“The View” And A Bunch Of Other Shows Are Taping Without A Studio Audience Because Of COVID-19
As if The View wasn’t already a dystopian nightmare fueled by Meghan McCain’s toxic fumes, here comes the COVID-19 pandemic to really put a button in it. According to Deadline, The View is just one of many daytime TV staples forgoing a live studio audience “out of an abundance of caution,” which is a phrase so prevalent these days, it might just eclipse “thoughts and prayers” in our national discourse. Joining The View in an hollow studio to perform a pantomime of breezy nonchalance are Live With Kelly and Ryan, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Tamron Hall, The Wendy Williams Show, Rachael Ray, and Dr. Phil. Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune will also be lighting up that “applause” button for absolutely no one.
Deadline reports that a number of shows have already taped episodes in an eerie vacuum, including The View.
Daytime talk shows The View, Live With Kelly And Ryan and Tamron Hall previously announced they would be going without studio audiences for now due to concerns over coronavirus.
“Given the current developing situation in New York City, we have made the decision to suspend live audiences from attending our news broadcasts and talk shows,” a WDT spokesperson said in a statement to Deadline.
Rachael Ray, distributed by CBS TV Distribution, also taped without a live studio audience Wednesday ahead of a preplanned week-long hiatus.
If the comforting routine of sitting down to watch some daytime TV is one of the ways you keep yourself sane in #thesetryingtimes, you might want to consider taking up painting the walls with blood and feces instead because, out of an abundance of caution, sanity is no longer an option. This is what it looks like when Whoopi Goldberg doesn’t know where to look. #thoughtsandprayers
Whoopi Goldberg kicked off ‘The View’ to an empty studio audience today amid coronavirus fears. pic.twitter.com/QUb3uJdDaq
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) March 12, 2020
If you think that’s unnerving, think about what Ellen’s going to do without her dance partners. She’s already filmed episodes through tomorrow but come Monday, who will laugh at her jokes?
I have some news. For now, I’ll be shooting my show with no studio audience. To everyone who was looking forward to coming, I'm so sorry. But I’m doing this for the health of my fans, my staff & my crew. (It has nothing to do with a warrant for my arrest in the state of Florida.)
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 12, 2020
Can somebody please switch out all of DJ tWitch’s music files to cricket sound effects? Please? Not every show is ready to ditch the live laughter though. Warner Bros studio in Burbank is just “asking all guests to confirm that neither they nor any member of their household” have been to China, Italy, Iran or South Korea in the past three weeks, “out of an abundance of caution” (sounds more like a paucity of caution to me). So if you really want to risk it all to attend a live taping of Mom, now’s your chance. But be aware, Ellen is also taped at WB. Know that these monsters are willing to gamble with Allison Janney’s life, but not Ellen’s.
I know this all seems unprecedented and a little frightening, but it’s been done before. Tyra Banks and Naomi Campbell have been prepared for this disaster since 2005. This is how it’s done. Once again, here’s Naomi giving us pandemic— but make it fashion.
no in-studio audience for talk shows? of course, the Tyra Show did it first pic.twitter.com/mEmigbliq8
— Jordan Appugliesi (@JordanApps) March 11, 2020
Pic: CBS via Twitter