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PART 2 - THE CALL AND THE WAITING...
July 23 - August 11,1998
I finished the audition on a good vibe, but still, I tried to keep a
level-head about it. I remember leaving my "Idiot Savants" audition with a
good feeling and that never lead to anything, so all I could simply do was play the
waiting game...
Being one to find a positive look at everything, I kept thinking to myself,
"Ya know, even if I don't make it on the show, this was still a cool experience.
I got to see CBS Television City and I finally got to audition for a game show that
I was a fan of. Still, I really really wanted to be on the show. And it didn't
help that the PAs at "Home Improvement" kept asking, "Did you get the call yet?
When are you going to find out?"
JULY 27th
I arrive at the "Home Improvement" office. I'm the first to arrive and
I notice a red light on the PA phone. I check the voicemail (as I should do)
and lo and behold it's a message for me. It was Dawn! She said that she wanted
me on the show for August 11 and 12!
Needless to say, I was stoked! First of all, I checked with my supervisor to
see if taking off on August 11 and 12 was all right. And being the kind souls,
they gave me the OK. I then called Dawn back to find out more details. They
wanted me to be available for the afternoon taping on August 11. They were
doing two shows, but I was not guaranteed to be on either since two of the people
that would come that day would be alternates. Therefore, I would have to make
myself available August 12 just in case I wasn't chosen for the August 11 show.
Dawn ran down a few things that I should bring with me including the kinds of
clothing I should wear. I had to bring two sets just in case one didn't work.
I had to bring photo ID and song with my Social Security number.
I immediately told everybody at the office and E-mailed all my friends about the
big news.
So, the next phase came...Prepping for the show. The PAs and production coordinator
would try out some Super Match phrases on me every now and then to give me some
practice. I had my mom ship up some tapes of Match Game reruns from GSN too.
Still, I needed to get myself acquainted with any new rules for the show. Luckily,
I was able to go with a bunch of a.t.g-sers to see the first taping of "Match
Game" on August 9. There was only one show taped that day. The lineup included
Rondell Sheridan, Vicki Lawrence, Mario Lopez, Nell Carter, and Judy Tenuta.
We got a front seat row to the show right near the steps leading up to the 33 stage.
Announcer Paul Boland introduced himself and did a little warm-up shitck to get
people pumped up for the show. He explained the premise of the show and even did
a sample question with the audience. (It was one of the ones they did for the audition
test.) After that, Paul introduced Michael Burger. Michael thanked us all for
coming and hoped that we'd return ten years later for the show's tenth season
premiere. He also mentioned that they were hoping to get Gene Rayburn to do a
pre-tape for the first show where Gene passes off the long microphone to Michael.
However, the big help came later courtesy of a bunch of the LA contigent of
alt.tv.game-shows. On Monday, August 10, The gracious David Hammett let us
use his apartment as a mock Studio 33 for the ________-ing proceedings. Onhand
to assist were Aaron Solomon, Brian Conn, Tony Harrison, Randy Amasia, Brian Hamburg,
and a.t.g-s lurker Andy Wheeler (who also happened to audition the same night as me).
Aaron provided the questions for that night's Match Game-fest. I ended winning two of
the three games that I played and if that wasn't enough, I won $5000 on each of my
practice Super Matches. Here were the Super Match questions:
PILLOW _________
____________ CIRCLE
I matched Randy Amasia with "Pillow TALK" and Tony Harrison with "WINNER'S Circle."
Needless to say, this gave me a bit of hope for the next day's taping. But
again, I didn't want to go in too confident. You never know what might happen
especially with a game like "Match Game." So, I made sure I had a long, good night's
sleep at my pad in Northridge. I had to clear my head to prepared for the madness
that would ensue the next day!
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