fabulous & free - how to become a seatfiller

People always assume that just because you live in L.A. that you just run into celebrities all the time. Yes, I have had some memorable celebrity sightings. There was the time Judy Greer and I got bagels at the same place or the time that I saw Heidi Klum at the Grove or that magical moment when I TALKED TO TAYE DIGGS AT STARBUCKS OMG! 

But there will never a better a place for us mere mortals to get up close and personal with our favorite celebs in Los Angeles than at 1. The gym (Seriously) or 2. An awards show. In college I was introduced to the wonderful world of being a seatfiller and it was the best hobby a broke college student could have. Getting dressed up and going to fabulous awards shows FOR FREE?? Please and thank you!

Seatfillers literally fill in empty seats that aren't taken up by ticket holders or celebs during awards shows. The producers of a show always want the appearance of a packed house. The truth is, celebrities rarely will stick around for the entirety of a show. Or they get up to go present or perform. So people are moving around a lot during these shows and commercial breaks are when seatfillers get shuffled around to fill in empty seats left by absent celebs or not enough ticket holders. If you are really lucky, you get to fill a prime seat in the first few rows where the celebs abound. Even if you don't, you're still really lucky because you get to sit, relax, and watch an entire show for free!

I've had so much fun over the years going to some truly incredible shows, including: 

Grammy's

BET Awards

American Music Awards

Grammy Nominations Show

ALMA (American Latino Media Arts) Awards

NAACP Image Awards

Style Awards 
...where I got to meet Emily Blunt!!! (OK, it's a crappy iPhone picture. But it's her, I swear!)

The Game Show Awards
...where I was picked to be part of a red-carpet segment with Carnie Wilson! And where I look like a total dork! I'm definitely one of those people who can't play it cool when I know I'm being filmed. This video is from 2009 and super embarrassing, but I'll sacrifice my pride for you, my dear readers!

Besides being a seatfiller at an awards show, you can also get free tickets to tapings of TV shows and specials. You don't get to rub elbows as much with the celebs, but you get to experience the fun of being part of a studio audience. I've been in the audience of:

The Talk

The Biggest Loser Finale

The Jimmy Kimmel Show

The Voice - Blind Auditions

Whitney Houston Tribute Special

and my personal favorite....

ABC's New Year's Eve Dance Party

 During Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, they cut from live performances in New York to pre-taped performances in LA. They film these in early December and air them on New Year's Eve! You literally get to dance around all day and listen to mini-concerts from top artists. It's SO fun! I've been three times and I just found out they are already accepting applications for this year!

Me & the hubs after dancing the day away in 2010

Being a seatfiller can be really tiring and you have to have the right amount of patience. There's a lot of standing in line and waiting before the show starts. But these shows are so much fun that the waiting around is worth it. 

So, you think you're ready to be a seatfiller?

The three best sites out there are Seatfillers and More, 1iota, and Audiences Unlimited. 

Seatfillers and More is the place for the big awards shows like the Grammy's and BET Awards. 1iota is great for late night talk shows, TV specials and The Voice. Audiences Unlimited has the most selection for TV show tapings and they also are in charge of ABC's New Year's Eve Dance Party. You have to sign up for a free account with Seatfillers and More and 1iota in order to be selected for shows. The good thing is that they will send you emails when it's time to register for a certain show. 

Because there is such high demand, you might not get picked for every show. With some of the big shows, they do a lottery system because they have thousands of people applying. Some shows you are allowed to bring guests and some shows you have to apply individually. But everything is worth a try, because chances are you will get picked for something awesome and every show makes for a great story. And did I mention it's free?? Just checking.

I don't get to do shows like these as much now that I work full-time, which is why I'm passing down my knowledge to the next generation. Seriously, L.A. is the best city to be a seatfiller. Shows like this happen few and far between in other cities. So if you live in the greater Los Angeles area, have a flexible schedule, and you don't mind standing around for a little bit then sign up to be a seatfiller and let the free fun begin!