Hey everyone! So, now that I am finished with college and my final finals are over, it is time for me to blog about my experience auditioning for Wheel of Fortune last week.
First off, let me say that it was definitely an experience I will not soon forget. Being able to play “America’s Game” was probably one of the most fun things I’ve done, but it was short-lived.
This whole thing started about a month or two ago when I went online to fill out an application for Wheel of Fortune for like the 15th time. About two weeks ago, I received an email from Wheel of Fortune saying that they were holding auditions in Culver City and that I had been selected to try out. Right away, I knew that no matter what, I had to go.
The week leading up to the audition, I played a little bit of the game online to familiarize myself with the current rules, because they seem to be changing the spaces and what they do every few months (i.e. the ‘Free Spin’ doesn’t exist anymore). I left campus to make the journey to Culver City (which is only like 30 minutes) with a plan: solve puzzles and be interesting. Let’s just say I tried my best.
I got to the audition site (the Radisson) about an hour before the auditions started, so I could know where I was supposed to go and then I could get a snack if I chose.
They took us into a conference room at the hotel that had the puzzle board projected onto a screen. All of the auditionees sat down and we began to fill out official contestant applications and consent forms and all of that. After that, a lady that reminded me of Hayden Panettiere asked us to call out our names so she could make a seating chart. I guess this is where she took first impressions of people into account, because she kept asking people to speak up louder and louder. I was in the first row.
After this, the Wheel staff began putting puzzles on the board and calling people randomly from the seating chart to play. One of the staff members “spun” the wheel, and they gauged your reaction to what space you “landed on.” My first spin resulted in $5,000, so I was super-excited. I guessed ‘R’ and there were 2. That means $10,000 so I clapped my ass off to show my enthusiasm. The bad part is that every so often, your spin will land on Bankrupt or Lose a Turn on purpose, so they can move the game along.
I lost my turn and it went to the next person, who solved the puzzle after a turn or two. I was a little disheartened because those that solved puzzles got a Wheel of Fortune prize (shirt, hat or bag). Oh well.
After everyone had a turn and some people had two (I was not one of those…), we were given a five minute written test. There were 16 puzzles broken into 4 categories. Some of the letters were revealed, but most were not. The object was to solve as many as possible in five minutes. I finished 8. As the staff left to grade the tests and decide who they wanted to make the first cut, I conferred with those around me. Most finished between 6-8 so I felt pretty good.
When the staff members came back in, they chose to keep about six or seven to play more, and the other 60 of us were dismissed. In the end, I was cut, but I still get to say that I was able to spend a good part of the day playing Wheel of Fortune! The only thing that disappointed me was that I did not have a chance to introduce myself and say something interesting about myself. I feel that I would’ve had an inside track playing the “Today-is-my-last-day-of-college-and-I-am-getting-married-in-May” card. I guess I’ll just have to wait until the next major milestone in life and then try out again!
Why you gotta be like that? 