OK, folks, it's Wednesday and by now, the airing of the Greenville episode of "My Kind of Town" has happened. The gag order placed on Regina and me as participants has been lifted. While our co-workers knew far more about the production than they should have, it certainly wasn't because of our loose lips.

I'm writing this over the weekend, so I haven't seen the much-anticipated event yet.

However, my hope is everyone who views the show will take it in the spirit of fun and light-heartedness intended, enjoying the talents of the amazingly energetic British host Johnny Vaughn, laughing aloud at some of the skits and surprises in store and catching at least one glimpse of your own "near and dear."

Being an audience member was an amazing experience. I got to see seat fillers, a job I first heard about in connection with the Academy Awards, in action.

It seems producers do not like any empty seats when cameras pan the audience, so they hire folks to fill any vacancies in the studio. Since we were a little shy the 200 folks needed to take up all the chairs for our taping, several seat fillers, mostly young Asian-Americans, took up the slack.

These seat fillers are also on hand to slip into any seats temporarily vacated by audience members. Of course, they also had to clap, smile and look enthusiastic in order to blend in with the Greenville contingent. We were such a perky crowd, I suspect those seat-fillers really earned their money that day!

And there are things you won't have seen that were a part of our MKOT experience - Dr. Kathy Murphy dropping and giving us 25 traditional pushups with ease; Regina, my cohort, ably sharing a few notes of "fa-so-la" singing, our Alabama-Auburn battle cry competition and other fun moments. I'm sorry the warm-up comedian, who kept us in stitches during all the breaks, won't be seen. He was really entertaining.

It's a trip I doubt we will ever forget.

(And yes, I plan to keep my beautiful blue scooter, once it arrivesŠif gas prices keep going up, you may see me scooting around town for interviews!)

Greenville is all over the news these days. Not only was our town featured on "WSFA On Tour" on Friday, we were seen by a national audience on ABC-TV Sunday night with MKOT. Saturday night, clips of the YMCA Watermelon Jubilee appeared on WAKA's 10 p.m. newscast.

The weather proved hot and humid but hardly a cloud was in the sky on Saturday, which boded well for both the Jubilee and the Seasons 4 Christ fundraiser at the local airport.

There was a lot of work that went into organizing and pulling off both events. Kudos go to Y Director Amanda Phillips and her crew of volunteers, and to Vesta Taylor and all the members and volunteers for Seasons 4 Christ, for making these fundraisers successful, family-friendly events.

A reminder: Three-Ring Science, courtesy of the McWane Center, is coming to the Greenville-Butler County Public Library this weekend for Super Saturday. Don't miss it!

Angie Long is the lifestyles reporter for the Greenville Advocate

and can be reached at 383-9302, ext. 132.