May 19, 2022 Recap

Nice to see Amy bounce back after those repeats.

I got the bonus puzzle with RSTLNE, and I felt good about it when she picked the V.

This was my favorite show of the week.

If you had asked me who I thought would do the best out of everyone taping for Great Outdoors Week, I would've said Tim by far. He sat (socially distanced) with me in the audience and was very quietly (whispering) solving all the puzzles rather early.

Amy was such a delight to be around. She's also a great puzzle solver and quick with the toss-ups.

It didn't really come through as much on tv, but when Pat stopped the show to have her shake her arms, that not only changed her demeanor, but you could feel the tension lift in the whole studio. We all just sorta knew she was going to finish well after that moment.

I've always been a big fan of Pat Sajak, but his small gesture was so huge for her and left a big impression on me. I think they edited it for time, but I remember Pat's pause being longer. He genuinely wants everyone to have a great show and enjoy being on stage.

Amy was with our after-party group, so I got to know her better hanging out after taping. She kept worrying about being bashed on social media. Kevan (you'll meet him tomorrow) and I told her we'd play big brothers and fight anyone who made fun of her. Besides, she can mic drop with her trip to Puerto Rico, her bonus round solve, and her $54k+ of winnings.

After texting with Amy, she clarified the bad letter was a result of landing on the MDW and Hawaii (two prizes she had visualized for two years). It was like adrenaline flooded her brain and she was having an out of body experience. She didn't come back until she gave herself a talking to, shook her hands, and took a reset breath in real time.