From Audition to Playing Wheel - a 4 Part serialized saga

Did they let you wear the sequins? My taping is this Friday and I am having the HARDEST time coming up with an outfit!! The rules and regs about what you can't wear are causing me lots of stress. Could you wear earrings? 

Just wanted to say...good on Wheel. Really, they could've easily decided otherwise with the outfits, and thankfully their view on contestant wardrobe isn't anywhere near coming close to remotely resembling the mindset of the wardrobe department at Who's Still Standing?.

For all the would be contestants out there, I thought you might like to see my "Face of the Fan" video that got me an audition. Also, this video is much closer to how I really look. Before the show, I had my hair highlighted and there is so much makeup on my face for the HD cameras I don't quite look like myself. I like the way I look for the show, but the everyday me is in this video.

It's on YouTube and is unlisted. The direct link is: youtu.be/JqOZTFLq4Sk

Or here is the "insert video" version:


Part 3 of my WOF journey to be posted soon!

This is great, Julie! Can't wait to see it air.

Your post brought back many memories of my Kids' Week appearance on Jeopardy! from 10 years ago--this was basically how the whole day went down for me all those years ago, except our opponents and taping order were predetermined, we didn't draw for them (and, naturally, it was Jeopardy!, not Wheel). How, I have no idea, but let's just leave it at "I was the last show taped that day." Maybe I would've won if I had taped earlier in the day...

I noticed you said you had done another game show in the past. You mentioned earlier you had previously auditioned for Millionaire--was this a different show?

...Please tell me that somebody corrected the person in question. "It's con-suh-nent (or kän'sənənt, per Wiktionary), not continent."

In fairness, though, saying "consonant" in certain ways does sound like "continent".

Better calling continents than being a combination of bowels incontinence, I say.

Part 4 -The Big Show
I had two goals for my time on Wheel of Fortune – win more than the $1000 consolation prize and if at all possible win the freaking prize puzzle! I would love a free trip to some tropical place. So that’s where my mind was – get the prize puzzle and accomplish both goals at once. I knew I could call logical letters and could eventually solve the puzzle. It would be up to the wheel if I got the chance. And those toss-ups – I wasn’t too keen on those. Many times at home, I’d be watching Wheel and get one of the words right on the toss-up and manage to yell out the wrong answer. Toss-ups weren’t my specialty and I didn’t think they would be my best chance to win a puzzle.

Pat tells us to pick up our signaling things and it’s time for the first toss- up. It’s “Things” - two words. I’m not feeling confident about this one. I try to just clear my mind and see if anything comes to me. The letters start popping in – I know the first word! I’ve practiced this word in one of my puzzles - PARADE. What could the second word be? What makes sense? Then another letter and my thumb is on the button. I hear Pat say “Julie” and I say “PARADE FLOATS”! I got a puzzle! I got a toss-up puzzle! I’m smiling with equal parts excitement and relief.

Time for introductions – I’m first. I mention my jobs, my family, and my treasure hunting hobby. It feels like it went OK and now I can catch a breath before the next toss up as Lamont and Rebecca chat with Pat.

The second toss up – signals in hands and the letters start to fill in for “Show Biz” puzzle. It’s 3 words, the first 2 hyphenated. Letters are popping in and I feel like I should have it by now, it’s right on the tip of my tongue and I hear Pat say “Rebecca”. She starts saying “All-Star..” ( In my head, I’m saying “ of course it’s ‘All-Star’ “) then Rebecca says “Game”. She’s forgotten the category! I jump on my buzzer. Pat calls me and I answer “All-Star Cast !” Whoo hoo! I have met my goal of winning more than minimum of $1000. The only other goal I had in mind was winning a trip on the prize puzzle.

I’m first to spin in round 1 – “Movie Quote” and it’s a long one.
__ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ / __ __ __ / __ __ __ __ /
__ __ __ / __ __ __ __ __
I spin and it lands on the ½ car space. I call “T” - There are 2 T’s and I get to pick up the ½ car license plate. I show it to the camera and place it to my right as we were instructed to do with any special wedge or tag. So now the puzzle looks like:
__ / __ __ __ __ / T __ __ / __ __ __ __ / T __ __ / __ __ __ __ /
__ __ __ / __ __ __ __ __

I buy a vowel – “E”. I’m shocked when Pat says there are 10 E’s. Now the puzzle looks like this:
__ / __ E E __ / T __ E / __ E E __ / T __ E / __ E E __ /
__ __ __ / __ __ E E __

I know it! But I have only $ 750 and a ½ car plate. I know there are still multiples of letters, so I decide to spin. Only this time, I get mixed up and am watching Rebecca’s pointer instead of mine. Her pointer is clearly landing on bankrupt, but I hear a horn sound. I look at my pointer and cannot believe what I see –the other ½ car! I call the “D” – there are 3 D’s, but who cares! I pick up the ½ car plate again –

I have no recollection if I showed it, if I celebrated, if I did anything with it that I was supposed to do. I hear myself say “Pat, I’d like to solve the puzzle” Then I read it super carefully word by word. “ I FEEL THE NEED, THE NEED FOR SPEED” I won a car. I WON A CAR! This was never on my radar, never in my thoughts. I’m shocked. And Pat is standing next to me. And the only thought in my head is “I won a car – I’m winning!” I know we were shown where a monitor would be so we could see video, but I never once looked at it – I had no idea what car I had won until after the show.

Giving the Solution Note: Part of our instructions were to clearly and correctly say each word. Don’t add an S anywhere, don’t drop the G on –ING words, just read exactly what’s on the board. I know this is a quote from Top Gun, but to make things worse for me, in my head I can hear Michael Scott on the Office saying “I feel the need, the need for speed.” Later my son told me that Michael Scott never said that, he said “I feel the need, the need for tweed.” If I would have flubbed that, I would have been just sick! Probably would have thrown up right on the wheel.
(Maybe I set a new WOF record for the fastest car won??)

We go to commercial break, the contestant coordinators help us off the platforms and hand us waters. I can’t stop muttering “I won a car” and shaking my head. They prepare us for the next round, reminding us of the Mystery Wedge and suddenly it’s time for round 2.

Lamont starts the round. “Before and After” 3 words. He starts spinning and calling letters. He picks up the featured prize, a trip to Guatemala worth thousands of dollars. He has a few thousand in his bank roll. Then Lamont ( the poker player ) lands on the mystery wedge.
Lamont Note: This is where I should mention Lamont got to the show because he works as a flight attendant and happened to meet Vanna. She gave him the contestant coordinators’ number and he got an audition. Lamont is an intelligent, personable, well spoken, and handsome man. He has every quality needed to be a contestant. But he may not have been a long time Wheel fan like Rebecca and me. We had similar stories of watching for years and trying to get an audition for years. All of that to say – Lamont may not have realized the game theory behind what he was about to do.

As Pat begins to explain the mystery wedge and before he has a chance to recap Lamont’s cash total and trip value, Lamont has his hands on the wedge. In my head I’m thinking, if its $10K, and he solves this puzzle – there goes my big lead. I can see it as soon as starts to pick it up – BANKRUPT. Whew, I’m safe. I’m also thinking, what a horrible move on Lamont’s part. He risked a lot and probably gave up any chance he had of solving this puzzle.

Now it’s Rebecca’s turn. She spins and lands on $3500. She calls “L” – 3 of them. At this point I know the puzzle. I’m hoping Rebecca doesn’t. She spins again. $3500 again! She calls “B” – 2 of them. Now she has it, and solves “FASHIONALBLY LATE BLOOMER” for $ 17,500. Seriously? What happened to my big lead?

Commercial break -- We step down and I grab Rebecca’s arm and say “Your wedding, you have money for your wedding.” She’s thrilled of course. I still have the lead, but if she gets the prize puzzle, she’ll surely pass me. We’re given water. We’re reminded the next puzzle is the prize puzzle and the EXPRESS wedge is in play. I want to win the prize puzzle, not just for the lead, but for the week on a beach somewhere. I focus in and get ready. This is the puzzle I came here to win.

Round 3 – the prize puzzle! “What are you doing” – four words. I’m writing this a few days after the taping and I’m not 100% sure of how it began. I know Rebecca started and somehow it got to me very early – I spun and landed on BANKRUPT! I thought that was the end of my chance at the Prize Puzzle. Lamont spins, but loses control at some point. It’s Rebecca’s turn and eventually she lands on the Million Dollar Wedge ( from here, I remember perfectly well). She calls a letter that is in the puzzle and picks up the wedge. At this point the Puzzle is:
__ I __ I T N G / T H E / __ __ N __ I E R G E / __ E __ __
With the Million Dollar Wedge, I am speculating that Rebecca wanted to be conservative and solve the puzzle without spinning and hitting a bankrupt. I hear her say “ I’d like to buy a vowel” I’m shocked when she says “A”.

My heart rate goes through the roof. I get excited and blurt out “Pat, I’d like to solve the puzzle”. Pat tells me to calm down or take a deep breath or something. “VISITING THE CONCIERGE DESK”!!!!!

Pat comes over and congratulates me. And makes some comment about me Visiting the Concierge Desk in…the Dominican Republic! Whoo Double Hoo! Apparently during this time a lovely video of Club Med in Punta Cana was playing, but once again I’m not watching any monitor. I was too focused on Pat and looking at the camera we were told to look at for each commercial break.

Break time again. More water. I’m feeling good about my $26K + at this point, but I know Rebecca is easily within reach at $17,500. I even know Lamont can pull off a miracle in the last round. Must stay focused.

The third toss-up and it’s one of my least favorite categories “In the Kitchen” and it’s one long word. Those seem to throw me more than the multiple words. The letters start popping in. I’ve got it! I buzz in first – “CORKSCREW” . A little more insurance for my lead and this is when I actually start to feel like I could win this thing.

I start the 4th round. This time it’s Fun & Games – 2 words. I’m secretly grateful for a short puzzle. I know I should take my time. I don’t want to see another puzzle and another chance for one of my opponents to catch me. I call a few letters, buy a few vowels, and then I call a “T”. No “T”.

Lamont’s up and spins and calls a few letters. The cue for the Final Spin goes off. I’m hoping for a low value spin – Pat lands on $350! At this point, I know the puzzle. I quickly realize there are not many letters left and no multiples. I’m going to win! Lamont guesses a letter, but can’t solve. Rebecca guesses a letter and solves for $1350. I am genuinely happy for her and genuinely feel badly for Lamont.
Pat congratulates a pretty happy Rebecca and consoles a disappointed Lamont. Then he comes to me.

Pat- “You won a car”
Me- “Yep”
“You won a trip”
“Yep”
“You won cash”
“Yep”
“And you want more?”
“I’ll always take more cash”
Commercial break – I get some quick congratulations. I never see Lamont or Rebecca after this point. I get a makeup touch up. I get some refresher instructions on spinning the bonus wheel from John the stage manager. He asks me if it’s OK if Pat holds my hand – I say “Yes, of course! I might kiss him if I win.”

I look up and see my husband and my daughter standing at the end of the set. My husband has a look of shock and fear. I lean over to John and tell him, “My husband is happy I won, but he is more stressed about whatever he is being asked to do.” ( I talked with Doug later and he did not enjoy the show at all while it was being taped – he went from being worried I wouldn’t win anything to immediately being afraid he would have to be on TV after I solved the round one puzzle.)

I’m actually calm at this point. I’m so thankful that I have actually practiced this once. Pat comes back out and we are at the Bonus Wheel. I introduce my family and give the wheel a spin. I still don’t feel like this is really happening. I hand the envelope to Pat, he takes my hand and leads me to the blue mark.
The puzzle is “PERSON”. In my opinion, a much more desirable category than THING!
R S T L N E leave me with this:
__ __ S T E R
__ __ __

I had a solid plan to use D G H O. I also got some advice from a friend who had been on Wheel years ago – he said “Guess the letters that you think that are there... don't hold 'em back like I did in the bonus round!” This at least opened my mind to the idea of being flexible with my plan.

I immediately thought the first word had to be MASTER so I called M. I had no idea what the second word was and I remembered my plan and called D. For some reason I can’t explain I called P as my third consonant ( Maybe it was my bathroom humor earlier in the day…’I’d like a Pee’) And going with my conviction that the first word was MASTER I called A ( My planned vowel of O would have been so much better…)

P __ S T E R
__ __ __

Pat starts his schpiel about talking it out, I’ll have 10 seconds.
I start thinking right away – Paster? No – Poster - Poster Boy – I check the used letter board. They all fit. I am overcome and for some reason, bend down and grab my knees. Now, I’m nervous! I’m waiting for Pat to finish his instructions. I see the time start to countdown under the used letter board. It says 9.8 and I yell out “POSTER BOY”. I’m clapping, I’m jumping and then Pat opens the envelope to shows me $30,000. I’m in shock. And then the last thing I would have expected, started to happen. I started to tear up. I’m about to cry. My family runs up. We hug. We look at each other with shocked faces. The cameras are coming up to me, I’m at least aware enough to say “Happy New Year”. Then off to commercial.

John comes back and takes me by the hand to the side of the stage. My family is escorted somewhere. Pat and Vanna come back out for the credits. I get to join them on stage and get to talk with them both. I have no idea what was said! I can’t remember any of it!
Then John comes back and takes me by the hand to the front of the stage to Gary O’Brien. He takes me by the hand and walks me back stage. ( I must have looked fragile to them, because everyone was holding my hand and walking me around.)

I get my microphone removed and go to a table with a small stack of papers waiting for me. A very nice and understanding lady walks me through where I have to initial. She tells me I will get a copy of everything and she knows I’m not going to remember anything she’s telling me right now, but it’s all in the paperwork. Once I have my walking papers, someone from the publicity department comes and greets me.
She tells me that the Washington Post has some writers here that want to talk to some of the big winners. (I’m a big winner? That hasn’t sunk in yet.) Turns out they’re doing a piece on Vanna and get my 2 cents worth on what I think of Vanna. By the way, the article came out without my 2 cents.

After that I’m lead back out to where the group 4 & 5 contestants are seated and watching the shows. I tried to quietly pick up my stuff and meet up with my family. They all saw me and congratulated me and wished me well. I told them they could all do it too.
We walked out of the convention center and through the casino to the valet. I was congratulated at least a dozen times by strangers. I was even asked to pose with the cutest little boy for a picture. He was about 5 years old or so and had been chosen earlier to meet Vanna during the taping.

We got back to our hotel and I got to wash off the make-up and change into my favorite outfit – Jeans & a T-shirt. We had a nice dinner at Fleur (and actually saw chef Hubert Keller there) before returning to our room. I was physically exhausted and tried to sleep – but my mind was just racing. It was the complete opposite of the night before. My poor husband and daughter had to put up with me tossing and turning. Plus every once in a while the excitement would get to me and I’d yell out “POSTER BOY”! At least I thought it was funny – my humor is apparently not appreciated by others at 2 AM.

Everyone on this board has been so encouraging! A big Thank You to MarioGS for all of his help.

What's a little bit hilarious to me? MarioGS, whom you mentioned, has his own letter combo on this forum: BPYO...which would have filled in the bonus puzzle completely!

POSTER BOY! lol (Seeing if you'll yell it out randomly again reading this like you said you did after the show )