Another Fifteen Minutes

I don't mean to get on TV now. It just happens. [Smile]

My friends Sonya and Erika came out to visit me in L.A. last weekend. We had a real good time. I got tickets for us to go to the Thursday afternoon taping for "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." We got to Studio 3 around 3 o'clock and already there was quite a line. It was bloody hot standing out in that sun.

After we'd been standing there for about an hour, they started letting people in - first, those on the guest list who didn't have to stand out in the sun, then all us lucky folks who did. They give out more tickets than they have seats for the show and we almost didn't make the cut-off. The line got to about a dozen people in front of us and they stopped it. The NBC people would radio back and forth, "Send in 10." So, then it was the couple in front of us. They got in. "OK, send in the three." YES!

We get inside and the production guy points to an usher and tells him, "Third row." In we walk and get the three seats in the third row right in front by the "Tonight Show" band. Rad.

So, as John Melendez is doing his opening stuff to warm up the crowd and they do "Strange Audience Member Talents," the police officer that apparently is stationed there for the taping comes over to me and says, "Let me give you a tip. When the band starts playing, go right down to the front by that step and you'll get to shake Jay's hand when he comes out." I was like, "OK! Anything to spice up the fun here." The girls couldn't hear him so we decided they would just follow my lead.

So, the show starts and the officer taps me on the shoulder and says, "OK, go!" The band starts playing so I get up and go to the stage. Erika and Sonya are right up there, too. Jay is introduced and he comes out from backstage and does his "shake hands with the audience" bit. It's not really a handshake because he's moving so quickly - it's more like a side high five.

It happened so quickly that it was over when it started. I don't even remember seeing the camera. So we went back to our seats and enjoyed the show. It was fun!

Afterward, I called Beth and sent some text messages to people about us probably being on the show. Erika and Sonya called a bunch of folks, too. So, we head back to Pasadena to get some dinner and look around Old Pasadena, do some shopping, etc.

Just after 10:35 Central Time, I start getting texts: "I saw you!" I was updating my Facebook/Myspace statuses with the fact that we'd been spotted and say Beth's update that she had also seen us. So, I called her. She was in the middle of typing up an e-mail about everything that had played out. It's pretty funny:

FROM: Beth Allison
TO: Jacqueline Chapman
SUBJECT: Cutest Thing EVER!

So much just happened in the last 3 minutes! Let me give you a play-by-play!

All of the kids piled in my room to watch you on TV. Luke asked if it was the Oscars. Ha!

We saw the three of you right away – well, we had trouble seeing poor little Sonya! But we ran it back several times and watched. The one thing that stuck out to me was that Sonya got DENIED. It made me sad!!! She stuck her hopeful little hand out and he just walked on by. Sadness!!! The other thing that stood out was the conquering look that Jackie gave the camera just after shaking Jay’s hand. So cocky!!!! Must be the hair...

Luke said “Why is her hair short?”

Abbey and I were screaming and yelling excitedly and I yelled for Aaron to come.

He was in the playroom hanging pictures. He came running upstairs holding his head. Apparently when we screamed for him to come here, it scared him and he hit his head on the ceiling. I asked him if he was ok and his response was a grumpy “I’m hurting. What is it?” He wasn’t as excited as we were to find out what it was...but once he saw you all he was really happy. :-)

He left and Abbey and I were laughing and running it back and all of a sudden a guttural growl came from the bottom of the bed as we hear Lincoln say “Don’t laugh at her!!!!” We are like “WHO??” And he said “Jackie! Don’t laugh at her!” We explained that we weren’t laughing AT you, but just excited about what was happening. Ha!

Anyway, congratulations on your brush with fame. You all three looked FABULOUS!!!!! I’m so proud.

Love,
Beth

So, I've only seen the online version. Beth is going to burn it to a DVD for me so I can show my family. And for the record, I didn't catch the camera with a cocky look. I don't even remember seeing the camera.

And it's funny that Beth saw Sonya get denied by Jay because that's exactly what Sonya said: "I was denied." That became the weekend's joke. "Well, at least I was denied by Jay Leno."

But that's the story!