Well, my dreams of becoming the next contestant on Wheel of Fortune are crushed...as I unfortunately didn't make the cut. 
Although I didn't make it to the second round of tryouts, it was still a very interesting experience and something I'll remember, share, and laugh about for awhile. Plus, now I have the inside scoop of the process all those bubbly contestants went through to get on the show!
I say 'bubbly' because that's what they want. I suspected this going into the auditions, so I was prepared to clap and smile my face off for the whole day, which I did. But apparently my clapping and smiling wasn't as enthusiastic as it needed to be! [Picture middle aged men and women jumping up and down, YELLING out their letters, and screaming at the littlest bit of excitement...]
So anyways, this is what it was like:
Although I didn't make it to the second round of tryouts, it was still a very interesting experience and something I'll remember, share, and laugh about for awhile. Plus, now I have the inside scoop of the process all those bubbly contestants went through to get on the show!
I say 'bubbly' because that's what they want. I suspected this going into the auditions, so I was prepared to clap and smile my face off for the whole day, which I did. But apparently my clapping and smiling wasn't as enthusiastic as it needed to be! [Picture middle aged men and women jumping up and down, YELLING out their letters, and screaming at the littlest bit of excitement...]
So anyways, this is what it was like:
I arrived early, of course, to a hallway of hopefuls waiting patiently to get into the room. It was easy to tell the nervous ones - making awkward conversation with their neighbors; the annoying ones - cracking stupid jokes; and the ones who weren't going to make it far [me] - sitting quietly to themselves.
At 2:15, they herded us into a big conference room where chairs were set up like an audience, a projector and screen were in the front of the room, and a mini wheel sat on a table. After filling out information and getting our names, we proceeded to play numerous Wheel of Fortune puzzles. The auditioners would call out a random name, this person was to JUMP up excitedly, clapping their hands, and get immediately to solving the puzzle [spin, buy vowel, or solve]. This continued and repeated until everyone in the room had a chance to go. When it was my turn, I stood up, clapping of course, and proceeded to follow the strategy I had read about. [Can I have an 'R' please? I'll buy a vowel, 'E.' Another vowel, 'A'...]. The lady spinning the mock wheel eventually had to intentionally land on Lose a Turn because I was so unstoppable .... [this should've probably been my hint that I wasn't going to make it!]
After this was completed, we were given a sheet of paper with a test of word puzzles on it. We had 5 minutes to complete as many as we could. This was HARD. I'm guessing this is where they filter out a lot of people, including me...
Then, the auditioners collect the tests, go into a different room and grade them, come back 20 minutes later, and give us our fate...
Unfortunately, this is where my experience ended.
At 2:15, they herded us into a big conference room where chairs were set up like an audience, a projector and screen were in the front of the room, and a mini wheel sat on a table. After filling out information and getting our names, we proceeded to play numerous Wheel of Fortune puzzles. The auditioners would call out a random name, this person was to JUMP up excitedly, clapping their hands, and get immediately to solving the puzzle [spin, buy vowel, or solve]. This continued and repeated until everyone in the room had a chance to go. When it was my turn, I stood up, clapping of course, and proceeded to follow the strategy I had read about. [Can I have an 'R' please? I'll buy a vowel, 'E.' Another vowel, 'A'...]. The lady spinning the mock wheel eventually had to intentionally land on Lose a Turn because I was so unstoppable .... [this should've probably been my hint that I wasn't going to make it!]
After this was completed, we were given a sheet of paper with a test of word puzzles on it. We had 5 minutes to complete as many as we could. This was HARD. I'm guessing this is where they filter out a lot of people, including me...
Then, the auditioners collect the tests, go into a different room and grade them, come back 20 minutes later, and give us our fate...
Unfortunately, this is where my experience ended.
A funny story I have to share about the auditions and to maybe exemplify the kind of people they chose [maybe in an attempt for me to validate myself? haha]. The girl next to me, when it was her name called, stands up and says, 'Can I buy a vowel, please?' Well, you don't have any money yet, so 'no' you can't [Duh]. "Oh, duh," she says. "Can I have an 'E,' please?" Whaaaaat? That is a vowel, I scream in my head!! And the real kicker here is, SHE MADE IT TO THE NEXT ROUND! Maybe they pick the 'not so smart' people so they don't win and so WOF doesn't have to give away as much money?
