Anyone hear from 'Millionaire'?

[clemon79]

Well, that's quite something! Good luck to you!

[Peter Sarrett]

[quote name=\'takinover\' date=\'Aug 16 2004, 08:50 PM\'] I received another postcard that said that I was in the pool on Friday and today I got the phone call to tape on September 7.
 [/quote]
 Congratulations!

The best piece of advice I can give you is this: take your time.  Once you're in the hotseat, it's all about you.  Don't rush.  Don't worry about the other contestants in the green room.  Don't worry about any rustling in the studio audience.  Take all the time you need to read the question and the choices completely, make sure you understand the question, and really think before you use a lifeline.  If an answer seems obvious at the $8,000 level or earlier, it probably is-- they're not trying to trick you on the early questions.

Good luck!

[BrentW]

Since I was the one who started this thread, I thought I'd let you know my experience, now that it's over -- at least this portion of it.

My experience was similar to 'takinover''s (the above poster).  However, I took the test on Monday and didn't pass (and the Celebrity Scoop at that!).  I was depressed.  The worst part was I handed it in thinking I DID pass, or at least felt reasonably comfortable.

Came home, bitched to anyone who would basically listen.  Then, in my gloom and doom, suddenly remembered that I was meeting Pyrawoman (who posted in this thread) at the Celeb auditions.  Called her afterwards, and she had passed (I distinctly remember her "whoo!" when she did).  She had realized who I was, but after the fact.  She gave me some encouragement and just told me to calm down and try again.  She really cheered me up.

I did try the General test yesterday (the day I had originally signed up on the Internet to take the test in the first place), and PASSED.  Couldn't believe i passed the General Test and not the Celeb one.  A gay man who knows more about the real world than celebrity gossip...I guess somewhere there is a snowball in hell.  

Anyhow, my interviewer was tres cute, and we talked for a long time, at least comparable to everyone else I saw.  I probably chatted for about 8-9 minutes.  We had a great rapport (edited to spell correctly...thank you!).  I thanked him, and now I can seriously say:

win or lose, I'm happy, because I passed the bloody test.  Called Pyrawoman to thank her, and I have done all I can do.  My interview could not have gone better.  If it's not meant to be, then Wheel must be waiting around the corner.  

When I get a postcard (either way) I'll post, as well as a phone call if I ever get one.  Much love to all that helped.  I SERIOUSLY could not have done it without you. I was hesitant to come here (NYC) without some encouragement from folks on here.  So here, here!  

-Brent

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'BrentW\' date=\'Aug 18 2004, 04:03 PM\'] We had a great repore.  (did I spell that right?). [/quote]
 Since you asked, it's "rapport."  Whatever happens, good luck and keep us posted.

Doug -- and the countdown to 600 continues

[pyrawoman]

Congratulations to BOTH of us, Brent! (And to you too, takinover.) I am very glad and proud that you persisted and went back and did so well. It was natural to be supportive because I truly did believe you would pass if you kept trying. And you did!

At this point I feel like you do - just glad to have made it this far, and content to leave the rest up to cosmic destiny.

I hope we get our postcards in the mail very soon!

Pyrawoman

[goongas]

I failed the celebrity test twice, and it was the same one.  I don't know what happened the second time.

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Aug 19 2004, 09:41 PM\'] I failed the celebrity test twice, and it was the same one.  I don't know what happened the second time. [/quote]
 Maybe it was because you're not a celebrity?  [ducks]

[splinkynip]

I passed the celebrity test on Monday and had an interview... didn't last all that long, maybe about three minutes, and they said I will get a postcard in the mail in a few weeks.  Wish me luck!

[BrentW]

I'm back from Las Vegas, but had no Internet access there to post so:

My roommate called me in Vegas on Monday to tell me I got the "congratulations!" postcard.  Woo-hoo!  It was, as happened to poster 'takin over' above in this thread, sent out immediately.  I interviewed on Tuesday and got the postcard the following Monday -- 5 mailing days.  

I will say that I wouldn't put much stock into thinking if you don't receive a postcard immediately that you're doomed.  I don't know exactly how it all works, but my postcard was handwritten (the address that is), and the writing looked to be the same as my interviewer (he wrote during the interview).  So, if the interviewers are on their own little time table, some might be high-speed, and some might just wait till the end of the month to send them all out.  Again this is speculation...I don't know if the interviewer has the final say if you're in the pool, or if he goes over it with a 'higher up' who determines.  

Anyways, I got it, so when I get my tape date, of course I'll post.

Brent

[tommycharles]

Congratulations Brent!

Here's a question (for anyone who might know the answer) - if time runs out and you haven't been called for that day, what happens? Are you the first contestant the next day, or are you sent home?

Thanks,
Thomas

[pyrawoman]

Hey Brent!!!

I'm so happy for you!!! Now aren't you glad you didn't give up after not passing the test on your first try??

Anyway, I haven't heard anything myself yet. I'm thinking what you said about the timing is probably correct. Plus in my circumstances there is the issue of them only needing 10-15 people or so for the Celebrity edition, and there two more days left for people to try out for it at the end of September. Perhaps they are planning on waiting to see who they have to choose from then before they send out the Celeb edition postcards. (I certainly hope this is not the case, though!)

Is there anyone out there who has auditioned for the Celeb edition (or knows anyone who has) who has heard one way or the other?

Pyrawoman

[BrentW]

The answer (or at least as much as I could gather) can be found at Section 4-A here:

http://www.millionairetv.com/rules.html

which states, among other things:

from MillionaireTv.com:

"...Any Contestant who did not play the Game on their scheduled Tape Date will be rescheduled to play on the next scheduled Tape Date for a standard Syndicated Program ("Unplayed Contestant")."

(and I'm hoping I did the quoting thing correctly; please advise if I erred)

So, I am SPECULATING that if you were the unlucky contestant (or two) that didn't make it into the Hot Seat, Davies and Co. might help you out with lodging (if you could stay in town and they were taping again very soon).  If it were a week or so away, maybe they would fly you back at their expense, since you did your part and were there, willing and able when you were supposed to be the first time.  

Then again, it DOES explicitly say on the site that YOU are responsible for ALL expenses (travel, lodging, etc).  It does NOT explicitly say that they wouldn't help you out if you were unlucky enough to have done everything you were supposed to, and they still didn't put you on (if you were an "Unplayed Contestant" all it guarantees is that you would be scheduled for the very next Standard Tape Date. That is, assuming you weren't even more unlucky, and they had a "Special Theme" week in between (i.e.: "Celeb Scoop Week" (which our very own "PyraWoman" (who posts here) is going to be on; I am SURE, girl!), "Couples Getting Married Week", "Zero Dollars Week", etc).

Perhaps some of the people on the board here can answer this poster's question with some certainty (instead of my logical speculation), as well as how often Millionaire tapes per week (and how many shows they tape per day).  I am sure someone can answer that.

All this to say: you have to admit: if you were lucky enough to be on the show (as we all would like to be), it would be a nice problem to have.  I personally would like to be towards the end, because you make friends with the other contestants in the green room, and it would be fun to root them on, and see how everything works.  Assuming you don't "LLAMA OUT" in the first five question, you've got a guaranteed freaking $1,000 in your future.  Besides, if it was me, I would just take the opportunity to see more Broadway shows.  

Last thing: they might do it so the folks who are potential contestants from NYC or NJ would be placed towards the end of the roster of contestants so that it would be easier for them to come back -- rather than the poor housewife/student/senior citizen who's from west of the Mississippi who had to move a few mountains to get there in the first place.  The folks at the show seem to be a classy bunch -- I can't imagine they wouldn't have some empathy for situations like that, and it would be a drop in the bucket for Davies help a contestant who was in this position.  But perhaps they have to randomly draw for your order.....

So, in sum:

1) Who knows how much Millionaire tapes per week?
2) How many shows are taped per day?
3) Does Millionaire help out if you're an Unplayed Contestant?
4) How is the order of contestants determined on a given tape date?
and lastly:
5) Who has gotten a postcard since the show's been running, and how long did it take folks to get the positive (congratulations) postcard, and how long did it take folks who got the " thanks, but no thanks" postcard.  There seem to be a wide variation among people.

Sorry so long...    
Brent "My middle name is $32,0000" W.
.......MINIMUM!         (hopefully)

[tommycharles]

Thanks Brent.

I spose my overall question was "if the klaxon goes before you're on, do you still get to play at some point." And I guess the answer is yes, which is a good thing :-)

[BrentW]

[quote name=\'pyrawoman\' date=\'Aug 28 2004, 04:59 PM\'] I'm thinking what you said about the timing is probably correct. Plus in my circumstances there is the issue of them only needing 10-15 people or so for the Celebrity edition, and there two more days left for people to try out for it at the end of September. Perhaps they are planning on waiting to see who they have to choose from then before they send out the Celeb edition postcards. (I certainly hope this is not the case, though!)
 [/quote]
Hey FireStar....er....Pyrawoman! (aside: FireStar, along with IceMan, was one of SpiderMan's "Amazing Friends" back in the 80's Saturday morning cartoons.  She was kickass, by the way...  

Back on topic:  I would also tell you that I DID overhear a test-taker, at the Celeb audition that we (Pyrawoman and I) were at, ask a question.  This is the audition where P-woman passed, and I failed (though I passed the general test the next day).    

She (the woman I overheard) asked the blond guy giving instructions when they were planning on taping/scheduling the Celeb Scoop week.  I did hear him say that they were tentatively going to have the tapings for it in November, for the February sweeps period.  He also did say that they were, ironically, having a meeting about when to schedule the Celeb stuff later on that day.  He made sure to say though that it could be sooner -- that's what the meeting was about that day.  So don't take the November tape date thing to the bank.  They could still tape in October for November sweeps....  

HOWEVER it happens though, it's not as urgent as the regular stuff, timetable wise for them.  Whereas poster 'takinover' got his card in 5 days and his phone call a few days later, HE is taping on September 7th.  I also got my postcard quickly, because they are lining up folks for all the general tapings.  So, as you can see, this is obviously the most pressing issue for them right now -- not Celeb week.  Plus, since it will be a sweeps stunt, they are going to probably be a bit more exacting about who they want, as opposed to the standard shows.  Celeb Week, is a bit more "fun" in nature, so they REALLY want the 'creme de la creme' for it.  I personally think you're a shoo-in, P-woman, because you and I talked about how your interview went, and you had TONS of energy.  However, others who passed along side you might be marginal in the personality and 'celeb-crazy' departments, so I DO believe that they want to see all the ponies that are in the running before they can make a final decision about who to give a gate number at the Derby.    There are a finite number they can schedule for Celeb Week, whereas the general folks (like me) can be stockpiled, because they know they have a huge amount of shows to fill.  

The good news, as you said, is the Celeb auditions are over this coming week by Tuesday, so it's likely you will receive your postcard the following week (after Labor Day).      You'll make it!!!!!!    Remeber though: even though it might be a slight downside having to wait till the Celeb auditions are over, to me it's HUGE if you make, because it does narrow down the trivia-cramming playing field quite a bit.  There are celeb trivia websites galore, and I do think, if you are determined as I know you are (Pyrawoman), you'll leave no stone unturned to prepare as much as possible by studying a lot of Celeb-related bizness.  

Love,
Brent

[Steve McClellan]

[quote name=\'BrentW\' date=\'Aug 28 2004, 10:39 PM\']The good news, as you said, is the Celeb auditions are over this coming week by Tuesday, so it's likely you will receive your postcard the following week (after Labor Day).[/quote]
Actually, the remaining dates are at the *end* of September, the 27th and 28th.

Brent "My middle name is $32,0000" W.
.......MINIMUM! (hopefully)

Or $25,000, as the case may be...