A large group of students huddled around a television camera and sound equipment Tuesday afternoon to participate in Jay Leno's "Jay Walking College Tour" near the Duck Pond.
The late night talk show host asks a series of political and current events questions to unsuspecting people. The segment with UNM students is scheduled to air April 3.
A film crew for the show set up for the taping at about 10:30 a.m and began asking questions live from Leno by phone at about 11 a.m.
Leno was in his Burbank studio, but had a closed-circuit television link to the students.
"Jay can see the students, but they can only hear his questions," a sound technician for the Tonight Show said.
Shelli Rosenfeld, executive director of ASUNM Student Special Events, said the Tonight Show called UNM and asked if it could stop at the University to tape students.
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"When they called us, we were like, 'This is way too cool.' And, of course we said yes," Rosenfeld said.
Leno asked junior Jason Hughes a few questions about current politicians.
"I think I missed most of the questions, but I had a lot of fun doing it," Hughes said. "I hope I have a chance to be on television."
Sophomore Claude Terrell said he was excited to be chosen by Leno to answer questions.
"He asked me some current event questions and stuff about my major," Terrell said. "I think I got most of them right; I may have missed one."
Senior Brook Christopher said Leno asked some tough questions.
"Who was Al Gore's running mate in the last election?" Leno asked.
Christopher got the answer right after some help from her friends.
"How do you spell potato?" Leno asked.
"P-A-T-A-T-O, I mean, P-O-T-A-T-O," Christopher said.
Christopher said this was her first time being a part of a television show.
"It was kind of nerve-racking for him to see us but we couldn't see him," Christopher said. "I wish he were here."
But, while some were flustered by the questions, the chance to be on national television was too enticing to resist.
"I hope they air the segment with me in it, so my mom down in Texas will see it," Terrell said.
The "Jay Walking College Tour" will be making its next stop at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.
