Tryout stories.

[trainman]

I have no idea why he's asked this question, but I say yes, I've been there a few times.  Glenn says "Well they have this place--" and my brain finally makes the connection.  I interrupt him and say "Oh--the Pinball Hall of Fame!".  Turns out Glenn is something of an aficionado; we talk pinball for a minute before it's time for him to move on to the next person. 

I've made it to the "audition" stage of J! tryouts 7 times in the past 20-ish years... but only a couple of times since I started playing in a pinball league (and finding a way to mention that in every interview), and Glenn didn't conduct any of those auditions. No wonder I haven't made it on the show yet!

[Vgmastr]

About 10 or so years ago the Wheelmobile made a stop to my town.  My card ended up getting picked and I got called up on stage to play a speed round.  Normally I'm super introverted, but adrenaline took over and I was downright charming in my interview on stage.  I ended up solving the puzzle in the round we played, and I got an email a few weeks later inviting me to the second round of auditions.  The night before I got a call saying the audition was postponed due to weather in Chicago.  The audition was in Green Bay, but the contestant coordinators would be flying through Chicago.  A few months later I got a new email with a new scheduled date.  The night before the date the exact same thing happened, phone call saying it was postponed due to weather in Chicago.  I never heard back.  Months later I saw a story on the local news about in person Wheel auditions in Green Bay so either they dropped me off the list or the email got lost.

More recently I got an audition to be an at-home contestant for the social distanced LMAD episodes.  Again, I thought I was really outgoing and both people I auditioned with seemed to really like my answers but I never heard back for that one either.

[rebelwrest]

I tried out for Wheel in April of 2012 when they came to the casino outside Charleston, WV.  I almost made it on the show.  I was in the final batch before they picked the contestants for the show.  Nothing exciting happened for me except for some of the goofy things the other people who were picked out of the drum said during their audition.

There was the one woman who said on stage she collected dead people.  She then explained that her group would find abandoned graveyards in the forest.

There was the one woman who wrote and sang a song about wanting to get on the show.  Unfortunately that show was "Family Feud".

And finally there was the man who said he had 2 or 3 children.  After the host said in shock "or?", the man said yeah but I still don't believe the paternity test they gave me on "Sally".  There was a low murmur laughter for about 3 minutes after that interlude.

[BillCullen1]

Some of the above stories are hard to top, but I'll try.

In 1978, I tried out for Pyramid. I'd seen the show tape often enough. One thing they told us was not to hit the celebrity we were with. I guess Lawford and Shatner's reputation on the show preceded them by that time. I was one of three people who got into Edythe Chan's office. I looked at her for her reaction a couple of times. I think that was my downfall.

When I went to CA in 1978, they were advertising for Card Sharks contestants. I went to the G-T offices. I wasn't picked. I overheard someone telling a potential contestant that Match Game had a two-year waiting list.

Around '90 or '91 Jeopardy had auditions in NYC. 50 questions in 50 different categories. While we waited for the results, Alex Trebek surprised us by coming out, talking to us and answering questions. A nice surprise, and I was not picked.

Around '93 the WOF Wheelmobile was in Atlantic City. My friend and I tried out. Basically filling in blank spaces to complete the puzzle. There were a LOT of applicants. IIRC, we had to go catch our bus back to NYC. We never heard back from them.

During the '98-'99 season, Bergeron's HS came to NYC. Testing was at the South Street Seaport. They went over what and what not to do. General question quiz, didn't get selected.

In 2001, The Weakest Link tested at the NBC Studios at 30 Rock. I remember one older lady telling the guy reading the questions to slow down. I thought imagine if she said that to Anne Robinson on the show. I did not advance to the next round. Neither did the lady who told the question reader to slow down.

A few times I tested for Millionaire. Never made it.

As Walter Cronkite used to say, "And that's the way it is."

[beatlefreak84]

To me, the only two interesting ones were when I tried out for The Chase in 2013 and Sports Jeopardy! in (I think) 2015:

For The Chase, after I had gotten to the second day of tryouts (they make you play a simulated cash builder, throw some back-and-forth with a coordinator playing The Beast, and play a Final Chase with two other people), I was waiting in a lounge area with others who were trying out.  While most people were like me (a bit nervous and excited), one guy (the only one who came dressed in a suit) spent most of his time with us lecturing on how he had studied the British version so intently that he knew the optimal strategy to maximize his winnings and what The Beast's weak areas of trivia were.  I thought the guy was a bit of a douche, but others were paying enough attention to him where I could effectively zone out and not be noticed.  I never caught the guy's name until Loogaroo made a blog post a few years ago, and my first thought was, YES!  THAT'S THAT PRICK I MET AT MY TRYOUT!  As a side note, I remember actually being in the contestant waiting area for the show and getting to geek out with fellow game show geeks about Sale of the Century coming back to GSN and thinking, "How often am I going to meet people in real life excited about Sale reruns?" 

For Sports Jeopardy!, I didn't make it past the written test, but I distinctly remember one question on our exam (it was 30 questions, not 50) basically asking who the US Men's World Cup coach was in 2014.  I heard almost everyone in the room breathe a sigh of relief and excitedly scribble down an answer as the tournament had *just happened* and the coach was on the news every single week, while I sat there dumbfounded as I don't follow soccer.  I may have gotten a women's golf question right that no one else around me did, but I just looked around and thought, "Wow...there's no friggin' way I'm getting on this show now after missing a softball like that."  I was right, by the way. 

Anthony

[Otm Shank]

One big fail on my part was at a Pyramid audition in 2017 (where, incidentally, I met Chad Mosher) when I gave the clue "your mother's back" for THINGS YOU CRACK.

Ha! I was there as well. Didn't go as well for me, but the one takeaway is to listen to the casting coordinator's instructions. It sounds so simple, but when there is so much to focus on in the process, it can get away from you.

After the first round of clues, the coordinator advised me to think of a second angle when giving clues. Yes, thank you, I've watched enough Pyramid to know that. Didn't occur to me until my feet were back on West 66th Street that she was testing my ability to pivot in cluegiving. I mean, I did do that for a few of them, but obviously I should have done that for all of them. When I couldn't get "children" with "another word for your kids," I got flustered, because of course that is such a simple answer. Of course, I needed to go to "BLANK of the Corn" or something like that.

While she recommended I submit a video online as well, we didn't even tryout any Winner's Circle material.

[Brian44]

I tried out for TPIR on three occasions in the '90s: once in 1990, twice on the same day in 1995, and once in 1996. Just before I tried out in 1996, someone in ATGS indicated that, if the interviewer--at the time, usually Phil Rossi for both Monday and Tuesday tapings and the first Wednesday  taping and The Dob for the second Wednesday taping--asked you three questions instead of two, it meant you were much more likely to get chosen as a contestant.

Phil interviewed me at each taping, and I'm not sure if my being first in line for the first 1995 taping and the one 1996 taping really had any bearing on this, but in 1996, after he asked me, "Where's home?" and "What do you do?" he asked me, "Brian, you look very familiar. Where have I seen you before?" Remembering what was said on ATGS, my adrenaline really went into high gear. I wasn't sure if I should have compared my looks to a celebrity's (folks back then said I bore resemblance to Pee Wee Herman  ) or just play it straight. I chose the latter and sheepishly but truthfully  replied, "Well, I tried out on Memorial Day last weekend." Phil grinned, turned to his assistant (a lady with long black hair) and said, "Oh, you remember that day, don't you?" While she scribbled fervently on her clipboard, she replied, "Of course!" The other 9 tryouts in line all chuckled. I had a really good feeling about this.

It turns out I was the first contestant called down that day and the second one to go up onstage. 

My only other game show tryout was for WoF in 2000 in Washington, DC. I got a callback the day after I attended the Wheelmobile to take the test. However, I was traveling on business the day of the test but they allowed me to take the test in Baltimore the day before. I remember how difficult the test seemed, so much that I didn't even answer all 50 puzzles in the allotted time. Needless to say, I wasn't chosen to move to the next step.

[BillCullen1]

A PS from my post above.

I attended tapings of TPIR in '75, '78 and '95. So in effect, I tried out to be a contestant on that. IIRC, Jay Wolpert picked the contestants in the '70s. In '78 I stood on line next to some guy determined to get on the show, who acted like he had 10 cups of coffee. "Look at me Jay, I'm all excited about coming on down." Jay basically said "Good for you." When Jay asked how I was, I half jokingly responded "Partially deaf." He smiled and moved on.

I basically went to see the show, so I was not disappointed in not getting picked. I saw two tapings on each of my visits. In '78, they played It's Optional and Finish Line. In October of '95, they did the Christmas shows week. I saw them play Split Decision, which was the new game at the time. I never saw Drew Carey host in person. But I saw TPIR with Barker, Rod Roddy and the legendary Johnny O. That's good enough for me.

[tvmitch]

I wish I had written down more details of my tryouts. I have done a few, but a lot of the details escape me.

• I remember going to Philadelphia to try out for Twenty-One, before the show filmed any episodes. I was 18 or 19 at the time and was the youngest person in the room. I passed the test and played a mock game. The format that they used for the mock game was not the same as they used when the show went to series. I didn't hear from them after.
• I did a tryout for syndicated Weakest Link, but I do not remember the location. It may have been NYC. I was a sophomore at Penn State and wore a Penn State sweatshirt. After I auditioned, I was notified that I would be a contestant, that they would be flying me out to LA to be a contestant on a "College Week" of shows, and to keep my schedule open for certain dates. A couple weeks later, my mom took a call from them; they no longer needed me as a contestant, so I never did play the game. Funny thing is, syndicated Weakest Link didn't air in my TV market at the time.
• I went to group auditions for Donny Pyramid and Hollywood Showdown. One of these was at the Tysons Corner Mall in Virginia, I'm pretty sure it was Pyramid. I recall there was at least one Pyramid contestant selected from the Tysons Corner audition group.
• I've been to at least two Jeopardy and Millionaire auditions. I never passed the J! test...I did pass the Millionaire tests, but never heard from them after.

[BrandonFG]

• I went to group auditions for Donny Pyramid and Hollywood Showdown. One of these was at the Tysons Corner Mall in Virginia, I'm pretty sure it was Pyramid. I recall there was at least one Pyramid contestant selected from the Tysons Corner audition group.

I believe it was Donnymid as well. That’s about 2.5 hours from Hampton and I vaguely recall thinking about driving up to the audition, but again couldn’t get access to a car.

[tomobrien]

Some (admittedly very hazy) memories of trying out for first season of syndicated J! in 1984...

Tryouts were held at Metromedia Square in Hollywood, which was where it taped at that time. There were between 25 and 30 of us trying out that day, all seated at classroom-style chairs in a large room. As we were waiting to get going, the fellow next to me leaned over and asked, "So is Art Fleming still hosting?" (This will not end well, I remember thinking.) Of course, the first question the production assistant asked was, "So who hasn't seen our show yet?"  About three people — including the guy next to me — raised their hands.  They were immediately excused and told to go home, watch the show and come back after they'd done so.

The first part of the process was a paper-and-pencil test of about 30 general knowledge-type questions, of which you had to get a particular percentage (around 80%) correct to make it to the contestant interviews.  I thought the questions were fairly easy, aligning with their "trivia with a twist" tagline of the first season. I remember being stumped by a question about the building that's on the back of the $10 bill but managed to get enough right to go on to the contestant interview. Six of us made it through that part of the testing process.

The interviews were pretty low-key; typical questions about your work, hobbies, etc., to get a feel for your personality. There were two people interviewing; I think one of them may have been Dick Schneider, the director. Then we ran through some sample questions to see how quickly and how well we could respond to the game board.  If I recall correctly, this was pretty low-tech; I think they were just typical J! categories on a board; they read the answers and we raised our hands to buzz in. We definitely didn't run through a complete game.

Three of us made it through that part of the process and were told we would go in the contestant pool for a future taping. I was called over to the interviewers' desk and reminded that, since I lived in Seattle, I would have to pay my own way back to be on the show.  Was I willing to do that?  Knowing that they wanted out-of-town contestants, I responded that I would. They told me that if I did come back, they'd guarantee me a contestant spot on taping day. (I'm sure I wasn't the only one they made that offer to; a guy who was on the episode before mine came down to LA  from British Columbia, so I assume they were giving priority to nonlocals.)

All in all, the procedure took a couple of hours, and a confirmation letter came a few days later.

[Card Shark]

Besides my 4 times at TPIR, where I knew there was no way I'd be a contestant, I auditioned for the Baldwin MG in spring 2019. I answered all questions except 1 correct, but needed a few questions repeated. That and the fact that I probably looked like a zombie due to being crazily overworked in the days leading up to it is likely why I wasn't chosen.

Then a few weeks before Thanksgiving, I filled out the very lengthy questionnaire for PYL. The casting folks and I had a good conversational flow and they liked the way I played the game with enthusiasm, excitement, etc.  with a phony red buzzer on a table and all. I never keep my hopes up in these situations. That's a good thing, because again I wasn't chosen.

Card Sharks sent me an application a few weeks after and I filled it out, but the casting folks were the same as PYL. So, this time I didn't even get a phone call.

So, who knows the magic way to "pass the audition tests" are. As much as I would've loved to be on PYL or any of those shows, if the worst that happens to me in life is that I don't get chosen for game shows, I'd say I'm doing ok. Meanwhile, my brother was on the Memorial Day episode of Beat Shazam in 2019 and he had way better luck then me.

My question for those in the know--if the contestant coordinators for these shows don't pick you on the first try, do they ever consider you for a future season?

[TLEberle]

Millionaire daily: Took a day off work (and missed the office's annual summer pool party) and got up at the crack of dawn to take a bus into downtown Seattle. The test was at the plaza that is home to Seattle's ABC affiliate as well as an AM and FM radio station. Did not pass the test but the gentleman in front of me happened to be one of the contestants on the lost episode of Winning Lines. We discussed game shows (shock!) and the bribe episode of Mole 2, so that probably pegs the window of when it was. No joy, no problem.

Wheel of Fortune: Wheelmobile event in anticipation of the show's return to the Pacific Northwest, the event was at the Fourth of Jul-ivars festival. My name was not drawn from the bucket but I remember that the hopeful behind me constantly had spittle forming at the corners of her mouth, so I faced forward as much as I could.

Millionaire daily: 2016. With the show in Las Vegas and me at TCONA I finally tried out again. For the written test I sat at the forward left corner with Dan Melia and Lorin Burte behind and to my right. Dan was pleased I remembered him, less so that I remembered him from my senior year of high school. The PAs set the bar way too low and just about everyone from our group passed the test (including our Brian Henegar!). I noticed that Roger Craig was in the group. I wanted to say hello and thank him for recommending the Anki program that I had used during my night school studies.

In all the hubbub I notice that after I am done with an all too brief interview with the PA that Mr. Craig is nowhere to be seen and his number was not called. Sads.

[PYLdude]

Great shares, all.

I remember when I went to try out for the current Pyramid series. Was in the same ABC commissary that used to house Millionaire tryouts. It was an open call, and they really didn’t make too much of an effort to let people know outside. You’d think having gone there four times prior I’d know where the door was, but I didn’t. But I still batted 1.000 in one thing I always did..tripped getting out of the metal detector. (Every time.)

One of the staff members called us over four at a time, got to talk to us, and then tried to gauge our prowess. Two things that stuck out for me was this one woman who was quite a looker but didn’t understand the core concept of the game (don’t say the word/category). The other was one of the clues someone gave for “things that happen monthly” (a woman’s period) that caught everyone off guard for a second and caused us all to burst out laughing. (It might’ve been the staff member, I think.)

Another thing was that someone had brought along some cards from a Pyramid home game and left them there for people to practice with; I thought that was a nice gesture.

[cmjb13]

Price - Tried in June 2000, then a few more times in April and June 2001. Stopped trying when I was able to get backstage.

Millionaire - Did the written test after a taping in 2004. Did not pass

Million dollar password - I knew this one was a long shot, since these prime time shows have a certain type they look for, but I figured, what the hell. Went with a friend. Most people were practicing until they split us up into random pairs. Of course, I was paired with a young Russian girl who had no idea how to play the game. Why the hell was she even there? I tried, but it was like pulling teeth.

Newlywed game - circa 2009/2010. Auditioned in New York near Madison Square Garden. Got to the building and noticed lots of couples looking like Ken and Barbie which was a little off putting. Filled out a form and was then brought in for an interview to discuss the answers we wrote. I thought it went pretty well, but alas no call back.

Lingo - circa 2006. Drove with 2 friends for four hours to Boston. Shandi Finnessey was there. Took written test. Apparently, none of us passed.

Chain reaction (Lane 1st version) - I don’t recall any written test, but I do recall all 3 of us having to do a sample chain. Not sure if it was taped or not. We tried high fiving each other and I remember we failed miserably. We were doing OK until it was my turn

Part of sample chain...

Soup
N

I didn’t get it and the first thing I thought, I may have even said it out loud was “What the hell is a Soup Nazi”? It was game over at that point. Sorry folks, I never watched Seinfeld.