Jimmy Kimmel Live! Taping 01/13/2014

Question: What's better than a trip to downtown Hollywood at the Hollywood Walk of Fame? 

Answer: Seeing Jimmy Kimmel Live. 

Good thing that they are both in the same place! You'll see Jimmy's banners on the building to the right of the El Capitan Movie Theater Entrance. 

LOCATION: 
6840 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA

PARKING: 
Hollywood and Highland Parking Structure 

TICKETS:

Getting tickets for JKL is relatively simple. Just visit http://1iota.com/ and request the dates you would like. You'll receive an e-mail when they are released. It is imperative that you have access to your email at all times (such as on a smart phone) as email notify you immediately when tickets are released so you can click to confirm your tickets when it happens. If you click quickly, you'll get Priority Tickets. If you're lax on it, then you'll get General or Standby Tickets. 

PRIORITY: The first audience members to be admitted 

GENERAL: After Priority enters, General Ticket holders are granted access.

STANDBY: After Priority and General are seated then there is a possibility there will be extra seats. If you have Standby tickets, there is no guarantee of entry NOR that you will sit whomever you came with. 

LINE: 

Upon an early arrival, I really wasn't sure where to stand at to begin the line as nobody was there yet. I asked a friendly security guard and he informed me to wait at the pole next to the street that is directly in front of the entrance.  If you're looking at the building, to the right of the pole will be standby tickets and to the left will be Priority/General Tickets. 

During our wait, you could hear a band playing inside. They were jamming! On top of that, all the quirky artists that frequent the Hollywood Walk of Fame/Grauman's Chinese Theater are walking around. You'll see superheroes, Star Wars characters, celebrity look-a-likes and people like this guy: Mr. Muscles. 

At 3:30, the 1iota staff members came out and brought out the line dividers and proceeded to tell us what to expect. We stood there for about another hour before they began to admit us. Hint- no need to get there before 3:30 (unlike other late night shows.) 

STUDIO:

Security checks your ID, your bags, then you walk through a medal detector, At this point, they will validate your parking ticket at this time. You are allowed to take your phones in but will be told to turn them off. Then you wait in lines in the hallway while JKL is playing on the TV screens in the forum. 

Then it's time to go in (around 5:15 pm). The 1iota staff will direct you to a seat, which are very nice seats (think movie theater). An Emcee will come out, explain the process (laugh and don't stand up) and makes sure people are in a good mood. The staff is setting up, band comes out and warms up, then Jimmy Kimmel comes out. The studio is very small and the seats are really close to the stage. Jimmy's monologue took place about 8 feet in front of us as we were able to score front row seats due to our Priority Tickets.

The show moves VERY quickly. They'll tape the monologue portion, cut to commercial and reset the stage with the desk and chair, call out the guest and begin filming the interview portion. The night we went the guests were Kevin Costner and Harry Connick Jr. We were seriously about 20 feet from these A-list celebrities. You can't beat that!

After the interview with the guests, there is usually a music guest who performs. Kevin Costner was scheduled to perform with his band but he happened to be sick and opted not to play. Instead they had another band perform. But here's the kicker: the studio audience doesn't get to see it. Perhaps this was just the night I went since they had to have a backup band. I do know that on certain nights, JKL has a mini outdoor concert. I have not attended it but from what I've read, the studio audience gets ushered outside to see it. I'll report on the actual experience when I attend a taping during a mini outdoor concert. 

The show ended as quickly as it began. It's amazing how fast filming takes place as it's in real time. No re-do's or starting over. It happens as it happens. The show began at 6 pm and ended at 7 pm. Plenty of time to do other sightseeing activities. 

AFTER: 

It just so happened that there was a movie premier occurring at Mann's Chinese Theater that night: Ride Along. 

We walked over to where the action was going on and look who I got to take a picture with!

How cool is that? You can't beat the ambiance of Hollywood and the possibility that you can see a star anywhere you visit. Keep your eyes peeled!

I'm actually looking forward to taking in another Jimmy Kimmel Live show. It's probably one of the best experiences I've had yet. The audience is small, the set is intimate, obtaining tickets is simple and the 1iota staff happens to be the friendliest, most professional I've seen yet. 

***TIPS***

*No need to show up before the line dividers come out at 3:30 pm. 

*Dress to impress: Jeans are okay but make sure you have a nice shirt on: No logo's allowed, no solid white clothes, NO SHORTS, baseball hats, etc. Dress like you're going to a dinner party (dressy casual). YOU WILL BE ON CAMERA as they shoot the audience before and after commercial breaks. (lesson I learned from attending Jay Leno).

*There are no seats when waiting in line and you do NOT have the opportunity to put the chairs away as your placement in line must be kept at all times.

*It gets cold in the studio. Bring a sweater or jacket

*The most energetic guest receives a gift from the Emcee. Show your enthusiasm in the studio.

*Be nice to the 1iota staff. They are the best in the business!