Anyway, here's how we ended up waiting for what seemed like 17 hours to see an hour long recording session of a 22 minute show. We arrived at 3:30 oclock and waited on line to get a bracelet and blue numbered ticket (317 & 318). We left to get a quick bite to eat (strawberry yogurt and a cookie, if you must know) only to return to find out that we now had to wait on a new line -- and not one that was arranged by ticket number. It was about 4:30 at this point. An hour on that line and we were allowed to go through security to wait for another hour in the hot lobby of the Annenberg Theater while they crammed 600 of us in. At 6:15, we were finally allowed into the theater. Filming (or "the show" which included a warm-up comedian and a brief visit by out-of-character Colbert) was supposed to start at 7 but didn't get going until 7:20. And 70 minutes later, we headed out to our car.

That may not seem like a big deal, especially since the tickets were free, but the sheer lunacy of waiting on 2 lines and getting a numbered ticket that didn't really mean anything was annoying. (they let us in 100 at a time, but we only got in with the right group because we shoved our way to the front -- other, less mobile, folks weren't so lucky).

The potential highlight -- While on line the second time, a guy came around and asked people if they wanted to ask Colbert a question. no one around us took the opportunity. I racked my brain for a good one -- something clever but not dopey. So, I decided to ask him what the most patriotic American rock band was. (And I planned on telling him The Roots were off-limits since that was too easy -- they were the musical guest.)

When I gave this question I didn't realize Colbert would be out of character when he answered the questions. If I had known this I would have asked when he would allow his kids to start watching the show (during his 60 Minutes interview last year he said his kids weren't allowed to watch because he didn't want them to confuse their dad with the man on TV.)

I was chosen to ask my question, along with 9 other people. I got to go back stage (for no reason) to get the rundown and then stood at a microphone in the aisle waiting for my chance. Sadly, they ran out of time.

None of the other questions were good, except for the first one: Are you more afraid of bears or Hillary Clinton? (he said he really is afraid of bears and told a funny story about how when he told his father he was afraid of getting mauled by a bear his dad said 'Ah, with the way medical science is today, we'd sew you right back up!')

So, I didn't get to ask my question. which sucked. But by then I didn't really care. i just wanted to see the show. it was filmed out of order -- The Roots played the opening credits music and also a pretty lame version of the star spangled banner (including a guitar smashing that seemed very 1993). i don't have an opinion of the band either way. I will say that their guitarist can fucking play a guitar. he was thrashing all over. but the drummer was just drumming some random shit and the guitarist was random and the bassist didn't even seem to be playing anything. it was kind of a mess. perhaps a tribute to Bitches Brew era Miles Davis? or just a determined effort to avoid copying Jimi Hendrix's awesome star spangled banner from Woodstock? in any case, Colbert actually picked up a piece of the smashed guitar and had the guitarist sign it. which was pretty funny. then he threw out random pieces into the crowd (not signed ones).

I guess that's about it. If you have about 5 hours to kill and don't mind standing around and waiting alot, I'd say check out the show in NY (apparently the process is pretty similar but the studio holds fewer people.)