Two students taking part in the Elon in LA program through the School of Communications made an appearance on the July 27 broadcast of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno."
Lauren Kenney, a senior media arts & entertainment major, and Evann Clingan, a senior strategic communications major, both of whom are enrolled in the summer internship program, were part of a skit about the upcoming film adaptation of “Eat Pray Love,” starring Julia Roberts. Clingan said she and Kenney were not contacted prior to Leno and his crew arriving at the apartment they share in L.A., where they shot the bit.
“It was one of those experiences that was so exciting and happened so fast that you look back and wonder if it actually did happen,” Clingan said. “I was basically in shock the entire time the crew was running around our apartment ,and I kept saying, ‘You know I’m not an actor, right?’ I can’t wait to see how they put the skit together for the show.”
Clingan said the entire, hectic experience lasted about 30 minutes.
“They put a wig on me, fed us our lines, set the table with food, filmed us and cleaned up really fast,” she said. “It was amazing to see how fast and efficient they were.”
This isn’t the first time students in the Elon in LA program have made cameos on Leno’s “Tonight Show.” Alumni Katelyn Fischetti and Lars Bredahl participated in a game that won everyone in the audience a free hot dog on the July 31, 2008 broadcast of the late-night institution.
The Elon in Los Angeles program is a nine-week opportunity for students to take classes and do internships in the capitol of the entertainment world. Students in the program earn six hours of credit (two hours of internship and four hours of a communications elective) while onsite in Hollywood.