The Center of My Television Universe

So I ate my New York bagel which had about a ½ inch of cream cheese on it. More than even I could have seriously eaten. (How this city produces the worlds thinnest women I’ll never know.) We headed right over to make my national television debut at the center of my television universe, 30 Rock.

True I was sleep deprived, but I didn’t let that stop me from taking all the opportunities that lay before me. I felt like I needed to scope out the place at least. It was hopping when we arrived, but we didn’t stay since I could barely stand up and it was a little awkward being there with my suit case and back pack.
Steve took me to our hotel (only a quick two block walk from 30 Rock) to settle in, freshen up and show me around.

Steve had to leave right away for his class and I laid down on the bed for what I wanted to be just a minute. Steve left and there I was on a big, white, comfy bed in a dark room. I did get off the bed, but it took every last bit of self mastery I had to make it happen.

I took a shower (and used the hotel provided shower cap) did my make-up and hair and BAM! I was TV ready. I headed back to the TODAY show. I was desperate to say hi to my kids on the show. I told them I would be on the news when they woke up in the morning and I just felt desperate to make that happen for them and I knew they were counting on seeing me.

As I wandered solo through the streets of New York City, I expected to feel nervous and frightened. I expected people to be tough and busy and unfriendly. My experience was quite the opposite. All the workers beamed at me when I walked by. Several even stopped me and wanted to talk. Perhaps it was the two-sided Utah shaped poster board I was carrying? I’d like to think it was the spirit I carry with me.
Either way…It was super fun to talk to construction workers and the delivery guys, security guards and sanitation workers I met during the two block walk.

I arrived at the show for the second time at 9am, to be told the talent wouldn’t come out again.
Just as soon as I was feeling disappointed, out walked Ann Curry to do a segment and interview a guy who rode his bike across the country to benefit CHF. There I was in the background waving my poster board and blowing kisses to my kids. What a rush. I could totally see myself on the monitor and I knew they would be able to see me.

This was supposed to be a photo of me and Ann, but my camera, unknown to me at the time, was zoomed in. Bummer.
It ended up being a super close up of Ann's wool jacket. I mean really Ann Curry, who wears wool in July?

I called my mom and told her what time I would be on in Utah (time delay) She was excited. I was so pumped after my success of appearing on live national television that I called basically everyone in my phone book to tell them. Unfortunately it was only like 7am at home, so let me just take this opportunity to say sorry to all of you.

I walked back to the hotel after wandering around for a while. I started to get deleriously tired. I talked to most the workers I had met on my way down and told them about my success, they all seemed genuinely excited for me.

I went back to the hotel to crash until Steve came back for Lunch. Unfortunately while I was sleeping, everyone back at home started calling and texting me because they had just seen me on television. I wanted to talk to everyone, but I was hopelessly unconscious and could not. Let me just tell you how good it felt to sleep in a cold dark room by myself. Heaven.

Steve came back for lunch and we went to find us some good NYC pizza. We found some it was good, but not great.

Steve went back to his class and I shopped at H&M. I always hear people raving about the place and we don’t have any here.


I found some pretty cool stuff for not a lot of money. I bought a little cardigan, because all the buildings in NY are freezing inside and I didn’t bring anything with long sleeves. I was also planning to attend Jimmy Fallon later and it said on the website that they refrigerate the studio to keep the equipment working. I also bought coconut lotion (Still obsessed with smelling like Hawaii).

So after shopping I went to scope out the Jimmy Fallon ticket scene. I had reservations, so I knew I had a seat, I just wasn’t sure about the seating process. It did prove to be a little difficult and quite meticulous.


After waiting in this room for 45 minutes, I ended up waiting in line several times, but did make a new friend. This is Rebecca. She's from Harlem. This was her first time to the show and she was there alone too due to a recent break-up. Bummer, but it worked out great for me because I was getting lonely at this point.

We ended up waiting in the gallows of 30 Rock for a long time. They wouldn't let us stop moving. No stopping or standing. If you stopped an NBC paige would come and prode you along.
I stopped long enough to snap this, but a few of the suited paiges scowled at me for doing so.

The theater was indeed freezing inside. I was glad that I had a sweater. I was also glad I went to the bathroom before I came because once in the theater, they don’t let you out. A lady tried to get out to go potty after we first all got seated, but they wouldn’t let her out. She was crying and everything. Those NBC pages…they play hard ball. Don’t let the Kenneth thing throw you off.

We ended up sitting in the “band risers” which was code for the very back row. But…we got to walk up at the end of the show and sit behind the band that played which was Crowded House, yes the 80’ies band. They sing that song…Hey now hey now, don’t dream its over…Google them, you know them, I promise.

They don’t let you take pics in the studio which for me is like saying you can’t have your eyes open. I take pics of every cool thing that happens to me and most the un-cool stuff too. I did manage to get these boot leg pics, but I totally got busted.
I was very ashamed, but lucky not to get kicked out.

They had a guy come out before the show to warm the crowd up. He was really funny. It was too surreal to see it in person and see it all in 3-D. I enjoyed it immensely, but it didn’t feel right being there without the Davies, who are without a doubt the biggest Jimmy Fallon fans I know.

The guests were Zack Braff and another guy I didn’t really know. It was interesting to see how they tape the show. When he messed up or didn’t like the way he said stuff, they’d re-do it. Funny.

As promised, at the end of the show, they marched us up to the front of the theater, I walked right past Jimmy Fallon, who nodded at me, as they placed us up on the risers. The band set up and started to play. They told us we had to move and not just stand there. I was surprised at how nervous I got when the red light came on and I knew I was on camera. I was very nervous, but trying to look just as uber cool as a mother of two from Utah can look dancing behind a band on national television.

Anyway…it went by very quickly and then they quickly ushered us out of the studio. I met Steve just outside the building. He had been waiting for me for quite some time. I guess the taping of the show went really long.


We went to the Theater district and ate at this crazy place Steve’s parents recommended called the Carnegie Deli. What in the what? Look at this sandwich are you kidding me.
Order up...Who ordered the three pounds of lunch meat between two slices? Who in the world could even think about eating this. (Luckily this was not our order. I took a picture of someone elses food, yes. Is that weird?) Look at this piece of pie. WHAT? I couldn’t even make a dent in it. It also cost us about $10,000 dollars plus tip to eat there and the place was a dive. Oh…and they didn’t take credit cards. WHAT? Who doesn’t take cards are you kidding me? This is New York City not Arkansas. In the end, I am glad we did for the experience and the gluttony of it all, but I probably wouldn’t go back.

From there we wandered over to Times Square. Over rated. I guess if you like crowds and lasciviousness. Times Square is pretty excellent, but I didn’t feel like I could breathe there. Here is a picture of me and Steve on an electronic billboard streaming a live feed of Times Square into Times Square. Can you pick us out? We have our arms up.

It was interesting to walk past all the back doors of the Broadway theaters while we were leaving the area. We saw a lot of the dancers leaving the stage. They sort of looked like humans. Like a hybrid version of a human anyway.

We sat down on some stairs and called the kids who didn’t seem to miss us at all, but did enjoy telling me about how they DID see me on the news. It was a very satisfying end to a satisfying day.

We walked back to the Hotel and noticed that New York at night isn't nearly as lovely as it is in the morning. All the businesses, including our hotel pile up the day's trash and toss it out front at the end of the day. The pile was probaly 20 feet long and 8 feet wide. I guess some magic trash trolls come and take it away during the night is what happens. Until they come, the whole city smells like a trash can. Kinda gross. This was the pile of trash in our hotel. I'm sure somewhere in this pile is the q-tips I used to clean my ears earlier this morning.

Anyway...we made it back to the hotel just in time to crash. I have never slept so hard in my life.