The other night, I had the pleasure of going all the way down to 513 West 54th Avenue--while rain poured down on myself and a friend, where they were taping an episode for the Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore. The show producers mainly focused around the Russian bombings of Syria and controversy surrounding Trump University. (Yeah, I know, what?) However, it's a very different feeling watching Larry perform in studio as well as the entire taping process.

When I finally arrived at the building, I had expected a large, multi-story building very much like the ones that houses The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Yet, I nearly missed the building. Instead, it was marked by a makeshift awning that had the show's title written on it. Had you been looking down at your phone for a second, you probably would have walked past it.

Once you enter the building, they don't immediately let you into the studio. You have to wait in a staging area, almost like a garage. I'd say you could cram 100 people together at the most. You had to pass through security doors before entering, and sometimes there wasn't enough space to let people pass through. I had to stand there, waiting for about 40 minutes before the studio doors opened.

The first thing that caught my eyes were the sheer amounts of lights and sound equipment hanging from the ceiling. I looked up in awe at all the wires flowing everywhere and all the amps, lights, and speakers.

It felt very cozy and warm inside that studio, as if you were sitting at home. While you're waiting for the show to begin, they play some music just to fill up the empty noise. (Let me just say now that the sound in that studio felt amazing. I could feel every note in the songs they played; I could feel the bass just tingle my body and the treble wrapping itself around me. Music never sounded any better.)

In comparison, it felt almost like watching a stage play.

Very much like the plays you might watch in high school or in small theaters, you have the several different crews making sure this operation runs smoothly. You have the lighting crew, the makeup department, the "stage" director, stage crew, and then "the actors."

Now, there were three different cameras that were used to record the show. Two were on dollies, while the third sat on a crane. The two dolly cameras were used to get closeup shots Larry and the guests, while the crane camera was used for the wide shots and swiveling. The camera operators only had to keep the stage in frame, while a fourth person would switch between each camera.

Now of course, in studio, we don't have commercial breaks. In between the breaks, the stage crew sets up props or chairs. There was also a person who would wipe the sweat off Larry's forehead. Another person would place mugs on the table and fill them with water. Between breaks, the crew would also set up for the next segment. Larry would transition from standing to sitting behind his desk. Or after a later break, a green screen would emerge from the ceiling and another segment would be recorded.

Before the camera would start rolling, the audience would already be cheering. The director would give us our cue to start cheering, and we would begin. The audience is a very important part of the show. All day the writers and producers tweak the script to get it just right. Larry only has one opportunity to say the jokes and make sure they sit well with the audience. One of the aspects that I never knew was that before Larry comes on, a random stand-up comedian comes to warm us up. He/she might ask the crowd how we're doing, or where we're from, or how the show works. After a few minutes, the stand-up comedian introduces Larry as he steps out from the back door.

Before the taping begins, Larry does a brief Q&A. And as the jokester I am, I just had to get a question in. So when the floor opened, my hand shot straight up into the air, and Larry chose me. Then, with the straightest face I could muster, I asked, "So Larry, if the show ever gets cancelled, what will you do next?" The entire audience broke out in laughter, and even Larry had to chuckle a bit. Of course, I saw the director shaking her head at me, and I couldn't help but feel a bit silly. Another person had asked if he was going to make any hurricane jokes, what with Hurricane Joaquin looming over us. That's why Larry makes that little remark at the beginning of the show.

Most of the show is scripted, apart from the roundtable discussion that usually happens. Larry is absolutely immaculate with his performance, but he's not perfect. When he would mess up his line, he would jokingly admit it and let out a quick f-bomb. Of course, the director just rewinds back to the beginning of the segment and restarts filming.

Sitting in a TV studio and watching a live taping of the show is an experience that everyone must experience, especially shows such as this. (Tickets are free as well!) I feel a bit spoiled now, and I don't think I can watch TV in the same light again. Or maybe Larry has charmed me with his witty humor and likable manner.