6:45 p.m. – Paul Mercurio, a long-time writer of the show, comes out and does a warm-up with the audience. Included, practice at cheering at the top of our lungs, and yelling “HA!” to show how loud we can laugh. Many jokes occurred at the audience’s expense, but a few audience members tripped up Mercurio, who was quick to join in on the laughter. Mercurio notes a few times that the mics aren’t very sensitive and the room sucks up laughter, so people should laugh as loud as they can.
6:55 p.m. – Jon Stewart joins the crowd for a very brief Q’A. Among the things learned: Cheetos are made of plastic, snacks are available for the guest but not the audience, and the cameraman had run out of Orbit so he couldn’t share with an audience member.
7:00 p.m. – The taping begins. It’s sort of weird, but it’s hard to hear Stewart because they obviously can’t pump sound into the audience very easily without causing recording problems, so it’s sort of soft and sometimes hard to hear the jokes.
7:05 p.m. – “This Week in God” yields the first round of interesting tidbits. For one, the randomizer Stephen Colbert hits is elevated not by machinery but by a production guy. Second, when the randomizer music is playing, Stewart can be seen moving his hands around to the beat of it with a big smile on his face. Stewart also is laughing hard at Colbert’s jokes, obviously enjoying it as much as the audience. Colbert’s accidental shaking of the randomizer was, indeed, an accident.
7:09 p.m. – During the first commercial break the producers pull a curtain in front of the left side of the studio behind the audience so they can block out the sets behind it (including a green screen).
7:12 p.m. – John Leguizamo, who was a last minute replacement, comes out and banters with Stewart. It’s obvious no prepping occurred before the interview – this is purely off-the-cuff chit-chat.
7:16 p.m. – Second commercial. I could swear Stewart’s staring at me.
7:20 p.m. – A stop-down occurs just after they resume recording after the second commercial break, due to a technical glitch that occurs with the lights, which didn’t turn on as rapidly as they should have. Stewart starts cracking jokes. “If you’re trying to fire me, they shouldn’t do it in front of the audience,” he quipped. “They should give me a letter in private.” From someone on the set: “Sorry about that… we had some technical difficulties.” Stewart: “Don’t call me technical difficulties in front of the audience!”
7:24 p.m. – Third commercial. He’s not staring at me; he’s staring at the TV down below me.
7:28 p.m. – Taping concludes. Stewart announces to us that he has to tape a second opening, for the global edition of The Daily Show that airs around the world. He asks if anyone’s seen the show in another country, and one girl raises her hand and replies, “Latvia.” “Latvia,” Stewart replies. “Why, that’s the gateway to Estonia!”
7:32 p.m. – Stewart wishes us goodnight, and we all pile out of the studio. Dad and I go to Times Square, get dinner, and take the train back.
11:00 p.m. – The episode begins to air. I’m surprised at the difference in audio levels as far as the laughter goes. I could have sworn that it was much quieter in the studio, but obviously Mercurio succeeded – the laughter comes through loud and clear. I can even hear myself sometimes.
11:05 p.m. – “This Week in God” is even funnier when you know what’s going on in the background. Hearing jokes I missed makes me laugh anew.
11:10 p.m. – The show airs in a different sequence than it was recorded. The interview, which was recorded second, aired in the third segment, probably due to its relative weakness compared to the third segment, which contained Spongebob Squarepants/homosexual jokes.
11:30 p.m. – My VCR completes taping part of one of the most fun days of my life.
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