Contestant Blogs

Jeana P.

POSTED on Monday, January 21st, 2013

Hi! My name is Jeana from Lawrence, NJ. I have watched Wheel of Fortune ever since I was a little girl. My fondest memory is watching with my Grandmother every night screaming at the contestants on the TV! Throughout the years of watching, I grew to become an amazing player. In college, I used to watch every night with my roommate Amanda. She and I would get very competitive. We had rules while watching and if someone broke those rules you got kicked out of the room for the half hour that we watched! It was pretty intense, but we loved it! My friends and family always suggested that I should try and get on the show. I would constantly sign up and register online, but was never contacted.

One day while watching the show, a commercial came on saying there was going to be an open audition in September of 2012 on the 9th and 10th. I told my mom I HAD to go! There was no way I was going to miss this opportunity! We decided to make a trip out of it. I wanted my entourage there with me so my mom, Aunt Roe, Grandma, and Nana tagged along. It was my Grandma's 88th birthday and she loved Atlantic City and Wheel of Fortune! This was the perfect birthday gift for her!

I was so nervous and excited that morning driving our 2 hours to Atlantic City. I had no idea what to expect! What was it going to be like? How many people were going to be there? Will I get on the show? All these thoughts were flying through my head. This was my chance to make my dream come true! I had to do anything I could to make this happen.

We got to the Atlantic Club and went to their Ballroom where the auditions were starting to take place. There were 3 auditions taking place on Saturday and 3, as well on Sunday. You had to wait in line, and then the entire group was brought down to the main Ballroom where the auditions took place. Out of the thousands of people that showed up only 75 people were chosen each day. My heart sunk and I was scared that I was not going to get my chance to be on the show. My mom and I waited in line at 10am while my Aunt Roe, Grandma and Nana gambled waiting to hear any form of good news! No luck after the first audition, no luck after the second audition. The third would be my last chance! I decided to make my Aunt Roe come in with us for some extra luck. The audition was almost over, only 5 names left to be called. I told my mom we should leave; there was no hope for me now. All of a sudden, "Jeana Pulaski, come on up!" I had no idea what to do with myself. I was jumping for joy! I couldn't believe my name was called out of all those thousands of people that attended this audition. I even tripped and fell on my flip flops! Now I really had to show them I deserve to be on the show! I went up there and showed them everything I had! I was loud and confident and truly showed my personality!

This audition did not mean I got on the show. I had to wait and hear if I get the call to come back to another audition. I decided to make a Face of the Fan video. One month later, I got an email saying I had to come back to Atlantic City for a second audition! Could my dream really be coming true? On, October 25th I went back to my second audition. All I had to do was show them I was the right person to be on Wheel of Fortune. After this audition, we were told we should hear back in 2 weeks.

I totally forgot about my audition during Hurricane Sandy. We were in the dark and cold for hours, and then days. All I was worried about was my friends and family who live closer to the shore than I did. Well, October 30th in the midst of all the chaos that was happening with sandy, I got an email saying they have a taping date for my show! I GOT ON WHEEL OF FORTUNE! I was shocked, stunned, and cried like a little baby. It felt like a dream. I had to pinch myself to see if this was all true. I was told I had to fly out in two weeks and my taping would be on November 16th at Sony Studios in Culver City, CA.

This was meant to be! The week prior, my Grandma, Mom, Aunt Roe and Aunt Paula had a trip already planned for Vegas and Los Angeles. They were already going to be there when I needed to do my taping! That night, I bought 2 tickets for my boyfriend Steve and I to go to California, and the experience of a lifetime began.

Watch me play Wheel of Fortune on Wednesday, January 23rd!