Audience Etiquette for TV Show Tapings

Pay attention to the instructions given by your warm-up person, and behave accordingly.

General Audience Etiquette Guidelines:

How to Dress

With sitcoms, the audience is not on camera.  If T-shirts and shorts, or jeans, are all you have with you while vacationing, then choose to go to a sitcom taping. The studios are kept cold, and you'll probably be there for longer than you imagine, so it's best to bring a sweater or jacket, even when it is hot outside.

If you are receiving them by mail, most TV show taping tickets will include a letter with instructions regarding what to wear; (no flip-flops, no T-shirts with messages on them, etc...) Well-dressed people have a better chance of being placed in good seats and being on camera.  Business casual is more often the norm than not.

Because audience members are frequently on camera, they're a bit more serious about dress codes for reality shows and talk shows.  If you dress appropriately, and stick within a conservative dress-code, you probably won't be relegated to a spot behind a pole somewhere, or dumped into an off-camera area.

Your television show taping ticket will have instructions specific to the production you are attending.  Keep in mind that some rules are more strongly enforced than others.

What Not to Bring

No food is allowed in the studio, but you can usually eat while you wait in line.  Just remember your manners and throw away your food wrappers or other trash before entering the studio. There will not be problems with say, that energy bar in your bag, or even a small bottle of water.

Do not bring cell phones with cameras, video cameras or recorders of any kind with you. Leave them in your car (or locked up in your hotel room), otherwise you'll have to leave them with the studio security or staff.  They will put any electronic device you have in an envelope, to be picked up by you at the end of the show.  You can save them the trouble though, by not showing up with the banned items to begin with.

Proper Behavior

When the camera is rolling, remain quiet when required, or you'll be escorted out.

Remember where you are.  Attending the taping of a sitcom is not at all like watching TV in the privacy of one's home, but more like attending live theatre.

Do not try to converse, or even whisper loudly, about the plot line with a seat neighbor, make unnecessary noises, nor yell at the characters or actors.

Be enthusiastic but only to a certain degree.  Clap with enthusiasm when warranted, but don’t scream or interrupt the taping of the show.

They will not allow you in for the taping if you seem to be intoxicated in any manner.

It is always a good idea to use restroom facilities before you are seated, as there are very limited opportunities to use the restrooms.

Understandably, reality shows have different levels of audience participation, so audience exclamations are often encouraged.

If you pay attention to the instructions given by the warm-up person, and behave accordingly, you'll most likely be welcomed back.