BEHIND THE SCENES: A Live TV Hug from Meredith Vieira

Some TV moments are wild. Some are funny.And some feel like a warm hug from your mum.That was our day with Meredith Vieira.

Meredith Vieira with Fleur and our Artful Muse David

For those of you who don’t know (how?), Meredith Louise Vieira is a legend in American broadcasting. From The View to The Today Show, and as the first host of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, she’s been a comforting, whip-smart presence on our screens for decades. And from 2014 to 2016, she had her very own daytime show: The Meredith Vieira Show.

We were lucky enough to be featured—and let me just say: she is the nicest celebrity I’ve ever met and I've been around a fair few now.

The Setup: Champagne, Charcoal, and a Band of Legends

The producers asked us to throw an Artful Bachelorette-style figure drawing party for Meredith and her studio band—yes, her band! A mix of men and women who could groove and giggle. We hosted the event at The Alchemical Theatre in Manhattan, one of our favorite venues back in the day (thank you, Gia and Carlos, for always being so gracious).

Meredith was the ultimate good sport—laughing, sketching, asking thoughtful questions, and genuinely enjoying every minute. One of her bandmates kept “accidentally” dropping her pencil just so David, our gorgeous Aussie shirtless server, would have to keep picking it up. (We saw you, girl! David didn’t mind. Honestly, it was adorable.)

The Live Show at 30 Rock

Later, we were invited to the live taping at Studio 6A, NBC Studios, 30 Rockefeller Plaza—yep, the same building where Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and The Kelly Clarkson Show are all filmed.

I got my hair and makeup done in the same chairs as some of the biggest names in TV. I kept half-expecting Tina Fey to pop out of a closet with a donut, but alas—no such luck.

Greenroom of Studio 6A

Our handsome muse Kurt (also an art-focused journalist, because of course he is) joined me to appear on the live show. He wore a robe. He judged the band’s drawings. He gave out a prize. He even bonded with Meredith over their shared love of journalism. Talk about multi-talented.

Live TV... and Butterflies

Now, I’ve been on TV before, but never live. Different beast entirely. There’s a real audience. Real nerves. No edits.

I was sure my tongue had swelled up. I was convinced I was shaking. But in reality? I was fine. Meredith made sure of that.

She looked me in the eye, asked smart, meaningful questions, and truly listened. She made me feel like I mattered. Like my little business meant something. She made everyone in the room feel seen. That’s rare—and real.

The Show Didn’t Last… But the Memories Did

The Meredith Vieira Show only ran for a year or two. Which honestly breaks my heart. It was smart, warm, funny—so clearly hers. But that’s showbiz. And it’s especially hard out there for female hosts trying to carve out space in a male-dominated world.

Still, what a legacy. What a moment. What a day.

Thank you, Meredith and team, for giving us that gift. Thank you, Kurt, for going on that ride with me. And thank you to the band for dropping your pencils with purpose.

That memory is inked on my heart.

Fleur

Founder, The Artful Bachelorette