Getting VIP at Live with Kelly Ripa!

This day certainly did not start out VIP nor did I have tickets; yes… a ‘snub’ from the show, and later Ms. Ripa on Twitter… But how did I end up front row at the taping?

Ignorance!

Lets be honest, I had no idea what I was doing… Yes I have been to many tapings in NYC but never to a show shooting on location. I had no idea what the ‘procedure’ was!

I merely drove up to the Banff Convention Center, arriving 15 minutes to show time where the taping was being held and parked in front of the building. No one stopped me nor told me that audience was parked miles away and being shuttled in.

I waltzed into the building and grabbed a seat. Not to shabby, mid audience, I thought the seat was great.

Peter Facinelli, who stared in ‘Touch the Top of the World’ (which I actually worked on set during filming in Calgary) was Kelly Ripa’s co-host… things were getting better by the moment.

Then Johnny Galecki, ‘David’ from Roseanne, came out and I was in 80’s bliss!

1 hour later, the show ends and the production team let the audience know that we can head outside and get in a ‘stand-by’ line if we wanted to see the second taping… They may have room.

I’m already there and I’ve Tweeted Kelly Ripa asking for a private meet & greet and photo-op, so I figure I might as well wait around for her reply.

Outside I go, trying to find the line, next thing I know I’m back in the building standing in a VIP area for special ticket holders… How this happened I will never be to sure of.

Next I am whisked into the auditorium and I am sitting front row!

Certainly I must have been seated there due to my Twitter plea to meet Ms. Ripa!

The show starts and Ben Mulroney is the co-host; having met him before I am sure he is staring at me through the whole show trying to place my face.

Then they bring out the 6’4 hunk from JAG and most recently GCB and we are on a roll…

Then my golden moment comes.

Ripa looks directly at me and starts her approach to the front of the stage, she waves and calls out “Hey Cutie!”

I quickly look down, playing coy, then look up; We are making eye contact… I wave back.

She then says, “I like your outfit” to which I *blush* and respond “Thanks!”

All of a sudden I see her brow furrow in confusion….

I quickly realize she isn’t talking to me but the 2 little girls seated directly behind me.

I die!

As the show wraps I run to my car, princess parked out front, and hightail it out of Banff.

In reflection on the day I still made out fairly well considering I never had a ticket; Officially snubbed by Ripa, I now know it’s because I was a crazy person!

But the memory I will keep most fresh in my mind… When Kelly’s husband, Mark Consuelos, came out post show!

Mr. Fab Ripa