My View

It's no secret that I love watching The View on ABC. I'm a bit obsessed with it, actually. Usually I watch the show while I'm making dinner or mopping the floor but I have to admit, I rarely watch the show in its entirety. The part that I find joyfully entertaining is the beginning. It's the segment they've named Hot Topics, and I just eat it up.

I've heard from many people that they don't like the show, primarily because they can't stand to hear the views they disagree with. I always smile, because this is the reason I watch the show. I have never agreed with any of the ladies on every topic, but I find it fascinating to hear their different takes. Perhaps this is because I find it so hard to voice my own opinion on anything controversial in most situations, least I offend the people I love.

Monday morning my friends and I woke up bright and early (about 5:00 AM) and headed out, grabbing breakfast from a little cafe that kind of became a home away from home for us. Seriously, this place was perfect. They had everything from smoothies to breakfast wraps and they were really fast and friendly, not to mention their prices fit our budgets....

After snagging breakfast, we started making our way to the subway. On our way there, this guy decided to talk to us and because I was the only one of my friends who was stupid enough to try and be nice, he proceeded to ask how long I was in New York and if I was seeing anyone. I did tell him I was married, but he insisted on giving me this "business card" which I kept to show Brad.
   

I found the subway fascinating, and the fact that there was just as many people underground as above made my mind feel like exploding. Can I just say it again? I LOVE New York.

After a quick subway ride and a long walk, we finally made it to the building where they film The View. I may or may not have let out a gigantic squeal and jumped up and down. We didn’t have tickets, but we’d come to stand in the stand-by line and see if they would let us in (hence the reason we’d come so early)!

I have to say right now that my friends were TROOPERS. Neither one of them watches The View or really cares about it, but they not only woke up early and accompanied me there, they stood in the rain for hours in hopes that we could get tickets. This is true love people, because let me tell you...it was freezing cold and very, very wet. Someday, I will find a way to repay them.

I'll skip the boring details of how we actually ended up getting tickets, but I will say that I wish I'd gotten a picture with the man who was manning the front desk because he was so dang sweet. When we finally were allowed in the building he said, "I was pray'in to the Lord Jesus that you three would get in! If anyone deserves to be here, it's you three!"

Hours earlier he'd given us a plastic bag to sit on so we wouldn't have to get our clothes dirty and reminded us not to drink any coffee because he couldn't let us in the building no matter how bad we had to pee! I think his image will forever be grafted in my mind, as will his kindness.

When the intern announced that there was enough seats for us stand-bys I nearly leapt out of my skin. I was actually going to be in the audience of my favorite daytime television show. Heaven couldn't have felt better. 

Here are my impressions of the show in real life:

1. The studio was smaller than I expected.

2. The staff was friendly than I expected. (They even handed out cookies and juice and let us keep our cameras!)

3. The energy during the show was amazing. (They have a comedian--whom I recognized from my television set--who leads the audience and keeps everyone happy and entertained.

4. It was harder to hear in the studio and the joyous arguing that goes on during the Hot Topics segment seemed less biting then it does when you watch the show on TV.

5. Joy Behar really does have the perfect feet. I looked.

6. Barbra Walters does come off as a bit of a snob, but I like to think of her as a sweet old woman.

7. Whoopi has perfected the raised eyebrow look.

8. Sherri is such a beautiful woman and so very funny, on and off camera.

9. Elizabeth really does have awesome hair.

10. The show felt like it flew by!   

The icing on the cake was that I actually got to stand next to Joy Behar in my rain soaked clothes and announce the next segment of the show during the commercial. Joy was very nice (I write her name like we're old friends) and said, "Oh, aren't you cute." when I stood next to her.  She also found it fascinating that I was from Utah and had to ask if I was "a Mormon." ;)

My line for the commercial was "Angie Harmon when The View returns to ABC!" I will never forget these words, and now I actually know who Angie Harmon is. Sort of.