ACT   2
    There is no rest for the wicked, it was late to bed and early to rise for the girls.  By 7:29am they were a little groggy but in line for tickets to the Rosie O'Donnell Show.  Though it was well into spring, it was not a warm morning in New York and Pam and Ashlee headed off to find milk for cereal while Jodi and Jennie stayed in line.  It was across the plaza from the taping of the 'Today Show' that Pam and Ashlee stumbled upon Dean and Deluca.   For those if you 'Felicity' fans, you'll know the name well.  With milk and a cinamon roll in hand it was back in line and time for Jodi and Jennie to get some breakfast.  It wasn't long before a Rosie staffer came through the revolving doors, hat in hand.  The line moved quickly, each group drawing a ticket from the hat, the lucky ones got a number on their ticket, ours was 19.

    By this time, it was nearly 8 am, and the foursome trundled across the road to catch a glimpse of the Today show taping.  Despite the cold morning they were lucky enough to see Katie Curic and Al Roker.  Jodi AND Pam got to shake his hand during a commercial break, but unfortunately they didn't get on TV.

   Thoroughly chilled by this point, our plucky foursome stopped in a Dean and Deluca for some much needed hot, and thoroughly caffeinated, beverages before visiting the famous Rockefeller Plaza, as well as Radio City Music Hall.  "Some" of them became quite friendly with the statues!

        

    At 9:15 the heroines of this tale were due back inside the NBC building to get in the line up that gets you into the other line up that might get you into the Rosie O'Donnell show.... IF enough of the random ticket holders don't show up, or the groups in front of you are too large.  With a number like 19, the group was skeptical of getting in, but the ticket lady had said that up to 24 got in the day before.  Patiently they waited until they were moved into the second line.  One group behind the front of the line and five minutes before air they were informed that the show was in fact full.

    Deflated the girls left the building. Perhaps a little shopping at the NBC store would cheer them up! There was an instore scavenger hunt of sorts, which when completed you were rewarded with a 'gift', a.k.a an NBC Sports pin.   Their trip to the NBC store proved to be more rewarding than that however.  By chance they overheard a store employee asking some other patrons if they wanted tickets to The View, but they declined in favor of lunch.  At this point the girls moved in and claimed the tickets for their own.  Why might an NBC employee be handing out tickets to an ABC show you ask? Well, another store customer couldn't use them so they had given them to this rookie employee to do with as she wished.

    The taping of the view was at 11:15 on the other side of town.  A brisk walk through Central Park and past the American Ballet Academy got them to the view on time.  Arrived across town and feelin hungry the girls snacked on cheestrings and granola bars, leaving the cold pizza they had packed along as it did not looking too appetizing.  After entering the ABC building they were given Powerbars, which actually taste like peanut butter sawdust!! Finally the girls were led to an elevator and up into the studio.  After being seated, a View staffer came out to pump up the crowd.  She wowed us with her impression of Julie Andrews singing 'Pump up the Jam' and recruited students from Louisiana to strip, much to their teachers discontent!


    The episode being taped turned out to be a pre-taped show, based on the segment 'Hot Topics', bringing back guests and stories that had sparked discussions on previous shows.  The first guest was a man who lost a custody battle for his children because he didn't have a job and was a stay at home dad.  The second was a couple who were 'Swingers', and that was just scary! Thirdly a doctor who dressed like Erin Brockovich, and finally Helen 'Girley' Brown and geriatric 'Cosmopolitan' editors with a scandolous past.  The producers didn't seem all that thrilled with the outcome of the show, but it was still and exciting experience and our main characters were lucky enough to see a taping with the infamous Baba Wawa, (Barbara Walters).

    

    Walking back into the Broadway area, the troops visited the famous Tower Records and Barnes and Noble.  By three O'clock they had still not had lunch, so Pam and Ashlee stopped for a New York bagel, while they entrusted Jodi and Jennie with the task of getting 2 for 1 Broadway tickets to a show of their choice.

    Rendezvous-ing back at the 'hotel' the girls got ready to see their first Broadway show, Fosse, which they thoroughly enjoyed.

    After Fosse, they indulged in another famous NY treat, cheesecake, with a glass of milk that cost 3 dollars!!!

    END OF ACT 2

on to ACT 3