Jimmy Fallon Standby Experience

[kelkel113]

Posted: 12/23/14 at 1:33pm

So I can't find my previous post asking if anyone had tried to do The Tonight Show standby, but I'd thought I would make a new one about my experience for those who want to try in the future. I'll cut to the chase by saying I got in!!!!

I did standby last Thursday, the 18th with a friend. It was the last week of taping before the show goes on break and also the week of Jimmy's stocking stuffer giveaways so we knew it would be competitive to get in. I had planned it to do standby on a day where he was filming 2 shows to up our chances but we still got there at 4AM. Yes it was early, but honestly wasn't bad at all weather wise and once 30 Rock opens at 6AM people would take shifts going inside and getting coffee. Anyways, when we first got there, we were 15 and 16 in the line. But at 9AM when they come to hand out the standby tickets they made us pick if we wanted to try the earlier taping for the later one. When it got to us the line was even and we ended up 8 and 9 for the earlier taping. Note that this is definitely an all day event/process. We had to go back to the experience store around 3 to check-in that we were for sure going to be there. We were told to meet at the TUMI store at 3:45. You are lined up according to your standby number so we were in the first chunk of people while there was at least 70 others behind us. If your number if above 20 I wouldn't have even bothered standby.

The page came out and instantly made the first cut which left only 15 of us. They then announced that they could for sure let 3 people in right now and took them away. We watched as everyone who already had tickets went past us to security. At around 4:40 (show starts at 5) the page came and took us to stand right next to the security area. They said they needed to see the open spots once everyone was seated in the studio. Then at 4:50ish an intern came out and quickly said that they would only be taking 6 more people today and told everyone else she was sorry. I was in and my friend was the last one they let in being number 9! Everything happened very quick from then with wristbands being put on, us being herded through security, up an elevator and into the studio. The show was amazing and we all walked away with over $500 in swag! I am definitely planning on doing it again next year! If anyone has any questions I'd be happy to answer as best I can.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/23/14 at 3:40pm

A wiser man than I once asked, who has the time?

[ArtMan]

Posted: 12/23/14 at 10:01pm

Congrats. What did they give you and who were your guests? Does the show do a tax form?

[SNAFU]

Posted: 12/23/14 at 11:13pm

Happy for you Kelkel, but unfortunately Fallon didn't do shows that week because of Fallon's new baby. Headband decreed it. You must check yourself into a clinic quickly.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/23/14 at 11:17pm

I wonder if the whole thing is a false memory?

[kelkel113]

Posted: 12/24/14 at 12:12am

No, Fallon was definitley in all of last week. Amy Adams and Nick Offerman were the guests and Foo Fighters was the musical act. We all got Xbox Ones as the giveaway, gift cards, and a game to go with it! I asked a NBC Page earlier in the day and Fallon only took off a couple days the first week of December because of the baby.

[kelkel113]

Posted: 12/24/14 at 12:14am

Hi! There was no tax form. I'm not too familiar with that anyways but if it's about the giveaways then as we left we had to show a staff member our wristband and they handed each person a paper bag with the Xbox and game in it. It was actually quite heavy to carry back to my apartment lol

[ArtMan]

Posted: 12/24/14 at 12:34am

Kelkel13, I had to lug once, a Williams Sonoma ice cream maker I got from The View, onto the subway and then carry it on my flight. It was quite heavy and bulky. I would have thought they would have given us a voucher for it. Some shows give you tax forms for the giveaways. It has never been a problem in the past if it was under a certain amount. I actually won last year, a couple of contests on our local television station, nothing major, a couple hundred of dollars value, and they reported it to the IRS. I had to pay taxes on it.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 12/24/14 at 6:59am

Artman, I think they do if the value of the items exceed a certain amount.I do not know what that amount is at present.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 12/24/14 at 8:16am

I don't know the amount either. I won two adult admissions to Universal Studios Orlando and a parking pass. Total amount of prize had to be under $250. During the month of January, the following year, I received a 1099 (I think that's what it was called) for the prize amount.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 12/24/14 at 11:13am

I know with hired freelancers the amount is anything $300 and over. Not sure with gifts.

[Freckles1329]

Posted: 8/16/15 at 5:16pm

Has anyone tried doing standby recently? If so, what time would you suggest getting there? Thanks!