30 Rock Studio 6-B

[Scott Fybush]

Kevin Vahey wrote:
> Scott reported today that WNBC vacated their long time newstudio 6-B
> and moved upstairs.
> 
> So what happens to 6-B? I have fond memories of seeing the Carson show
> tape their quite a few times as it was always easy to get in back
> then.
> 
> I believe the audience portion of the studio is still intact so I
> wonder what the plans are for that famous studio.

I'm not sure what becomes of 6B. There is no audience seating in there - 
when I last visited (with Garrett) a year or so ago, the WNBC news sets 
filled the room completely.

There must have been a pretty massive reconfiguration of 6B and 6A at 
some point in the past, because while I'm reasonably certain that the 
original Tonight Show (Allen/Paar/early Carson) was in 6B, I'm quite 
certain that Letterman's show began in 1982 in 6A next door, which is 
where Conan O'Brien still originates, and which does still have full 
audience seating. And I think Carson may have ended up in 6A before 
moving out west in 1972.

Something deep in the recesses of my brain tells me 6B was also used for 
the Today Show at some point before it moved downstairs to the new 1A 
across the street from 30 Rock.

Aaron Barnhart of the Kansas City Star, who knows everything, speculates 
that 6B may be reincarnated as the home of the new Late Night with Jimmy 
Fallon next year:

http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2008/07/nbc-executive-s.html

Useless trivia: I've never been inside 6A. Every time I've managed to 
weasel my way into 30 Rock for a tour, there's been something - either a 
Conan taping or a private event - going on there. (But I have stood in 
the SNL host spot on the floor of 8H and promised the empty room that 
"we've got a great show for you tonight, so stick around"...)

s