Live with Kelly and Ryan with the After Oscars Show
Award season is probably my favorite time of the year. I live for the glitz and glamour - living vicariously through those who actually get to attend the award shows, while I keep up via Twitter and watch on TV. The gowns, the art, the interviews...All of it.
This year, my mom and I had the opportunity to attend the After Oscars Show with Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest through 1iota.com, who offers a lot of free TV taping tickets for specials and award shows. It was the next best thing to the Oscars award show the night before, which is obviously very exclusive.
We stayed up all night - watched the awards, got ready and then drove to LA (with a stop at Jack in the Box for iced coffee). We were told to meet at the Hollywood Bowl, where we all lined up and waited for a couple hours in the chilly (for California) weather. Around 3 a.m., they checked us in and gave us wristbands, then escorted us to a lot full of buses. We waited inside for awhile, while most of the bus sang karaoke at the top of their lungs. Someone said they should sing "Shallow," but they didn't know the words. A definite 'A' for effort.
We waited for about an hour before they started shuttling us over to the Hollywood and Highland shopping center. They directed us into the theater pretty quickly. Although, through the quad area of the shopping center, you could see that the red carpet setup was still there. I was hoping we'd get to walk it, but no such luck. We went through security and were told to go to the third level. We waited there for awhile, as they continued to squeeze more people into the room.
Finally, as we kept approaching 6 a.m., they escorted us into the theater. We weren't in the last mezzanine, but it was pretty dang close. I was, unfortunately, nowhere near Bradley Cooper's seat from the night before.
One look at the stage and that was all it took. The lack of the sleep, not having coffee or breakfast, all went out the window as I saw the stage. It was still dressed in all of its Oscar glory and was absolutely stunning. It's the moment people wait decades to see or some never do, even though it wasn't for the actual ceremony. I pretended it was.
We made the way to our seats, which were EXTREMELY close together. But, it was all worth it just for that moment. The production team was playing with the lighting and the stage, rearranging the Oscar statues to get just the right angle. People were running around with cue cards and making sure things were ready for the live telecast.
They gave out a few prizes and had music playing, then Michael Gelman, the executive producer, came out to talk about the show and how they'd need our energy. Ryan Seacrest had also been out and about on the stage filming spots for local news stations and such. Then, it was SHOWTIME.
The show starts at 6 a.m. and tapes straight through, which is nice. Unlike sitcoms and other special tapings, where you might be there several hours until the cast and crew get it just right. Kelly and Ryan were great - they took the time to chat in between the show, telling us what was happening with the cameras and setup on stage or Kelly Ripa's confession that she'd just learned that Twizzlers and Red Vines were different. The audience was shocked. They were fun and lively and made you feel part of the experience, which I can't say is the case for all TV hosts.
They showed interview clips from the night before with Kelly and some of the A-list stars, highlights from the night before and featured Jess Cagle of People Magazine to discuss some of the moments. Bebe Rexha was also a guest on the show and performed her new song, "Last Hurrah," at the end, which was fun. And full of confetti. It was a beautiful sight to see.
Since it taped straight through, we were done by 7 a.m. Everything was just as you see it on TV, commercial breaks and all. Kelly and Ryan also pointed out moments from the night and where they were when they found out about a certain awards or big moments occurred.
After the taping, we took a few photos in front of the stage. I hope that isn't as close as I ever get to the Oscar stage, but for now, this will do.
They didn't tell us how we would get back to the parking lot or what the system would be. We wandered outside, following the large crowd of people. As we rounded the corner, I'll never forget seeing the Hollywood sign, glowing from the sunshine as palm trees and billboards decorated the setting in front of it. It was the kind of morning you imagine for a day in Hollywood. The kind that makes it feel like anything is within reach.
We were going to wait for the buses, but figured it would be just as quick (or quicker) to walk. So even though my toes were numb and had blisters from the shoes I was wearing, it was such a crisp, beautiful morning. Besides, I don't get a chance to walk those streets too often, so it was a nice change of pace.
We made it back to the Hollywood Bowl parking lot, which was still pretty full of cars and others trying to get out of their carefully. It didn't take us long at all to get out, though. By that time, we were hungry. So we drove up the street to the Bob's Big Boy in Burbank for breakfast. There wasn't a wait at all, so my mom and I grabbed a booth by the window and sat down. I ordered a cup of coffee and one of their special Bob's breakfast plates. We were full and happy by the time we finished, which we took our time doing.
While I wish we could say that we had an adventure-filled day in LA after that, we were much too tired for that. We felt better after breakfast, but didn't want to get too tired to drive home. It's a good thing, too. We stopped at the Walmart at our halfway point, so I could buy "A Star is Born" on DVD. It's just not the same on digital. We'd almost made it home, when my mom started getting really tired. So I took my heels off, turned on some Lady Gaga and finished the rest of the drive.
As soon as we got home, we crashed for a couple hours. I woke up feeling so refreshed and ready to take on the world. Instead, my mom and I watched "A Star is Born."
All in all, a fun, successful day. Sometimes you need those breaks - that's what life is all about.
That's all for now,
Shelby