Contestant Blogs

Tina M.

POSTED on 4-2
I can remember watching Wheel of Fortune as a kid as young as 4 years old. I would stand against our biggest wall in our living room and pretend that it was the letter board, and every time Vanna walked across the board and turned a letter I would too. Never in my dreams would I think I would share the same stage and have her reveal letters for me!

Sometime in early January I was on the phone with my best friend while I was watching the show. I kept shouting out letters, yelling at the TV as though the contestants could hear me, and bragging about how it was so easy. So my friend simply says, "Well, if you're so good why don't you go on the show?" So in that instant I went on the show's website and filled out an application.

Two weeks later I get an email inviting me to an audition in New York. At first I thought it was fake (because I couldn't believe that it would happen so quick!) but then I read the entire email and realized it was the real thing. I was a bit discouraged at first because the email pointed out the fact that people can easily solve puzzles in the comfort of their own home, but it's very different experience under the bright lights, cameras and studio audience! But after convincing myself that I could still be good under pressure too I decided to make the trip. And best of all, my best friend worked it out where she make the trip with me! Once we got to Times Square I got so anxious! I was expecting to see a lot more people the audition, but then I thought it's perfect because it increases my chances of getting picked!

So, after briefly going over the games rules we played a few rounds, watched a video which included all sorts of really funny bloopers, old clips of the show, places around the world and country the wheel, Pat and Vanna have traveled to, and of course some encouraging words from both Pat and Vanna before we took our written test.

That test made me all sorts of nervous! There were about 20 puzzles; a few from each category, with missing letters and we basically had to fill in the blanks. We had 5 minutes to complete as many puzzles as we could. I sucked! I complete maybe 4 of them! I thought more about the time I had left than the actual puzzle itself! Under timed pressure, I don't really do so well. I thought I was the end of the road for me! We went on a mini break while they reviewed our puzzles and when they returned made their first round of cuts! The first name called was mine and I was so stunned I didn't even respond! The girl next to me nudged me and whispered, "You have to say here!"
We played more rounds of the game and even though I was called up for a second time to play again, I was still convinced I didn't make it and I had to wait two weeks to know my fate...

I literally screamed out loud in the mailroom when I saw the word "...Fortune" on the envelop. I couldn't believe that someday I would be on Wheel of Fortune. Well, someday came three days later when I was called to fly out for a taping two weeks later. My life had literally turned into my wildest dreams in 6 weeks' time.
Watch me Monday, April 2nd to find out if my dreams of winning came true!