Tryout stories.

[joshg]

Back in 1998, before Ben Ziek and I moved to CA, we visited and made it a "game show vacation"... tickets for Match Game, Whose Line Is It Anyway? (the Game Show Hosts hoedown was our suggestion ) & Price Is Right. We also scheduled a tryout for Hollywood Squares. We both took the test and only I passed to the next part which was a mock game with Brian Conn hosting. Never got a call.

Once in CA starting in 1999, I tried out for Rock & Roll Jeopardy! and failed miserably. Got to sit in the Jeopardy! audience and take the test while the answers flashed on the screen... and hilariously my brain locked up. Didn't get the minimum number correct and didn't expect a call. At all.

Tried out for, I think, Beat The Geeks and had a brain fart during the mock game and didn't get a call back.

Ben and I tried out for Lingo and I think most of you know how that ended.

Ben and I then tried out for the NBC version of 1 vs 100 and we both won a few dollars on that one, but Kelsey Grammar knocked me out of the game. The question involved something about 'Wings', Emmy awards and Frasier Crane.

[tvwxman]

Great post:

2000: Twenty One - passed the test and played a mock game. When I declared "5 points " for a category....the producers stopped and asked me what my stategy was. When I answered - I figured I was a lock for the show since I knew the format of the game = unlike most of the crowd.

I didn't get picked.

2001: Weakest Link - passed, picked, sent to LA, played.

2002: Pyramid : Didn't pass

2006: Deal or No Deal - no deal, Matt. They lined us up in groups of 5 and asked us one question : "two cases left - $20000, and a million. Offer is $400000. Deal or no deal?" Anyone who took the $400K was out. I took the 400K.

That was it . then I went behind the scenes and started working on shows. Much better odds of getting paid Price, LMAD, MDPassword, a whole lot of pilots and runthrus, even announcing.

[MikeK]

2006: Deal or No Deal - no deal, Matt. They lined us up in groups of 5 and asked us one question : "two cases left - $20000, and a million. Offer is $400000. Deal or no deal?" Anyone who took the $400K was out. I took the 400K.

Thank you for posting this.  This scenario came up last week while talking to students about The Monty Hall Problem.  I thought it was $1 vs. $1M, with an offer of $500K.  At least I got the part about those who took the deal were sent packing.

[SuperSweeper]

Two experiences stand out for me:

1) I auditioned for the second season of Strahan Pyramid in 2017. IIRC, this was the only season (so far) where they made a big tour around the country to find contestants. I planned to fly down to Atlanta for the day to audition.

The morning of the audition, I woke up and could barely speak.

I had laryngitis.

Determined to try anyways, I flew down and made it to the hotel where the auditions were taking place. After a few hours’ wait, my name was called, and I got the chance to play the main game with four other hopefuls.

Despite my haggard condition, I made it through the initial audition, as did one other person from my group (who ended up making it on the show). The CC had us do some further gameplay, and everything seemed to be going well, despite the initial stumble.

I felt very good about my chances, as I knew the game very well, and I had a good rapport with the CC with whom I interviewed.

I ended up getting very, very far in the audition process (I think I ended up doing 4-5 Skype calls with the CCs), but ultimately was not chosen.

I sent in a video for the next season, didn’t hear back, and haven’t tried again. I figure I used all my luck up the first time.

2) After a long, bizarre, and ultimately unsuccessful experience in 2017, I went to a taping of Millionaire in Vegas in August 2018, hoping to get into the contestant pool once again.

It was already a very good day - it was the first day of a week-long vacation, TCONA was two days away, and that morning, I had received the offer for my current job. I was feeling REALLY good.

A friend and I took the test while we were waiting in the holding pen. I must have been visibly showing my enthusiasm for the day, for as we were waiting to be loaded into the audience, a staffer chose me to be a potential Thousandaire contestant.

As I was filling out my paperwork, one of the CCs walked out. I had interviewed with her on Skype a few months prior, but had never heard back. I said hi to her, and told her that she had interviewed me earlier that year (I think she may have recognized me, but I’m not sure). She asked if I had gotten to play yet, and I said no.

That chance meeting led to me getting on the show, as I ended up taping a few days later. I am convinced that if I hadn’t been standing at that table and said hi to her, I never would’ve made it. The setup for the last few years of Millionaire was extremely frustrating for potential contestants (ask me how I know), so you really had to work hard to get on.

[The Ol' Guy]

Two that go way, way back. The Joker's Wild did some tryouts in Grand Rapids. Passed the question exam. Rich Kline was overseeing the process. Wasn't sure if corresponding with B&E and sending formats would be a disqualifier. Dan said go ahead and participate, but figure on someone else getting picked. After the question period, I got to stick around and watch the on-camera tests and the mock games that narrowed things down to the single contestant. The one tryout in Grand Rapids that I hoped would have panned out was for Paranoia. Did well in the play testing. Don't think anyone from the GR demo was chosen, but managed to make it to the end of the testing day.   

[mmb5]

My first of many futile J! auditions, this is the old style contestant search with the 600-person cattle call.  10 questions, after which they would select those who got at least 7 for the 50-question test the next day:

Person next to me: "Why are there cameras here?  I don't want to be on camera."
Me: "You...are trying...to get on Jeopardy.  That's the whole point."

...after the test, names are being read for those to come back tomorrow...

Same person: "It's all rigged they cheated.  All from the same area.  Nobody from over here."
Contestant Wrangler: "mmb5"
Me: "Guess they didn't all cheat.  See ya!"

On other tryouts I have gotten to spar with Jane Lynch on a 1-vs-100 tryout (they were trying out hosts and contestants at the same time), and got a perfect score on my Donnymid tryout.  However, no luck for me.

[Unrealtor]

Jeopardy Teen Tournament - 1996 - got selected for the audition, flew to New Orleans, took the test in a big lecture hall at Loyola University. My memory is that I was in the room for some of the mock game but I didn't actually participate before being dismissed.

GSN Chase - Don't remember the year, but I'm pretty sure that it was the second season. They heavily promoted themselves at my regular trivia night and I had seen it before so I figured I would have a leg up. In a hotel conference room, passed the written test and did well at the questions in the mock game. I didn't get the call back for the third round the next day, but I wasn't very surprised since I was not the only overweight white neckbeard in the room and I was particularly low in energy that day due to a flareup of a chronic medical condition.

TPIR - 2015 - Stan asked me one question before moving on to the next person in line, who he was clearly more interested in. She ended up getting called in the first four but didn't make it on stage.

[Ian Wallis]

Jackpot - I tried twice in the mid'80s.  The first time, one of the coordinators was someone I went to college with for Radio & TV!  The first part was a 20-question trivia test where you had to get 16 right to pass.  The people that passed went onto part 2 where you met in person with a contestant coordinator.  I think each time I ended up with about 14 or 15 right.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire - I tried several times when they had the phone game around 2000, but could never get beyond the second level

Deal or No Deal - I submitted all the paperwork and pictures, etc. when they were doing contestant search in my area around 2003.  Never heard anything back

Price is Right - my one trip to see the show in 2006 I was with a bunch of you on this forum (has it really been 15 years!)  I had a great time but didn't get picked

The one thing I did get picked for wasn't really a game show, but the experience was very similar.  It was Dancing With the Stars at Sea on the Holland-America cruise line in 2015 (my wife and I have been learning ballroom for a while - it's great exercise and a lot of fun!)  After taking part in the three one-hour dance lessons during the week, I was one of just six people (three guys and three girls) to get selected to dance with a ship's professional on the final night of the cruise, in front of a live audience of 350 people.  There was a prize on the line and we had to sign waiver forms and everything.  The ship was recording it for their own purposes.  I didn't win but I remembered all the steps in the 90-second routine and loved the experience.  Not quite a game show but a very similar experience.

[Loogaroo]

On other tryouts I have gotten to spar with Jane Lynch on a 1-vs-100 tryout

I'm curious - was Jane on the short list of hosts for the 2006 version or were they kicking around a potential reboot?

[Jeremy Nelson]

I’ve got two. 

1. Strahan Pyramid- they came to Chicago for open auditions, and I tried out. They’d bring a bunch of us into a room, and then take 7-10 into a curtained off portion of the room, so you could still hear the tryouts even if it wasn’t your turn. There were a surprising number of people who were playing Password instead of Pyramid, and they got the boot. I was the only person from my group asked to stay, and the coordinator asked me what my relationship status and sexual preference was, which I thought was a little weird. I got on the show.

2. Hanson Millionaire in Vegas- I took the test at Trivia Nationals, and out of the blue two weeks later, got a call asking if I wanted to be on the show. The problem was that they would need me for five days, they weren’t covering any costs sans a discounted room rate at Caesars, and oh yeah- there was no guarantee that I’d even get on. Was not prepared to shell out last minute travel costs for me and my plus one lifeline, and as it turns out, some of the people that accepted the offer never got on the show.

[Mr. Armadillo]

Only stories I've got are Price is Right line stories, and the only interesting one of those was in late 2012.  I was the only person in my group of 12 to get so much as a second question, and I thought it was going fairly well...until Stan said he recognized me and asked if he'd seen me before.  I kind of froze before admitting yes, I had been there...because the last time I was there was the 2008 Million-Dollar Spectaculars, nearly five years earlier, and I had no idea how Stan could have possibly remembered. 

I did not get picked.

I was probably wearing the same shirt with "Look Ma, I "Drew" A Bad Pun!" written on it, but I have no idea if that's what he remembered, or if he was just making it up, or if he knew I was a moderator at Golden-Road, or if my name had somehow been put on some sort of black list after those MDS tapings, or what, but after my now-wife and I were seated next to the curtains on the turntable side, I had decided that if I wasn't picked that day, there isn't much of a chance that I'll ever get picked, so I haven't been back since.

[mmb5]

On other tryouts I have gotten to spar with Jane Lynch on a 1-vs-100 tryout

I'm curious - was Jane on the short list of hosts for the 2006 version or were they kicking around a potential reboot?

2006.  Mark DeCarlo was trying out as host as well.

[jjman920]

While I have been to see TPIR numerous times since 2017 (around 12-13 times), the closest I definitively got was the first time I went. I had won their online contestant search Tweet For A Seat that they were doing as apart of their Socially Awesome Week. Like the Announcer for A Day contest before it, the idea was to submit a clip online of how you'd come on down if called. I was one of two people selected (from this entry) and they flew us both out to stay at the Farmer's Daughter with the guarantee that one of us would get called down. Up until this season, that probably as definitive as you could get in terms of knowing you'd be on the show. Once we got in line, we were both given special numbers (100 and 150) that would indicate to Stan who we were once our respective groups got called up. We weren't in the same interview group but I could see her interview from where I was in line. We both got an extensive interview with Stan. Don't know exactly what did it for her, but she ended up being called down instead of me (and went on to win her showcase). I was a little disappointed, but I was still elated at finally being able to go see the show, stay at the famed Farmer's Daughter, and meet up with a fellow game show fan (who has become my best friend). I was also treated to an impromptu tour backstage and meal at the commissary since there were a few hours of downtime between the end of the taping and my flight home. Wouldn't trade the experience for the world.

Since then, I've tried out for Pyramid and Match Game. Getting a couple of Skype interviews each time, but not making it further. I know I can attribute some of that to blanking (no pun intended) on my part.

When I was on vacation in Vegas in 2019, I flew out LA to see a taping of LMAD and Feud with a friend. The friend had gotten a 25WoL audition and was able to allow me to tag along. We headed straight there after LMAD and it was interesting. Held at the offices of the FOX affiliate, KTTV, I made it one step farther than my friend, past the "Tell Us About Yourself in 25 words or less" part. Only to get stiffed in actually playing the game with a crappy partner and sent packing not too soon after.

And then there's Wheel. I remember regretting not going to a Wheelmobile in my area one time, so when it came back around in 2019, I decided not to pass it up. It was June, it was hot, and it was held in the "Cow Palace" of my state's fairgrounds. Luckily though, it wasn't too crowded. I figure I'd soak in the experience, put my card in and at least hope for a response even if I didn't get called. I got called. Didn't get to do much, it was too early in the puzzle for me to solve with the letter I picked and another person down the line solved quickly after that, but I knew my chances were good for getting an audition. I actually had a scare that I didn't get one because I was told of someone else who had been to that same Wheelmobile already getting an invite. It turned out that they gotten an invite to a closer city than the one they had traveled to for the Wheelmobile.

My eyes peeled, I finally saw the email. I was a little nervous waiting for things to began, but they went smoothly for me. A quick intro and then the test. I was surprised to find out that they still used some puzzles on the test from at least 15 years prior. I was also surprised to find out that they still show an audition intro video that's at least 22 years old. I got asked to stay after my test was graded and my interview portion went pretty great. I worked at a candy store at the time and a person in my group was a dentist, so that was great to play off of. I thought it was an overall good experience when I went home.

I was pretty wiped out when I got home, so I basically fell out and took a long nap. When I woke up, I was greeted by a voicemail and texts from one of the coordinators, Jackie. All that was left was an instruction to get back to her. Was curious about what that was about and wondered if I had accidentally left something at the hotel. I tried that evening, but got no response. When I tried again the following day, I got in touch and was shocked that it was to tell me that I had made it as a contestant and that they had a spot on a taping day two weeks from that point. Knowing that the process usually goes that you'll get a letter two weeks from your audition and then an email about an opening tape date, I was a little flustered to suddenly have all those steps happen all at once and a day later (it would've been hours later had I been awake to answer my phone). It was an amazing, whirlwind experience.

I was probably wearing the same shirt with "Look Ma, I "Drew" A Bad Pun!" written on it, but I have no idea if that's what he remembered, or if he was just making it up, or if he knew I was a moderator at Golden-Road, or if my name had somehow been put on some sort of black list after those MDS tapings, or what, but after my now-wife and I were seated next to the curtains on the turntable side, I had decided that if I wasn't picked that day, there isn't much of a chance that I'll ever get picked, so I haven't been back since.

I'd still say go if you ever plan to go back out west and have free time. The show is still a blast to see and it's been wonderful seeing some of my favorite games in person. My friend that I go with all the time lives in San Diego and has gone often enough that Stan recognizes him and basically recognizes me as well whenever I'm out there with him. I figure that he'll eventually reward persistence, which he has in the past.

[RobertSearcy]

I've only had two attempts at tryouts and that was back in March 2007 when I went to see Price is Right for a couple of tapings before Bob Barker retired (and went with Mr. Armadillo - was a blast meeting him).

I think it was the first taping where Stan seemed like he was very impressed with the personality I was showing and if I recall he made the same "secretive hand gesture" to a lady who was jotting contestant numbers down that he did after interviewing someone else who actually got called to come on down which made me wonder if I was very close to making it to the final 9 to be called (perhaps I made the initial list of people to be seriously considered but just didn't make the final 9).

One regret I have from I believe the 2nd taping was when he asked me about my then-location of Talking Rock, GA.  He asked if the rocks talked and I stuttered and stumbled into an epic failure (gave a simple answer....think it was an I don't know).  I may have done better by telling a story (which was told to me after I had gotten back home and shared my experiences with family) about an indian tribe who settled in the area (don't remember which) and started making their calls only for their calls to be heard right back.  They thought the rocks were talking back to them and that's where the name Talking Rock came from (I believe the term today would be "echo" but of course this was the early 1800s if I recall).  I wonder to this day if that may have turned things in my favor.... *shrugs shoulders*

I did try an online Jeopardy test but knew I wasn't going to make it to the next step unless all of the questions I made reasonable guesses on were actually correct.  Probably have a better chance of getting on Card Sharks. 

[trainman]

I mentioned "Jeopardy!" above, but I've also tried out for a fair number of other shows in the couple of decades I've been living in L.A. One that comes to mind in particular is the GSN version of "The Chase" -- I didn't get on the show, but I did get called in to be a run-through contestant on their tech rehearsal day. I got one day's pay as a production assistant, which is obviously more than some actual contestants got. (I also got to see The Beast wearing sweats and flip-flops.)

I've also tried out for at least one show that ended up not going into production (an American version of "Pointless").

I did have a successful tryout for "MasterMinds" and was set to tape in February 2020, but discovered a few days before my tape date that I knew a member of the research staff, and the producers judged that the relationship was too close for me to appear.