Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Visit to "Good Morning America" 2008 for National Chemistry Week

Bill Suits, Bobbie Gorman and I left New Jersey at 4:45 AM to get in line as the audience for "Good Morning America" an ABC news program that airs from 7 AM to 9 AM nationwide. We had to be on line by 6:15 AM but we were the second people to arrive at 5:30 AM.


To the left is the photo of the studio on 44th street in Times Square. It is a two level studio. The photo at the left shows the empty studio before the crew arrived.




Here we are on line waiting to get in. The people who were first in line took our picture. We had to wait outside until about 6:30 at which time the audience coordinator came out to get us organized. Maria Carey was going to be on the show (we didn't see her because she did not come downstairs.)


Here is a photo of the audience coordinator. She kept us amused while she did her job of getting us lined up in the proper place. We were lucky in that we were right up in front. But another group from Canada came and she placed them in another area and took photos of the group. The audience had to rehearse the script and she was in charge of getting us to stand in the right place. Also there was a bathroom run (which only the women wanted to do). We had to stand against the wall, she said like prisoners, more like students in school. We used both the men's and women's rooms but still it was too slow so I opted out of that deal. Also when the hosts went outside to introduce the program at 8:00 AM she took the people who were in the back of the line and put them outside.


Here is how we looked lined up before we are on camera. The audience coordinator thought the banner might be too big so Bill showed only the important part about NCW. They were happy that we did not have the website posted on the banner.


OK about 8:15 we finally saw the hosts of the show. The spent the first hour in the upstairs studio. The Sam Champion pictured at left came down to do the weather. He schmoozed with the audience and seemed to overlooked us. It is probably because we were advocating chemistry. He did do the weather right in front of us so in other screen shots we are seen in the background. It would have been nice if he had talked to us on air but you can't have everything! At least we were on air for our two seconds of fame and to show the world that it was the beginning of NCW.


Here is the screen shot where Sam Champion on air is talking to the women next to us because they did not like Christopher Como's hair cut!
Oh well at least we were on air!




After the show the anchors pose for photos with all the groups. Her is our group photo. Of course I am right next to Robin Roberts, I will explain why later and Bill and Bobbie are next to Diane Sawyer. (Since this is my blog, I can see I need to go on a diet!)
We have the entire banner open for this shot.



OK At 8:15 when the anchors came downstairs I shouted to Robin Roberts about how I liked her hair. She came to me and shook my hand and I told her that my hair was short because of the same reason (cancer). She commented how nice my hair looked and that I looked younger. She also said her hairdresser could help me with my hair. The photos to the left are the after the show shots with Robin. She was so gracious about this and in the second photo she is talking to me again about my hair.
I was so excited about this whole experience. I am going to write follow up notes to the audience coordinator and to Robin Roberts.
This was a great beginning to National Chemistry Week. I hope to see all of you at Liberty Science Center this Saturday!
Jeannette Brown

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