Tyra Banks Show Update

Well, I will call this episode “Almost Famous” and you will see why.

First off, the trip was a lot of fun. It was almost like winning a mini vacation because everything was paid for. I love riding on trains and since we live in Connecticut and New York City is only about 2 hours away that is how they had us travel.

The Holiday Inn hotel was top notch. It was almost brand new and had a business center with free computer use so I used that several times. We don’t usually leave home without my laptop but since it was only for 1 night decided not to take and being able to use their business center was really convenient. The Tyra Banks show even covered all of our food expenses during the trip. Thanks guys!

We ate dinner supper late in the bar of the restaurant at the hotel and had the best food – homemade beef barley soup and open-faced tuna melts. The lady bartender, Chrissy, was a hoot and I swear a younger version of me. We had a ball talking and laughing until midnight. My husband was there just nodding his head and the other staff (men) just said, yack, yack, yack!

We didn’t have to check out of the hotel until 11:15 which gave us more time to sleep. We were to meet the Tyra people in the lobby at that time.

Much to my surprise there were about 5 other couples waiting in the foyer of the hotel to be walked over to the show and that didn’t count the people who were staying at another hotel.

When we got to the Tyra show, which was only about 2 blocks away, they made us leave our phones and cameras at the front desk so I didn’t get even one single picture of anything. They are very strict on no picture-taking.

The Tyra show tapes 2 shows a day for 3 straight days so when they took us up we were met with belly dancers and a variety of other people waiting to be taped for the first show of the day. They had a glamour show going on before ours so the “green” rooms were packed with all kinds of people. The green rooms were in a long hallway and each one had couches and a TV in them. The Tyra staff provided us with lots of goodies, fruit, drinks and then brought us lunch later.

I think the best part was meeting the people who were to be guests on the show. We met the people who raffled their house for $50 tickets and sold 24,000 of those tickets and also the person who won the house. How would you like that prize? She has to pay $300,000 in taxes but she is going to sell it.

We also met the guy who put his kidney for sale on Craiglists to later find out that it is illegal to sell an organ but then found out you can give it away if someone is willing to donate money to your cause (his cause was to pay for college). There were lots of other people there talking about how they earn extra money or get something for free. One lady sells her breast milk, another her hair, yet another sells her Plasebo and one guy, Keebler, makes money participating in clinical trials. There was talk about getting free travel, free food, free samples, using Free Cycle to swap unwanted items, hosting clothing swap parties and more. I even learned some things I didn’t know about that I could get for free and I thought I knew just about everything there was to know when it comes to getting things for FREE! What amazed me is that the Tyra show would pay to bring someone to the show and pay their airfare, hotel, and food to ask them one or two questions. That is all some people got. Heck, they could have probably found some of those people right in New York City!

Heather (Freebies4Mom) is beautiful and super nice and I was so glad to meet her in person. I know she thinks I am a crazy lady who talks way too much (sorry Heather). I’m not sure she liked NY too much – something about a crazy cab driver – and when it is your first visit to NY somebody should warn you about things like that and also about how you don’t talk to anyone on the street or look them directly in the eye 🙂 I’m a Southern girl and I also learned the hard way when I moved up north.

Heather was featured with 3 other panelists on stage with Tyra Banks and sat in the middle of everyone. The 3 other panelists were a lady from CNN, and 2 ladies from magazines but I can’t remember which ones. Each of them gave advice on getting “free stuff” all through the show answering questions from Tyra and they actually had scripts and prompts. Halfway through the show they had Heather come out from the back rolling 2 grocery carts full of groceries to talk about getting free food and samples.

The rest of us “almost famous” people were in the audience. They would cut to us when it was our segment and Tyra would basically read from the cue cards to ask questions and we would answer. I was the last person of the day to talk. Tyra had 4 questions for me and while I have no clue how I did I heard it was fine – we will see. At one point I think I was so nervous my lips stopped working. I won’t know if they actually keep my part in or cut parts out or what. They taped so many people that you never know if they will have time for everyone.

Oh yeah, and hair and makeup was fabulous! They gave me the biggest eyebrows I have ever had in my life and I didn’t want to wash them off when I got home 🙂

For my “5 to 10” minutes of fame I was really taken well care of and pampered. I appreciate the opportunity as it was definitely an experience to add to my book of life. When the Tyra show airs I will let you know and hopefully you will see Sweeties Sweeps on the Tyra Banks show.

Wendy (aka Almost Famous)

Update: Here is my TV clip from the show.

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