Now that the pandemic is progressing forward and studio audiences are happening again, I was asked to come and join in the fun as an audience member at The Kelly Clarkson show. Kelly is one of my favorite entertainers in the biz. I voted for her on the first season of American Idol, I went to her tour with Clay Aiken. Then, twenty years after she won the first season of American Idol, she received her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, just feet away from the Dolby Theater where she was crowned. So, when she got her own talk show in 2019 I was thrilled.
The day began early. Check-in begins at Universal Studios Hollywood at 8:30 am and cuts off at 9:30 am. The team is still following current covid protocols, which they update as the state does. After testing and being cleared, we are shuttled down to the studio lot on a tram. It’s almost like a mini backlot studio tour that you would get as a guest at the park, minus the tour guide.
Then, we walk over to the studio where the show is taped and get escorted inside where someone looks at what you’re wearing and then seats you accordingly. You don’t want a block of the same colored shirts on camera. The audience is very intimate maybe holding 50 (each row holds 3-4 people and there are only 3 sections). There are a few screens in the back for a virtual audience. Next, the fantastic warm-up guy comes out. Do you think an audience is just awesome on its own? Every show needs a warm-up act!
THE KELLY CLARKSON SHOW
Once everyone and everything is in its place it’s time for the show to begin. Now, this episode worked a little differently than normal. Because of the seriousness of the topic, the performances that are normally LIVE were pre-taped. This way Kelly can give the guests as much time as needed so they were honest and genuine conversations without having to feel rushed. Normally, Kelly and any musical guest would perform for the audience giving us a concert and a talk show. However, we still got to watch the pretape of Kelly performing, but we did not get to see Tink.
THE LUCKIEST GIRL ALIVE – MILA KUNIS, CHIARA AURELIA, AND JESSICA KNOLL
Our guests today were Mila Kunis (Bad Moms), Chiara Aurelia (Cruel Summer), as well as author Jessica Knoll. The women came on the show today to promote their new Netflix film, The Luckiest Girl Alive – streaming on Netflix Friday, October 7th, 2022. The film and book are based on actual events from Jessica Knoll’s life and deal with sexual assault. So while the conversation starts out light and funny with Kelly and Mila chatting about their kids, as well as Ashton Kutcher’s drunken first time saying “I love you”, the conversation does take a more serious turn once all the guests hit the couch. I forgot to mention, the audience received a copy of the book as a gift to take home! How fun is that?
“You’re giving me the validation that 15-year-old me sought and didn’t get when she needed it the most.”
New York Times bestselling author Jessica Knoll
During her interview, Jessica shares how transformative the experience was to share the trauma she endured at a young age through the guise of fiction in her book-turned-film, “Luckiest Girl Alive.” Jessica’s hope is that the film helps others confront their past traumas.
RAD HUMANS: A LONG WALK HOME CREATORS, Salamishah and Scheherazade Tillet
After wrapping up the women of Luckies Girl Alive, Kelly brings out two sisters Salamishah and Scheherazade. After Salamishah’s own assault, the sisters started the Chicago-based nonprofit A Long Walk Home which uses the arts to help empower young people to end gender-based violence.
Hearing their story brings a moment of hope to a dark subject that affects too many people. Then, Kelly announced that Crocs, yes those hideous yet comfy shoes, was going to donate 20k to their charity! The entire room got on its feet! What a positive and happy note for a somewhat somber day.
THE FINAL SEGMENT – WHAT I’M LIKING
Next, Kelly video chats with Nashillville weatherman, Henry Rothenberg who went viral for using multiple children’s book titles during with forecast. Henry works with the book fair program If You Give A Child A Book campaign which gives underserved kids books to read. This time, Pilot Pen gives Scripps $1,000 for its incredible mission!
I appreciate how much these two big moments affected the energy in the room. We all went from semi-somber to ecstatic. Thank you for not letting us leave on the dark notes
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
After Kelly is finished with all her guests, she does a few pickups, and thanks the audience for their time. We are then escorted back out to our tram and head back up to the parking lot. All in all, the show is very quick. I was back in my car by noon, headed home, and jamming to Kelly Clarkson all the way there. I can’t wait to come back on another show day in order to experience the LIVE performances.
You can watch The Kelly Clarkson show every weekday at 2 pm on NBC. If you want to be in the audience the next time you’re in Los Angeles or if you’re a local make sure to head to 1iota for your free tickets!
