My Day At ‘Tonight’ And NBC Studio 6B
Yep! That’s me at Jimmy Fallon’s Desk and behind Camera 1 on the set of ‘The Tonight Show’!
This morning, I told you I was on a “special mission” and that there would me more later. Well…it’s later and frankly, I am having a bit of difficulty putting into words what this day has been like! It is without question, one of the greatest days I have EVER spent anywhere, doing anything!
I told you that I had tickets for ‘Tonight’, but what I didn’t tell you was that I had been invited to spend the day on the ‘Tonight’ set. I arrived at NBC, my first time there, at 11:30 as the guest of Kurt Decker, who is behind Camera 1. He took me into Studio 6B, sat me at the producer’s table and immediately, the first of three rehearsals of tonight’s musical act, David Byrne, started.
I promise you that within two minutes, tears of joy welled up in my eyes! Honest! What I saw was a ballet performance without description! Before me, five of television’s sharpest camera men were dancing with their cameras like you have never seen! It was like watching a flock of birds move in a beautiful unison. Their coordination is amazing…their instincts razor sharp! Every camera (four peds and one Merlin arm) were constantly moving…up and down, in and out and back and forth. I was truly a thing of beauty!
I can not honestly recollect ever being made to feel so welcomed and instantly relaxed by a group of men whom I had never met. I’ll introduce you to the cameramen and director of the show in a separate post with a “class picture”.
After the Byrne rehearsal, Kurt showed me all of the 6th floor studio spaces and the 7th floor control, video and audio rooms. Then, we went to lunch at The Playwright, which is as much like the famed atmosphere as Hurley’s as one could possibly get. Kurt and I were joined by Camera 3 operator Mike Cimino and our friend Dennis Degan from ‘Today’. Mike’s dad is the long time TD on SNL and he showed me pictures of his dad sitting behind Johnny Carson’s desk when the show came from the famous Studio 6B.
After lunch, Kurt and Mike went back to 6B for meetings and Dennis and I went to ‘Today’ Studio 1A and to his edit room on the 5th floor. At 4, we picked up our VIP tickets and went up for the taping and had a blast! Dianne Keaton is on tonight as is Dane Dehaan who is playing the Green Goblin, in the new “Spiderman” movie.
As I write this, I am still swaying from the four hour train ride from Boston to New York. I have thought about this and have come to the conclusion that I can not do justice to the photos and stories behind them with the schedule I have here. I will be posting some along the way, but the bulk will have to wait till I get back.
Tomorrow morning, I’m at ABC and tomorrow afternoon I have meetings at NBC starting at 2. Around 5, Ron Simon, Curator of The Paley Media Center will be joining me for the taping of ‘Late Night With Seth Meyers’!
Yes, I’m drinking water from a firehose, but loving every drop! MANY THANKS TO KURT DECKER, AND THE WHOLE ‘TONIGHT’ CREW FOR A DAY I WILL NEVER FORGET! Bobby Ellerbee
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