# NBC-NYC talk shows where the skyline is visible in background **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425 "2005-01-18T21:18:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/1 "2005-01-18T21:18:30Z")
In some New York City based shows like Letterman’s, you can see the Manhattan skyline behind the host and guests. My question is simple: Is that really there–that is, is the studio located many levels up in the building, and is that an actual window behind the performers? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/2 "2005-01-18T21:39:12Z")
No. It’s a photo. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/3 "2005-01-18T21:50:02Z")
[No. It’s a model.](http://muse.cream.org/bill/billusdiary.html) > [@](#): > > The set was amazing, I didn’t realise it but the New York skyline behind Dave is an incredibly intricate model, complete with tiny little lights. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/4 "2005-01-18T21:51:19Z")
A model…cool. I remember Johnny Carson’s was a photo, because I saw him mess with it on occasion. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/5 "2005-01-18T23:07:49Z")
Now and then, to make a joke about some news story, they have run a cheesy model plane across the “sky” on a wire. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/6 "2005-01-18T23:17:47Z")
Letterman tapes in the old Ed Sullivan Theater, at 54th and Broadway, at ground level. If not for all the West Side buildings blocking the view, the skyline would be of New Jersey. Also, the show is taped at about 4PM, when NYC is still in sunshine most of the year. Ever notice that the weather in his set is always clear? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/7 "2005-01-18T23:38:38Z")
The Late Show With David Letterman is in the Ed Sullivan Theater, which is at ground level. Back when he was with NBC he was at 30 Rockefeller Center, on about the 6th floor, IIRC. SNL and Conan are both at 30 Rock (SNL is on the 8th floor, I think – no idea where Conan is); neither studio has windows. Even if they did, the view isn’t very good unless you go very high (like, 40 floors or more) from there. Studios that actually do look out on the city: The Today Show looks out on Rockefeller Plaza, as you know if you’ve seen the show. Fox has studios on the ground floor on 6th Ave in the 40’s, and GMA and MTV are in Times Square. CBS’ NFL Today sets up outside the GM Building on 5th Avenue. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/8 "2005-01-18T23:39:27Z")
But, it should be said, that shows like _Good Morning, America_ and _TRL_ are indeed in Times Square and those “sets” are real. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/9 "2005-01-18T23:40:48Z")
Crap. Got called away and didn’t preview. I Didn’t mean to step on **Elvis** ’ answer or his blue suede shoes. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/10 "2005-01-18T23:42:08Z")
I was in the audience for the Late Show on January 10th and can definitely vouchsafe that the view is not real. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nbc-nyc-talk-shows-where-the-skyline-is-visible-in-background/285425/11 "2005-01-18T23:44:32Z")
Agh! And you made me step on _your_ shoes, \*\*manhattan[/b! Curse you and your “real life” that called you away from the Straight Dope! 😉