Laurie Sandell

I taped The Dr. Oz Show yesterday; it should air in about two weeks. The topic was sleeping pill addiction, and I was brought onto the show as an example of someone who overcame it. The guy who did my hair was from Texas, and said he was giving me “big Texas hair.” He was hilarious. I really did like the way it looked, but it was such a snarled mess of hairspray and knots this morning, I worried it was going to break off at the roots. During the segment, I was seated in the front row as if I just happened to be in the audience. Dr. Oz interviewed a woman who was hopelessly addicted to Ambien, then turned to me and said, “There’s actually someone here who’s been through the same experience…” And because I’ve done so much TV, this media-light clicked on in my head, I broke into a blinding smile and said, “Shay–I could be listening to myself three years ago.” When the segment ended, we cut to commercial and a warm-up comedian bounded out onto the stage and said, “Give it up for Dr. Oz! For Shay! For Laurie Sandell!” as the audience wildly applauded. Then I was escorted backstage to the green room, which is when this shot was taken.

I’m wearing my coat because I decided not to stay for the entire show, since they didn’t follow my Artist Dressing Room Rider. I’d specifically requested the following: white room, white flowers, white tablecloths, white Diptyque candles, white couches, mango, green seedless grapes, chocolate chip cookies, Hostess Sno-Balls, circus peanuts, Iced-Tea Snapple, VCR & CD player with a mix of Rhianna, Jay-Z and Mariah Carey, and room temperature Evian water for the plants. And I swear, the only thing they followed was Evian water for the plants. But other guests of the show were drinking it, because they had no choice! That’s the last time I do TV without my publicist in tow.