Game Show Hos: Prologue

A bit of "historical background" on my experience with Game Show Hos.
 
The summer of 2001 my sweetie and I were sharing a 600 square foot apartment (all of my stuff was in storage).  I was marginally employed at best, and he was a teacher with the summer off, and nerves were wearing thin to say the least.  So, we did what any self-respecting couple would do to ease the tension and watched a lot of Game Show Network. 
 
At some point we spontaneously started "playing along" with the $100,000 Pyramid.  It's a really easy game show to play along with if there are two of you.  The person giving the clues faces the television.  The person receiving the clues sits facing the other person, with their back to the TV.  Put the TV on mute and go to town!  It's even easier if you have ReplayTV, TiVo, or some other sort of DVR machine (which sweetie does).   Eventually, he purchased the home game so that we could bring others into our insanity.
 
Shortly after this compulsion entered our lives we were at TGIFriday's playing trivia and I noticed an ad for Pyramid with Donny Osmond that would be debuting in the fall.  When we got home that night we did a little snooping on the internet and, sure enough, they'd be coming to Seattle for auditions.  I enjoyed the game and needed cash, so HAD to try out.  Sweetie wasn't so sure he could take the time out of his schedule, but came along for the ride.  For the love of the game, as it were.
 
The way the audition works is this:

• You show up at the non descript hotel in suburban Seattle
• They take your photo and shuffle you into the hotel ballrom along with about 100 other people
• The 100 of you take a written test, which is a modified version of the "end game."  A TV monitor serves as "celebrity" to give you the clues, and you have to write down the category.
• While the staff "grades" the tests you sit around and chat with the fellow contestants.
• If you "pass" the test you are asked to stay to compete in mock games of the first round of play with the others that made the cut.
• Wait until they call you or forever, whichever comes first.

For what it's worth, both sweetie and I made it past the first cut to the 2nd round of 8-9 people, which is pretty impressive when you think about it.  Sweetie went on to appear on the show and win $11,000.

But that's not why I'm writing.

While we were waiting for admittance into the ballroom you could overhear snippets of some people's conversations - they had obviously tried out for gameshows before. 

While they were "grading" the tests it was just natural that you would engage in idle chit-chat with those around you.  There was a group of around 8-10 people around sweetie and I that ended up in a loose conversational circle.  I believe every single one of the people (with the exception of sweetie and myself) had tried out and/or participated in game shows in the past.  Not just once, but multiple times.  Like, as soon as the six months since their most recent apperance, when they became eligible, they'd hit the circuit.  And it became readily apparent that these were the pinnacle's of achievment in their life.  Did you know Vanna White is really nice in person and just as beautiful in sweats without makeup done as she is on the show?  These folks seemed intent to one-up each other on their experiences.  Hosts and co-hosts were long-lost friends, and they were the industry insiders.

After the experience my sweetie and I gave a nickname to this class of citizen -- "Game Show Ho."  Forever in search of their next opportunity to appear on a game show and perhaps get the opportunity to rub shoulders with Wink Martindale. 

As much fun as I had participating in that tryout.  As much as I might love to appear on Millionaire one day.  As cool as it was to watch sweetie on TV.  As cool as it was for him to win $11,000.  I find it hard to fathom how empty your life must be to become a Game Show Ho.

Ironically, not a single one of the hos made it past the initial round.  They're obviously not as good at turning tricks as they think they are.