The short trip to Hollywood for the taping of the 100th episode of So You Think You Can Dance was really fun. And exhausting. We drove all night to get there, arriving just in time to watch the sun rise over Santa Monica beach and to dip our toes in the Pacific. I haven’t seen an ocean since the Indian Ocean in Africa last year. We had thought we’d have time to eat a leisurely breakie before going to the morning taping but dance junkies do line up early. We got big vats of coffee and went to wait in line. After about an hour of waiting 300 of us got herded into another holding pen to wait for another hour. Once inside the studio, the taping itself took about an hour and a half. The inside of the studio is so much smaller than it appears on TV. We were instructed to scream and clap high while watching the same opening dance number about 12 times. Watching the show, I always wondered how they got all the camer shots. Now I know. My general take on the whole thing: so much more interesting and also boring that I thought it would be.
By the time they let us out, the lack of sleep was catching up on me. We went to the Farmer’s Market for lunch (fish taco) and then off to check in to the Hollywood Downtowner for a nap. Kris and I rallied; Jeremy stayed behind. He’d had enough.
The afternoon taping was for the live broadcast. They cut in some of the pre-taped stuff but the rest really is live. Kris and I got seats rather than standing on the floor as we had during the morning. We were separated but she got to sit next to Joe Lutz, Judy Garland’s son. He was on hand for the Katie Holms dance extravaganza * which was a tribute to Judy.
While we waited for the show to start, the emcee did this excruciating dating-game type schtick and managed to pick the 16-year old gay kid out of the audience. If I thought I wouldn’t lose my comfy seat, I’d have excused myself for a bit.
Jason and Janine got voted off the show. I still think Evan has gone as far as he should but I can’t whine; I didn’t vote this week.
After taping, we snagged Jeremy for dinner and a quick tour of Griffith park. Then we all collapsed for the night.
The next day was a whirlwind tour of Hollywood, a few thrift stores* and the La Brea Tarpits. We left at 2:30 to avoid traffic so naturally we sat in it for two hours, arriving home after 10 PM.
* Just dreadful. She didn’t dance much, just some shimmies and one sassy high kick. It was taped and I was glad it wasn’t live. The stuff that gets pre-taped you actually get to see over and over again. Once was enough.
