It Was AMAZING!!!

.

This time we were third and fourth in line, so we got IN!! And what an IN!! it was! 55 of us plus three people for whom they had to find extra chairs for. After a short warm up, it was applause, applause for Anderson as he entered the stage. A rather tiny stage it is, really, it looks huge on TV, but in reality it's no bigger than your average, or a little bigger than average living room.


I am using pictures from last weeks broadcast, because we were told that no cameras, nor cell phones (with cameras), recording devises, etc. would be allowed.


The guy on the left, with the goatee, is the guy who directs the warm up and the applause,
cheering and silent moments during the taping.
They had six segments and in between each segment they had to stop the taping to change the set: two sofas first; a small glass top table with Anderson standing on one side and his guest sitting on a stool on the other; followed by the panel desk for three people and Anderson standing up. Then it was the CNN Challenge which was won as a tie by guest chef Anthony Bourdain and political correspondent Candy Crowley.


Anderson was all in black, he looked astounding! Shinny black shoes, black socks, black pants, black coat, black silk boxers... well, those I just imagined, but considering that everything else was black, I just came to that conclusion myself. He also wore a white shirt striped in black. The only dash of color, besides his beautiful blue eyes, was his maroon tie. I assume that because he was all in black that he looked rather skinny, really, he looked smaller than any of his guests. Considering that I have seen his pictures where he wears his tight polo shirt, showing a big chest and even bigger arms, I was surprised to see him looking so tiny in person. I say it was the black outfit.


AH!!! But I have a BIG, HUGE Surprise for you all! Just before the taping began Anderson addressed us, the audience, and he announced that he had just gotten his brand new pair of.... (drum roll)... ... ... ... (another drum roll, for suspense effect)... ... ... ... A brand new pair of GLASSES!!!!!!!!!! Yes, Anderson Cooper now wears GLASSES! But he puts them on during breaks to read his notes and removes them during the taping. He said he can't read without them and he cannot see people without them either -- his glasses must be like mine, bifocals... and this habit of putting them on and off is not good for him; eventually -- soon -- he will have to wear them on the air, he will have to make the announcement the way he did for us, and then wear the glasses all the time. He looks fantastic in glasses too, of course, you'll see soon.


This is my attempt to recreate Anderson with glasses the way we saw him. This pair of glasses are very similar to the glasses he wore. He made the comment that he looked like Rachel Maddow...
The taping lasted about an hour and a half, it went fast, but at the end they didn't give us a CNN cap nor an Anderson bookmark. I was disappointed, I thought I was going to have two more of each. Oh, well, two is good too.

I will have a friend of ours tape the hour tomorrow when they broadcast it, perhaps Alan and I will be in it, we were sited at the right edge of the sitting area, and there was a camera right next to us filming the audience. I think we may be on TV tomorrow.

Two Stars May Be Born! Tomorrow.