It pays to have friends in the TV business! One of my former co-workers now works at CNN in Atlanta and offered to give us a tour while we were in town.  The big news nerd in me knew that was too good to pass up!

It was a Saturday, and things were pretty slow.  But we did get to see the control rooms in action and it was just so impressive!

I had no idea the CNN Center used to be a theme park – but seriously, I”m not surprised.  The inside is so impressive to look at.  It also houses a multi-story escalator, which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest freestanding (supported only at its ends) escalator in the world.

While you wouldn’t be able to get the special friend tour of CNN, they do offer tours for the public available at a small cost.  If you are a news junkie, I would think it’s totally worth it!

The main control room at CNN.

Me in front of the mothership at CNN headquarters.

Inside one of the CNN Studios.

Working away at the CNN Weather Center.

Brendan, on set at CNN.

CNN En Espanol

He’s got the whole world….

Patrick’s big prize from the cartoon network store.

I may have been very excited for the CNN Tour!

Patrick freaked when he found the Cartoon Network store!

Inside the CNN Center.

Hanging out with Christina, a former producer of mine here in Orlando!

This Humvee was used by Anderson Cooper.

I mean – how amazing does this look?

Brendan has already nailed the “being talent” portion of the job.

The boys hanging out at the CNN World Headquarters in Atlanta.

Your future news anchor, Patrick.

The boys in front of CNN Headquarters in Atlanta.

So….many….monitors. This is where all the producers, editors, etc. sit inside the CNN Newsroom.

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