Kamini M.

Kamini M.

Theme Week:
Star Treatment
Contestant:
Kamini M.
Hometown:
Orlando, FL
Week of:
August 24, 2009

Posted on 08-26


I remember the day I taped as though it was yesterday. I can still recall all the emotions I felt clearly. Before the game started, I was so nervous. Once I solved the first toss-up puzzle, I was completely relaxed. I had just reached my goal! Then, I solved the second toss-up and I was ecstatic. When I solved the next puzzle, I couldn't believe it. For one thing, I really do like listening to reggae music. By the time I solved that puzzle, I had totally forgotten about the Italy wedge I had picked up at the beginning of the round. The way I felt when I realized I had just won two trips in one round was unexplainable. I just wanted to grab Pat and give him a big squeeze. So I did!

During the commercial breaks, the make-up artists would touch up our faces to make sure we didn't look sweaty and the contestant coordinators would give us some water. They kept telling me what a great job I was doing which really helped to keep me calm.

When the next puzzle started I didn't think I would get a chance to play because it would probably be solved before it got around to me. The next thing I know, it was my turn and after calling some consonants and buying some vowels, I knew the answer and solved it. I could not believe my luck. I was not able to solve the next puzzle due to some bad luck on the wheel but I was okay with that. I wanted all of us to be able to solve some puzzles.

The third toss-up started and I was so excited when I was solved it. I had solved all three toss-ups! I started the next puzzle but had some bad luck on the wheel again. I was happy when it was solved because that meant that all three of us had gotten to solve a puzzle. We actually had time for another puzzle and after some play, it was time for speed-up play. I knew what the answer was early on so when it was my turn, I called a letter and solved the puzzle. It was official. I was going to the bonus round!

Before the bonus round started, Pat congratulated me on getting this far. He told me that the bonus puzzle is harder than the others because you really have to choose the right letters to have a good chance at solving it. He also told me that he thought I had done really well on the show and was one of the better players he had seen. That was the best moment I had all day. I spun the bonus wheel and went over to the letter board. I didn't have any letters picked out in my head beforehand so I just picked the ones that felt right at the moment. Once they were revealed I instantly knew the puzzle. I solved it and I couldn't believe what happened next. I won $30,000! My husband came running out and I just felt so happy. Afterward, I got to talk with Pat and Vanna for a few minutes and I had a really good time. Vanna was beautiful and very polite and Pat was handsome and charming. They both congratulated me again and then it was over.

Being on Wheel of Fortune is an experience that I will always remember. I know that I will continue to talk about it for years to come. I got to experience my dream and it was just as wonderful as I always knew it would be. I feel so lucky every time I think about it and I've noticed that I smile a lot more, too.



Posted on 08-24


I have watched Wheel of Fortune with my parents since I was a little girl. I have memories of seeing Vanna White in her beautiful dresses and watching as she would walk back and forth turning letters. As I grew up, I continued to watch the show and began to get very good at solving the puzzles. Wheel of Fortune became my favorite show and I knew that I wanted to be a contestant someday.

A few years ago, while watching the show, a commercial came on announcing that the Wheelmobile would be coming to Florida. I knew that if I really wanted to be on the show, I needed to go. On the first day of the event, I didn’t get called up to the stage so I went back the next day. That day I did get called up to audition and I ended up making it to the final auditions. At the final auditions, I made the final cut and just needed to wait for a letter telling me that I would be on the show. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen and I thought my chances were over.

About a year later, I read online that the Wheelmobile would be coming to Florida once again. This time they would be in Tampa. I told my husband Steven about the event and once again, we headed out to chase my dream. Just as before, I didn’t make it up to the stage to audition on the first day but I did on the second day. The email inviting me to the final auditions came about a week later. I made the final cut of the final audition once again, but still did not receive a letter to be on the show. I hoped I would have better luck next time, if there was a next time.

The next time turned out to be about another year later. This time they would be at Sea World. Once again, Steven and I went to the auditions. It was the first day of auditions and about an hour in when it happened... I could not believe it... the host called my husband’s name. He got to go on stage and play a mock version of the game but when it was over he got a letter right then telling him that he had not made it to the final auditions. I knew I still had a chance for my name to be called but it seemed so unlikely that both of our names would get called at random. Then, at the beginning of the third round of games, my name was called. At the end of my game, I got handed a letter. It said that I had been chosen for the final auditions which would be the very next day at Sea World. At the final auditions, I tried my best to let the contestant coordinators know how much I wanted to be on the show. I clapped and smiled and tried to call all the right letters. Again, I made it to the final cut. This time I felt like I would make it on the show for sure.

Two months later I got a phone call that turned out to be one of the contestant coordinators. He told me that I was chosen to be an alternate contestant at the Sea World Orlando shows. This meant that if any of the contestants got sick or did not show up, I might be able to play. If that didn’t happen, I would be called at a later date to fly out to California to tape an episode. I was not able to play during the Sea World games but I enjoyed spending the day with the contestant coordinators and the other contestants. I got the call to tape my episode in March and was so excited. It was finally my turn to be on the show.

The day that I got to tape my show was the day that I realized my dream would soon become a reality. Up until that day, it had not really sunk in that I would actually be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune. Getting ready to tape my show gave me so many different feelings and emotions all at the same time. I felt nervous and anxious, yet confident and proud. There is no feeling like standing behind the podium, facing the wheel, feeling the heat of the lights, and hearing the loud clapping and cheering. Seeing Pat and Vanna walk out onto the stage made it even more incredible. I knew that I had worked very hard to get where I was and that I needed to do my best. I pushed all my emotions aside and tried to stay focused. Once the game began, I felt so happy and found that it was actually easy for me to play without being nervous. I told myself to do exactly what I do when I am at home watching the show. The game went by very quickly but I enjoyed every second of it.

My main goal going into the show was to try and solve at least one puzzle. I know that a lot of what happens during the game is pure luck due to the wheel. If I solved just one puzzle, I would go home happy. If I solved more than one, I would go home happier. My family has been asking me how I did on the show but I don’t want to spoil it for them. My husband was there with me so he knows the outcome but the rest of them will just have to wait. We will all be watching the show together on May 19th to find out if I was able to reach my goal. Be sure to watch if you’d like to know as well.