How to Get Tickets to an American Idol Taping of a Live Show

It used to be that if you mailed a letter far enough in advance or stood in line for long enough, you could see any television show and be a member of the live TV audience. Well, those days have passed with the immense popularity of reality game shows like American Idol.

Live studio audiences add excitement and a necessary component to the overall feel of the show. That is why shows like Idol actually feature their audiences on camera, sometimes doing interviews with children or contestant’s family members seated in the audience. They also may flash on the screen the names and faces of well-known celebrities seated in the audience.

If you’d like to attend a taping of American Idol, your best and only bet to get tickets is to join a waiting list. If you are selected, you will receive an email informing you that a maximum of two tickets to a taping of the show are available for you. They will inform you of the dates you may see the show several days in advance, but they absolutely cannot accommodate special requests. The good news is that tickets are free if you are selected from the waiting list.

Once you receive an email, your response time is critical. Emailed acceptance of free tickets is taken on a first-come, first-served basis until the audience is filled. If you are not available to view a live taping of American Idol at the time of the email, you must rejoin the waiting list and try all over again.

To join the wait list online, you may visit www.ocatv.com (On Camera Audiences). If you’d like to be part of another live audience, this site can help you find tickets for Simon Cowell’s America’s Got Talent, Last Comic Standing, So You Think You Can Dance?, Dancing With the Stars, Def Comedy Jam, The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and many other programs.

For more information on American Idol specifically, you can visit www.idolonfox.com or write:

CBS Television City in Hollywood
7800 Beverly Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90036

And if you’ve got the Idol buzz, but can’t wait until next season to see a live show, catch last season’s Idols like Chris Daughtry, Mandisa, Kellie Pickler, Elliott Yamin, Katherine McPhee, and champion Taylor Hicks on tour this summer at arenas nationwide. You’ll pay a pretty penny, but will at least be guaranteed a seat.