Every security guard in LA seems to be a Pinkerton, which I find endlessly funny since they are the ones we read about in US History so often as violently breaking up strikes. They aren’t that hip to new technology, however, and so their hand metal detector wand saw nothing, as I held my keys, cell phone buckle (it has given me trouble in airports…) and digital camera in one hand. They ignored it and let me go in, again ignoring the items as I placed them on the table and walked through the body metal detector.

So I get inside, where I would assume there are no cameras allowed, but I see no signs and no one has told me anything, so I carry on. I pop out the digicam at various points and snap pictures of my surroundings. You see, I am in the Jay Leno Show, they are recording Live-To-Tape, and there are a bunch of people watching the audience for bad behavior, but they never catch nor say anthing about my camera. Until the end, when we are walking out and I hold it up for a picture of Jay, and the staff woman asks if I’m recording. “It is a digital still camera,” I explain, but the form-factor of the Sony Cybershot leads her to assume that it is video. I quickly put it away and walk out and am given no more hassle.

So I have pictures! A rare commodity coming out of Leno, I would assume, but I have them. Check out the galleries and enjoy. This was a fun show. After Jay interviewed Nicole Kidman, she took the desk and interviewed Ryan Phillipie. Well, she did a bad job, but it was quite funny. And apparently no one else in my party knew that Kidman is Australian and, thus, speaks in an Aussie accent. Suprising, eh?

Afterwards we had a nice dinner at Something-or-other Strauss, a good restaurant at Universal City Walk. Then I came here, and thus, gentle reader, I can now rest. Driving into LA really is a hassle. Not sure if I want the whole summer PA thing after all, not if I have to do the daily commute…