Some free unsolicited advice about the studio audience at the Ellen Degeneres show:

1. DO NOT assume because you have waited 9 months for a ticket, it will ensure a seat “IN” the studio audience!
   
2. Prepare to wait outside the studio.
   
3. Expect more waiting at the special designated waiting area.
   
4. Once you’re seated, wait for the show to commence.
   We can’t tell you first hand, but this part didn’t look so bad as far as waiting was concerned.
   
5. No matter how hot it is pack a sweater. Luckily, I knew this from attending other tapings—studios are cold places.
   
6. Arrive at least an hour or two before scheduled check-in time.
   
7. If you arrive to find yourself at the end of a rather long line and a young laddie rolls up on a scooter and shouts “The Riff-Raff Room* starts here”, leave immediately.

* The Tom Hanks Riff-Raff Room: the part of the studio that holds the overflow audience for the Ellen Degeneres Show. A cold drafty room where you can watch the show on several t.v. monitors—ooooh. The really really sad part was watching the studio audience (the people you practically know, because you’ve just spent 3 hours in line with) boogie down for the opening of the show. Although, it could have been worse, I noticed one poor girl was seperated from her three friends and spent the whole show in the riff-raff room alone—I guess she was being punished for something.

The highlight: we received a free copy of Linda Ellerbee’s new book, Take Big Bites.