Anne C's Blog Post
I am a game show addict. Ever since I was a little girl, I have enjoyed watching any and every type of game show that existed! I loved the excitement, the thrill, the colors, the lights, and of course the prizes! The top two game shows that I wanted to be a contestant on were Wheel of Fortune and Supermarket Sweep (yes, Supermarket Sweep).
As a child, my family and I would sit and have dinner and many times we would have Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune playing in the background. While watching Wheel of Fortune, we would try to see who could come up with the phrases or responses first. It was a fun way to interact with my brother and sister. For my family, Pat and Vanna were household names – which made it so strange when I met them on the set! When I shook hands with Pat I felt that I was shaking hands with my uncle. I must be a strange feeling for him to meet so many new people, when for us contestants, we feel like we’ve known him for years!
I moved to Michigan from California about 3 years ago to start my PhD in Mathematics Education. I had sent in an application to be on the show numerous times when I lived in California, however, never heard anything. In early 2014 I thought I would try again, and submitted with my Michigan address. In July I received an email asking me to submit a headshot and a video describing why I would be a good contestant for the show – the contestant crew was going to be passing through Detroit in August. I quickly submitted these documents with fingers and toes crossed! Less than a few days later, I received an invitation to come to downtown Detroit for an audition.
The audition was long, about 4 hours, and consisted of various features related to playing the game – speaking with a clear voice, showing comprehension of the rules, practicing spinning, and even a written test on filling in phrases (just like the bonus round). The contestant coordinators (Alex, Shannon, and Gary) were so fun and kind that day. They made us feel comfortable and encouraged us to be our best. The only bummer about the audition is that you leave not knowing if you were selected or not. They tell you that if they select you as a contestant, you would receive a letter in the mail in about 14 days. If they did not select you, you would not receive anything.
14 days went by and I did not receive a letter. I was heart broken. I thought that my only chance to get on the show had passed. I continued on with my regular schedule and decided to not say anything to anyone yet. About 6 days later, unexpectedly, I found a letter in my mailbox waiting from them! It seemed that Labor Day caused a hiccup in the mail. I was selected to be a contestant! This was exciting news, and I immediately called family and close friends to share the news.
The letter states that you will be on call for about 18 months and will be notified about 2 weeks before your assigned tape date. I expected to be contacted in a year or so about a tape date. Little did I know that I was requested to tape in the end of October, only 8 weeks later! I prepared by having friends write bonus round phrases to me via text message or email. Other than that I read one or two blogs and made sure I understood the types of categories the phrases follow as well as the meanings and value of different wedges on the board (such as the “express” wedge or the mystery round wedge).
The day came and I was at the studio bright and early! They ask you to bring a second outfit in case you spill anything on your clothes. I’m sure glad I did! The stage can be very hot under all of those lights, so I changed my clothes right before I went on to feel fresh and ready. Jackie, the contestant manager, was so helpful to me that morning by keeping me informed of my episode taping and make sure that I was comfortable and happy. All of the contestant coordinators were welcoming and warm, just as they were during the audition. Vanna made an appearance at the beginning of the day to wish us luck and to say that she was up there rooting for each of us. This made me realize that I was not in a dream and that this was all real.
As soon as I got on the stage, I realized that I was nervous about the toss up puzzles. We had not practiced using the buzzers to solve a phrase and for me it was an anxious few seconds as the phrase filled in on the board – essentially it is a race against your fellow contestants! All throughout the taping Pat did a wonderful job keeping us calm and letting us know that we were doing well. He knows how to do his job, which meant that the show moved forward smoothly. There was no re-taping of anything and before I knew it, my episode had finished its taping!
I became so close to the 17 other contestants who were filming their episodes that day, so I decided to stay the entire day to root and cheer them on. They became like an instant family in a way, as we were all nervous and eager for this opportunity.
Ultimately, I left with a wonderful excitement inside. When I said goodbye to Shannon, Alex, Jackie, Gary and the make-up team, I felt grateful yet sad that the experience was coming to an end. These people made the day entertaining and interesting. If it were not for them, I would not have been selected in the first place. Thank you everyone! I hope you enjoy the week of Southern Hospitality as much as we did!
