Yesterday I crossed an item off of my life list – I got to see a taping of Oprah!
The Oprah Winfrey Show taped in Los Angeles yesterday for Oprah’s annual post-Academy Awards show. My friend Leslie and I showed up at 6:30 am to go through a series of checkpoints before we finally made it to the inside of the Kodak Theatre. I just have to say, The TSA has NOTHING on the Oprah staff.
What you cannot see in this picture is our breath. It was 37 freaking degrees in Hollywood! Very abnormal.
After we checked in, we were given bracelets and paper tickets.
You can see my goosebumps! Freaking cold. But we didn’t care because we had magic purple Oprah bracelets!
We boarded buses (we had to park about half a mile from the Kodak Theatre because the red carpet was still being disassembled), and then got in line to go through security. We were still excited:
We were finally let into the theatre and we found our seats…in the seventh row!
And this was our view:
(my pictures get blurry at this point because photography wasn’t allowed…so I had to be sneaky!)
The Kodak Theatre has three balconies, it’s HUGE. And when the warm-up woman came out, I thought my ears were going to bleed: the Kodak became a giant shaking cavern of screaming women.
If there is one sound I despise more than children shrieking, it is women shrieking. ESPECIALLY 3,400 shrieking women. I told Leslie that I had not thought this whole thing through. She told me to deal. And deal I did, because then Oprah came out, woo hoo!
The show was amazing. We saw Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Hooper, Melissa Leo, Anne Hathaway, Carson Kressley, and Katy Perry. And, most importantly, Oprah herself. She even introduced a segment from only about 20 feet away from where we were seated!
She was so close we could almost smell her. I bet she smells like money and dreams.
I watched the show (it already aired) and I couldn’t see Leslie or me, although I could see our general area:
In all, a totally fun day and I felt so lucky to get to go to the show! Leslie was my college roommate, and we used to come home from class and watch Oprah on our crappy antenna television.
Now onto the next life list item – actually be ON Oprah. Seriously, I NEED to know what she smells like.
Shalini says:
How exciting!! Wow–and what fantastic seats! I noticed that your seats (with your name on it!) said “Booking Team”, what does that mean?
You got to see Oprah during her final season! I’m also impressed that you got to see Mr. Darcy himself– talk about that Oscar being a long time coming.
(I’m just about to get out of bed to rush to the gym at 6am–yeah, I’m crazy–but I could not proceed without first replying to this. =)
Lynn from For Love or Funny says:
WOW! Sounds like SO MUCH FUN! On a side note, Oprah loves to take baths…so I bet she smells like beautiful bath soap!
edenland says:
OH MY GOD. That is the coolest bloody thing ever!! You with your cool L.A. – was Banksy there? I keep meaning to tell you that Banksy is in your area, brightening up your landmarks. Let me know if you see him.
You look beautiful.
Sherri says:
AWESOME!! How lucky were you? Hey…I had a college roomie named Leslie, too. But we spent most of our time watching soap operas and drinking beer…
Janette says:
I am so totally jealous now.
Heather says:
I know it’s not the same… but I met Jesse Jackson and Al Gore last week. Rev. Jackson, phew, that man smells amazing. better than I imagine the old spice guy smells. Like power mixed with awesome.
Al Gore, just doesn’t have any smell to speak of. None. After reviewing the photos of him with my daughter I have concluded that he sent a robot in his place that day.
Anne says:
Oh Heather!!! I am so excited for you! I am such a Oprah fan! I went to one of her shows about 15 years ago in Chicago. I honestly have NO idea what the show was about… but she had light blue pants on and walked right in front of me and brushed my knees with her pants. I swear they were polyester…still ponder that memory but know they were! haha! So happy you could see her on her final year!! Anne
AmazingGreis says:
I am sooooo jealous!! My life list includes going to an Oprah show taping, meeting Justin Timberlake and an Ellen Show taping…just to name a few. I’m running out of time for my Oprah moment!!! *sigh*
So happy that you were there and had such a great time!!!
Hamlet's Mistress says:
Oh my God, you were in the same room as Colin Firth! I can’t even imagine. I’d totally be like that character in Who Framed Roger Rabbit that looked at the guy and screamed “Oh my God, it’s a MA-YUUN!”
Except Oh my God, it’s Colin FII-YUURTH!!
Stacey says:
I just watched that episode last night. How wonderful for you guys! I can’t believe all the people in there; I remember when Anne Hathaway came out and realized it was jammed full of women… she goes, WOW! What a great experience to be at a show (read: very jealous) let alone one at the Kodak Theatre!!
monica says:
you lucky duck! I would love to see a taping of the Oprah show! What a cool experience!
roshan says:
Hey, did you know that your blog got a mention in the NY Times?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/27/magazine/27armstrong-t.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all
“Or Heather Spohr, whose 17-month-old daughter, Madeline, died suddenly of a respiratory infection in 2009, and whose blog has become a gathering place for thousands of parents who have lost babies. “
jennifer pletcher says:
Totally amazing!!!! I loved looking at these pictures. What a fun trip!
Rebecca says:
You totally need to be on Oprah. With all the support you give to other families who have lost little ones way too soon and all that you’ve been through, you would bring her ratings up so high she’d not retire for another year because she’d be so happy about the boosted ratings. I know I would watch Oprah if you were on there!
Also “I bet she smells like money and dreams.” I totally LOVED that line!
Stacie says:
Oprah Winfrey presents her new perfume Money&Dreams
kbreints says:
Wow! So fun! you better hurry up and work on the ‘being on Oprah’ thing…. Maybe you could be on OWN. LOL
Snickrsnack Katie says:
LOL at money and dreams. I am sure she smells absolutely fantastic. I have to say, I am not the biggest Oprah fan anymore, but I would totally be enamored by her anyway if I were to see her in person. And all those other stars! You are so lucky!
Deborah says:
I’m no Oprah fan at all, but COLIN FIRTH! COLIN FIRTH! COLIN FIRTH!
Liz says:
You were in the same room with Colin Firth!! So, so dreamy . . .
sigh.
Elizabeth says:
I am BEYOND jealous right now!!! I’m glad you had such a great time and I can only imagine what your ears feel like!
You got to see the chorus from my home town perform as well! Weren’t they amazing?!?!?
Julie Paris says:
Hi Heather,
I have been a long time lurker but had to let you know that I was on the Oprah show about 13 years ago with my Dad. It was a show about things you are thankful for and I had written to the show that I was thankful my Dad had quit smoking. Turns out that there was a segment that worked for us and we were flown to Chicago etc etc and on the show! It was one of the best times I’ve ever had and so special that I got to do it with my Dad.
Oprah does smell like $$- I got to touch her.
Julie
Anna says:
Not sure if someone also pointed this out and I know you Los Angeles residents are used to seeing celebrities, BUT! I want to know who sat in your seat at the Academy Awards the night before!! Did you happen to smell your seat? HAHA maybe it smelled like cologne or a nice perfume? Sounds crazy but you gotta do what you gotta do!
Congrats on seeing her majesty Oprah! Seeing as its her last year I think she should just start throwing out $100 bills at every show too. I mean why not?
Heather says:
I’m trying to figure out if you mean you want to be on Oprah as in.. be on the show and meet her… or like, tackle her and be ON her to get a big ol whiff of Oprah scent
katrina @ They All Call Me Mom says:
Wow that is so cool — lucky you! I love Oprah and will miss her show when it ends.
Kelly says:
Jealous. Moi? Very.
Glenda says:
woohoo Heather! way to go!!!! so exciting.
Lynnette says:
That’s cool. The closest thing I’ve come to something like that is to be in the audience of The Price is Right with my sister and a friend. My sister was over the top excited and so wanted to be called up, but it didn’t happen. Congrats!
Jen says:
Dude. I’m officially envious. Or jealous… whichever makes me sound nicer.
Amanda M. says:
I don’t know if I’d care to see Oprah in her regular studio, but seeing her at the Kodak theater sounds cool. Those are awesome seats!!
Meg says:
Yay — that is so awesome! So glad you had a great time and got photos. That’s definitely an unforgettable experience.
shelliOZ says:
I was lucky enough to win tickets to see Oprah in Sydney when she was here in Australia last December, we were at the show where Hugh (hot) Jackman crashed into the lights, was worth every minute of sitting on the tiny Sydney Opera House steps!
Tracie says:
How awesome! I have always wanted to go see Oprah.
“I bet she smells like money and dreams.” <—snort. I bet she does!
Allie says:
Sounds like an awesome time Heather! I saw Oprah in a similar setting in NYC when she did her 10th anniversary of O Magazine. I didn’t get to sit quite as close as you did though! And I cried. Glad you were able to fulfill a dream
Megan@TrueDaughter says:
Very, very cool. I used to really love Oprah, and still enjoy her show once in a while, but have drifted away after some of her more new age ideas. Still, very fun, and would have LOVED to have been there! It was always something I wanted to do, now I don’t think I ever will – since she is not doing her show anymore.
Elle says:
“I bet she smells like money and dreams.” Bottle it up!
amy says:
VERY exciting!!
Jackie says:
Jealous! Not just about Oprah…but, the fact that you and Les got to spend the whole day together. I miss you girls…LOTS!
sarah says:
That is awesome. It just aired in Germany. Love Katy Perry!Those kids were something else.
Jessica says:
Glad you had fun! Those are killer seats. I watched the show Monday night and it was fab, I cannot imagine what it was like to see it live. And I’m glad security let you take your camera, seriously, the security at the studio was merciless in taking just about everything I own.
Kristy H says:
That is AMAZING!! I was going to tell you how my sis and I got to go to a taping a few years back when she had a Siblings show, it was supposed to be me and my 2 little sisters but only 1 could go. We were SO excited, thinking, WOW, what goodies are we going to get, will she shake our hands, stuff like that…
We sat in line for what seemed like hours, and then ended up with the WORST seats possible, no goodies, and she didn’t even look our way, lol!
BUT, my Sis and I had a great time anyways, we make anything we do together a good time!
Yet I still wish my taping was as awesome as yours : )