No trip to Los Angeles is complete without a bit of Hollywood magic on your itinerary. Luckily, there are multiple ways to see a taping of your favorite television shows live and get an up-close look at the TV shows you see at home.
Plus, good news: tickets to the majority of shows are free. (Ed. note: Depending on taping schedules, the lineup of shows that book audiences varies.)
Enjoy popular sitcoms like George and Mandy’s First Marriage, be amazed by incredibly smart people on Jeopardy!, or laugh along with talk show hosts like Jimmy Kimmel. If competition shows are more your style, try scoring tickets to Dancing with the Stars or The Masked Singer, which both tape in the Los Angeles area. Actively participating on a game show (like Wheel of Fortune) is feasible but typically involves a test or video submission in advance, so check the rules before planning your trip.
Being in the audience during a taping gives you a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how these shows are actually produced while providing a look at your favorite stars up close and personal—something that’s on every L.A. visitor’s bucket list. Each show has a specific ticket system that sometimes involves a wait list—or waiting in person—so be sure to plan far in advance and anticipate lines so you don’t miss your opportunity.
Between tapings—most take place in Burbank—fill your TV-loving vacation with studio tours at Warner Brothers and Universal Studios Hollywood, and visits to nearby L.A. neighborhoods that are pop culture staples in themselves. We’ve got tips on amazing things to do in Hollywood, as well as the celebrity-friendly communities Santa Monica, Venice Beach, West Hollywood, and the inimitable Beverly Hills.
Check out Discover Los Angeles' guide for even more info on how to attend live tapings.
How to See Live Tapings of Talk Shows & Competitions
Laugh and hear remarkable stories from guests with Jennifer Hudson on The Jennifer Hudson Show. See what movie stars are talking about on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Watch political wags and celebrities go toe-to-toe on Real Time With Bill Maher. And, as mentioned, on the grounds of Universal Studios Hollywood and adjacent Universal CityWalk, attend a taping to see Extra’s Derek Hough chat with celebs.
Talk shows are a great way to see A-listers in person—usually dressed in on-trend fashions and perfectly coiffed. Another perk from sitting in the audience: you might get on TV too, since many talk shows include shots of the audience, or even pull one or two folks into the show for a gag or two. Glossy who’s-best shows like The Voice and America's Got Talent also let you see talent—some good, some bad—as well as A-list judges and performers.
Some shows distribute their own tickets via their websites; others use ticket agencies, such as 1iota. You may even get paid a stipend to be in the audience for shows such as some on The Food Network.
How to Watch or Be a Contestant on Game Shows
Match wits with the contestants on Jeopardy! Spin the wheel with Vanna and Ryan Seacrest on Wheel of Fortune. Bring out your pom-poms and pork pie hats for Let’s Make a Deal. These game shows and other classics are mainstays in Los Angeles; most have been running for decades.
Want to be a contestant? For some shows, that just means reserving a free ticket online and getting a callback to attend (then syncing up vacation plans), then crossing fingers that you’ll get picked from the audience. For some shows, it’s a little tougher to make the cut. For Jeopardy!, you’ve got to prove your prowess by passing a 50-question test either online or at a regional in-person screening. Wheel of Fortune asks for a video submission.
If you simply want to sit in the audience for popular game shows like Wheel of Fortune or The Price is Right, or Family Feud, check out On-Camera Audiences. Just keep in mind that show tapings are often overbooked, so a ticket is not always a guaranteed seat (show up a little early to keep your odds high). Most game shows require that audience members be at least 18, but both Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! welcome audience members as young as 8.
How to See Live Tapings of Sitcoms
Crack up at the hilarious extended-family dynamics of Happy’s Place, starring Reba McEntire, or watch the antics of the cast of Shifting Gears as the show is being filmed. Sitting in the audience while these and other sitcoms are staged gives you an incomparable behind-the-scenes take of all that goes into producing a professional comedy show. While familiar shows are a big draw and usually a good bet for a great show, don’t hesitate to take a chance on a pilot or a new show; you might wind up seeing the birth of the next hit sitcom or TV star.
The main resources for getting tickets are On Camera Audiences and 1Iota; their websites list TV shows offering tickets within the next 30 days at studios in the Los Angeles area. There are other sites, too, such as Shadow Casting, and OS | LA Productions. If you don’t score tickets when they are first released, additional and standby tickets may be released at a later date.
Insider Tips
Attending a TV show taping is a blast, but there are a few tips you can follow to make sure it’s memorable—and only in a good way.
1) Be sure to get there early if you want a good seat (or any seat at all, as studios overbook the tickets).
2) Expect to stay at least three hours, especially for sitcoms, which can take a long time as scenes get reworked and reshot. Bring a snack and a book for downtime. (At longer tapings, audience members might be treated to pizza, but don’t count on it.)
3) Bring a sweater; studios are kept notoriously cool to compensate for the hot lights on stage.
If you’re hoping for an on-camera appearance, do your homework ahead of time. What types of things is the show looking for? It might be a silly costume for a game show like Let’s Make a Deal, or it might be well-dressed people for a cameo appearance in a talk show. Also, be enthusiastic: employees sometimes tap the most eager audience members to be part of the show.