After trying for more than a year to get tickets to see Oprah I finally got randomly selected to go to LA to the After Oscar Party Taping on February 28th. It was taping at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, the same place the Oscars would be held the night before. The first round of selections was around the 4th of the month, then on the 14th I was sent an email that there were more tickets available. The deadline for the response was the 16th; however I didn’t see the email because I was in Puerto Vallarta. When I returned on the 22nd I saw that I had missed it. So I sent an email response on the 23rd, asking if there was any way I could still go and I got a response that we could go. So, on the 23rd we made quick airline, hotel and car reservations and started getting ready to go on Sunday the 27th, returning on Monday the 28th. We flew in on Sunday morning and got to LA about 10:30am. After getting our car we drove to Victorville to see Scott and Kattie and the kids. We got to their place about 1pm. Scott gave us a tour of their house which is new. It’s on a corner lot, has a large kitchen with island, a family room and formal living room, ½ bath and den on the main level and 4 bedrooms and two full baths upstairs. Doug’s dad had found last September and bought it with Scott. Scott will be refinancing the loan and paying him off in the next few months if possible. It’s hard to believe that they got this house for $109,000. We had a nice visit and stayed through dinner, leaving about 6:30pm to head back to LA. We watched a little of the Oscar’s while we were at Scott’s, but headed back before it was over. When we got to the hotel about 8:30pm it was already over. We expected to see some of the winners at the Oprah taping so we were anxious to hear who won. Monday morning we were at the Hollywood Bowl parking lot at 6am, waiting in line to check in. Shortly before 7am they had us get into 3 lines, based on the lead person’s last name. Once we got up to the check in table we were given yellow bracelets and directed to a particular bus. No-one knew for sure what the colors meant other than all the yellows would be seated together. But where? The Kodak Theatre holds 3400 people and has two balcony tiers as well as the main floor. 
After more waiting on the bus we were driven to the Kodak Theatre which was less than a mile away. We were directed into the building and there were signs directing us to the main lobby level. Several others were directed upstairs, so this was a good sign! We then formed another line in the lobby to wait for the doors to open. It was about 8:30am and the taping didn’t start until 10:00am so more waiting. Finally, about 9:10am or so the doors opened and we were allowed in. We saw immediately that we would be stage right on the main level with a good view of the stage. We ended up in Row L the 3rd and 4th seat from the middle aisle. All of the rows were elevated enough that it wasn’t a problem seeing over the person in front. The stage was magnificent with the Oscar motif from the night before. It was awesome to think that just last night this theatre held the biggest annual award ceremony for the actors and actresses. One of the Harpo Audience team members came out and warmed up the audience as they played music and several people got up on the stage to dance. Shortly before 10:00 Gayle King was escorted to a seat in the front row. She wasn’t introduced however several people called out to her and she turned and waved. 
Then right at 10:00am Oprah was introduced and made her appearance onto the stage. She looked great however she announced that she had a bad cold. Immediately following her appearance, she introduced Colin Firth – Oscar Winner, Best Actor, The King’s Speech; Geoffrey Rush, Oscar Nominee, The King’s Speech; and Tom Hooper, Oscar Winner, Director, The King’s Speech. She talked to them for several minutes. She also introduced David Seidler, Oscar Winner, Writer (Original Screenplay), The King’s Speech who was sitting in the front row. Next she introduced Anne Hathaway who had co-hosted the ceremonies the night before. She was bubbly and funny and looked beautiful, even though she hadn’t gotten much sleep. Then she introduced Melissa Leo, Oscar Winner, Best Actress, The Fighter. After Melissa they cleared the stage and introduced the P.S.22 Chorus, and children’s choir from New York who had sung the night before at the Oscars. What a great opportunity for these 5th graders. As they were singing the Katy Perry song “Firework”, out walked Katy Perry singing with them! Click here to watch the performance and here to take you to their YouTube Channel. What a surprise! There were fireworks on stage and a lot of excitement. Oprah talked to her for a few minutes afterward and we were told that she had been in Vienna the day before and had flown all night to be there for the surprise. The taping stopped right at 11:00am and Oprah thanked us for coming and told us her last show would be May 25th. I’m so glad we had this opportunity to go while she was still on the air.
Afterward we walked around the Hollywood area, watched as they were removing the things from the red carpet show the night before, looking at the sidewalk Stars, and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre. We walked back to our car at the Hollywood Bowl then drove to Burbank and had lunch at Bob’s Big Boy. A quick trip down to the Santa Monica Pier then we were off to the airport for our ride home.Click below to see more pictures.
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