This chapter title sounds like the title to a “Bond” film, doesn’t it? Either that or a quote from Maya Angelou, I can't decide which.
So, because of the fiasco the day before, we once again woke up at 4 am. We got ready and then were on our way to the Today Show. On our walk there, we took some pictures of the lit up NBC sign, because we had forgotten to do that in all the confusion yesterday. Plus, it looks ten times better lit up.
Glenn interjecting -- Oops. Dad had incorrectly attached this picture to the end of the last chapter. Twilight/early morning, they both look the same to me!
Finally we arrived at the Today show area a little after 5 am. We kinda stood there awkwardly for a while because we didn’t know where we were supposed to go. Then this man with the Today show came up and talked to us. He told us we were supposed to wait over to the side of the show next to this lamp post. He also showed us exactly where we should stand if we wanted to be seen. We thanked him and went to stand near the pole.
Well, mom had to go to the bathroom, so she left me for a while. She came back with a water bottle because the bathroom she used was “for customers only”. Typical. We waited there and texted a bunch of our relatives and friends to be watching for us on the show. Then, I stepped out and just took a picture of our view from where we were standing, sort of. We were off the right of this picture.
Glenn interjecting again -- Lauren sent me this picture on my phone and I posted it on my PTR thread with the caption “What Rope Drop at the Today Show looks like”.
We waited there for quite a while before there were any other people who came. By then it was about 5:45 or so. The people that lined up behind were from West Virginia and very nice. We talked to the one lady for a very long time, her name was Donna. We talked about Disney, since Mom told her we’d be leaving for Florida shortly after we got back home. And we talked about some other things too like Mom’s shoes, our family, marching band and flute. She was funny. For instance, a family came with some cute kids and she said something to the effect of “Of course they brought their kids. Kids always attract the camera.” My mom and I just laughed.
It was about 6:45 by the time a man with a bolo tie and a cowboy hat came and let us into where we would stand for the Today show. He was actually quite annoying and I thought a bit out of place in New York City. Well, we got in first and I took the man’s advice and stood right where he said I would be seen. Prime real estate, baby! And then Mom took my picture with Donna, just to remember her by. Oh, and she’s wearing a tiara because it’s her 50th birthday! How cool!
Then, my mom also took a picture from the other side so she could get the sign too, and just give some perspective. My sign says:
NYC is the
Best place to
Celebrate graduation!
I thought it was a good idea to put NBC down the side, because it might attract the camera’s attention. Since, it was after all, free advertising.
So, just as an aside, New York City is chilly in the morning. It’s not like where I live where you can see the sun all day from when it rises to when it sets. There was a slight breeze blowing where we were, plus no sunshine equaled cold people. While we were still waiting for the show to start, a group of girls in flashy outfits came and went around to the other side. Ugh, they sure knew how to get attention, and they did. Also there was this one guy, who was wearing this purply-pink shirt that even got to ask a question on the show. I was jealous and so was Donna. The cameras panned the crowd three times and the last time I think they got us, but my dad didn’t see us and neither did anyone else. It must’ve been too fast, or they might’ve cut it short.
Finally, I caught my lucky break. Tamron and the other guy came out and they set up the cameras right in front of me. Literally. Like, I was right in between their shoulders and perfectly visible. Mom was blocked by Tamron and Donna was by the other guy, but I was the extremely lucky winner. I just smiled and waved the whole time. I didn’t even pay attention to the stories that they were talking about because I was on TV! It was so super cool! Absolutely spectacular!
As soon as I was on the air, we started getting texts from our friends and family who saw me and it was just awesome. And I think my mom tried to poke her head out once or twice so Dad would see her. Oh, and when Dad shows you the pictures that he took of me, pay attention to the man directly above Tamron’s head. He comes into the story later on. He actually showed me and Mom a picture that his daughter took of the TV and there I was, right in the middle. Perfect.
Well, after that it was 8:45 or so and my mom and I were tired from standing. So, we went back to the hotel. I actually brought my Starbucks gift card so I went there and ordered a drink to warm myself up. This was because, although the sun had begun to warm the ground, I was still cold from standing in that breeze for so long. Mom went to a Dean and Deluca nearby and bought a hot chocolate which I tasted and it burned my tongue! Mine wasn’t that hot!
Glennbo interjecting yet again, with my perspective on the Today Show that morning. So, as you can imagine, I had been watching the show the whole morning, looking for them every time there was a pan of the crowd. Nuthin’. Then finally, when they came back from commercial one time, the camera swept the whole crowd…I could see that they were going around the whole rectangle of barricades and I still never saw them! I was thinking “Are you kidding me? They’re the first ones there, and I still can’t see them?” Then the camera got to the hosts (these were the Saturday hosts, the “B team” the second-stringers, but hey we’ll take it) and I saw Lauren right in between them like she was going to be interviewed! I yelled “OH MY GOSH! James! Come here!” (James was in another room, playing on the computer; Marlene was still in bed.) I could not believe it! (That Lauren and Judy were on TV, not that Marlene was still in bed --
that I could believe!)
I recorded the following video onto my phone just by holding the camera in front of the TV. The audio’s too low, but we don’t need that anyway.
Sadly, this is the only remaining documentation of this event (except for the NBC archives) -- I recorded it onto our DVR, but forgot to protect it and it got deleted when our DVR filled-up with other important recordings like “Vampire Diaries”, “Law and Order”, and “Spongebob Squarepants”.
To make it easier for the Judy game
, we’ll count the whole video as 1 Judy.
Link to video of the Today Show Stars!
Up next: It's tough to be a bug exhibitor
Link to next chapter
But yeah, I thought about that one!
.)
... then I went 
"Oh! She bought the water bottle to use the toilet..." Woops 
