We wangled a coupla tix to see a taping of Tonight yesterday. (Who’s on first?)

Monday morning, we got an email from Jimmy Pardo saying we would be on the VIP list! (We found out Saturday evening that Pardo has been doing warmup. So naturally, we were enthusiastic about attending a taping.)

We’ve seen a Johnny-hosted Tonight taping, a taping of Arsenio Hall’s talker and a taping of Martin Short’s short-lived show. We’ve also hung out in the green room during a taping of Conan’s old show in NYC. And we scoped out a taping of Into The Night Starring Rick Dees in anticipation of The Male Half’s appearance on that show back in 1992. And we witnessed one of the last Kilborns. And, of course, over the years, we’ve appeared on various cable and network and syndicated television shows.

The new studio is spectacular. Pardo sprinted out and did ten minutes of spirited, unparalleled warmup (as only he can do it), and the Tonight Show Band (minus the touring Max Weinberg) did a jaw-dropping number featuring the sax, trumpet and trombone roaming through the audience.

First guest was Ellen Page (Calm down, Minnesota Vikings fans… it’s Ellen, not Alan), second up was Kevin Nealon, and closing out the afternoon was country star Dierks Bentley.

Any comedian who aspires to appear on such a show is well-advised to attend a taping of said show. You see what the crowd sees, you hear what they hear– it gives the performer insight into “how the room works.” (Or doesn’t work!) In this case, though we didn’t seen a comedian do a 4:30 set, we did see the host hit his small star in the middle of that vast sea of mirror-finish linoleum and do his opening monologue. And we, of course, saw Pardo do his warmup, but he wasn’t confined to one spot– he ranged far and wide, at one point leaning on the producer’s podium and repeatedly hitting the remote button that lit the “Applause” sign. So, while we didn’t see a comedian/guest do a set, it was all very instructive.

We’ve been backstage… and that’s cool. But what we experienced yesterday was a whole different ballgame. And if you get the chance to do both, go for it.

Later on, in the evening, we rumbled back down the freeway to Mama Juana’s– a second-floor bar/Mexican restaurant on Cahuenga that is host (on Monday nights) to a Darren Carter-hosted standup show.

The audience was treated to a lineup that featured Carter, Justin Worsham, Robert Zapata, Todd Womack, Bob Morrison and The Greg Wilson. (Plus a brief set by The Male Half.)

The room has tremendous potential– it’s a nice space, it has great sightlines, a low ceiling, a roomy (but not too roomy) stage. If the crowds bulk up, it cold turn into a rockin’ room. Last night’s crowd, though smallish, was receptive and, with Carter’s hosting, everyone present had a great comedy experience. And the comedians had a swell time as well. (Always important!)