The Jorge and Mary (Today) Show

The Today Show Set
Today is Mary's mom's birthday. She said that she really wanted to go down to the Today Show set and try to get on TV with the sign she made.

My mom actually called me last week to ask me if I was at the today show. I wasn't; I was working. The Today Show is in Piazza San Carlo, a 15 min cab ride away from here.

I haven't seen anything of Torino...but today it was quieter in the office so I was able get some away time (the Today show starts right around lunch time here). I had exactly one hour to get out of here, get over there, and get back to the office. We jumped in a cab and off we went.

Mary having a 'La Dolce Vita' moment

The set in Piazza San Carlo

The Today Show set is basically a large tent plotzed in the middle of Piazza San Carlo, which is really pretty. My mom keeps saying that Torino on TV is so pretty....well this is the part she's talking about. The set is open air, so that's why Matt and Katie are wearing coats...depending on the weather I'm sure it's pretty cold. I wonder how they can get keep the sound of the crowd out of the seated shots...whatever.


We're ready!
So we show up and I have 20 min to basically stand there before I rush back to the office. Matt and Katie are sitting during commercial and then they decide to come down to the crowd....right where Mary and I are standing. She puts up the fabulous sign, they come back from commercial....and we are on the air.

Mary is psyched to see Matt Lauer

Here they come...

Katie Matt and Al before they come back from commercial

unfortunately my camera died at THAT VERY MOMENT but I was able to get a snap of us on the feed before it croaked, and then another one with Marys' camera.


You can see me and Mary on the feed...I have the camera and am waving on the right hand side

Closeup of me and Mary....we look odd b/c of the angle

You can clearly see Mary over Matt's left shoulder..click the image for larger size

Our 15 minutes are up!
Then they moved to another group and that was it. Such unbelievable luck....20 min and we are on TV. The one time I get out to the set and we get on the air....amazing. Oddly I go to NYC all the time and have never been near the Today show set...I have to go to Italy to do it!

Puerta Nuevo Station
Then it was back to Puerta Nuevo to find a cab and rush back to the office. And yes I called my mom...this time it really was me.