The Bingo Card: NBC Celeb-Spotting in Vancouver

Ted Hall and I have a little side competition going here at the Olympics.

We’re calling it “The Bingo Card”, and basically it’s a contest to see who can spot the most NBC personalities while we’re here in Vancouver. We all work in the same building; we all eat in the same commissary. And so, the game is on — who can fill out their Bingo card the fastest?

And just between us, I’m cleaning Ted’s clock.

It’s not even fair — mainly because I spent the early morning of Day 2 here behind the scenes at the Today Show. Since I’ve been here, I’ve spotted Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Al Roker, Ann Curry, Lester Holt, Natalie Morales, Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Dick Ebersol, Tom Brokaw, Maria Menounos, Scott Hamilton, Jimmy Roberts, Cris Collinsworth, Kristi Yamaguchi, Kenny Albert, Leanne Gregg … and there’s more, but that’s all I can think of at the moment.

All Ted’s spotted is the guy from Chuck.

That’s not true — Ted’s seen quite a few as well, but usually a day or two after the rest of us.

Sample conversation:

Ted: “I just rode down the escalator with Brian Williams.”

Matt: “Sorry, bud … I saw him eating lunch yesterday.”

Ted: (clenching fists) “I can’t win!”

All kidding aside, it’s funny because I really don’t get starstruck much — and I’m not really starstruck in this case either. I mean, Ted and I are in the same profession with these folks, and we have both interviewed enough big names in our careers that it doesn’t overly shock us anymore. But it’s still pretty interesting to see how different some folks look in real life.

And, let’s be honest, the whole thing’s kinda fun, too …