Picking up from yesterday –
Before the show, George (Gray – the announcer) pumps everybody up and gives the low down all about what’s going to be happening with the show.
He gives this little talk at the beginning where he says, “How many of you have planned exactly what you’re gonna do to get down here if we call your name?”
Tons of hands in the audience shoot up, and there’s a huge burst of cheering. (I did not put my hand up, ’cause I knew I’d have no idea how I’d go down there!)
He then said something along the lines of “None of you know what you’re gonna do. ‘Cause if we call your name, you’re going to basically black out. And only after the show will you have any idea of what’s happening to you.”
Let me tell you, I don’t know that truer words have ever been spoken. I was in complete and total shock from the moment my name was called. I didn’t know what to do with myself!
But we’ll get to that in a bit.
It was during this intro time that I also learned, because it’s so loud being in the studio audience – not only will they call you down to contestant’s row, they will show a big poster board of your name as well.
It was crazy how much you couldn’t hear. I mean, really. The sound was just nuts. I didn’t even know what people were bidding on sometimes.
Though I could make a guess by what I was seeing on the monitor (using the monitor since not only could I not hear, I couldn’t see everything on the stage). (Aye, aye, aye.)
I guess in some ways is sounds like some weird sort of sensory deprivation thing – which it kind of is once you’re up there, because as George Gray says, you kind of just black out.
So, we’re watching the show. And it’s awesome, moving quickly, and hilarious. George keeps turning to our little audience section, asking us what we think stuff is priced.
At one point, when a contestant was overbidding (in my opinion), I just yelled out very matter-of-factly “I disagree!” George smiled at me. I was pretty proud of myself for making the announcer smile (dusts off shoulders).
Once the first wheel spinning of the show occurred, I start thinking, “This is starting to be the danger zone.”
If you go to contestants’ row, you want as much time there as possible – so that you have as many chances as you can take of getting it right. When there are only 3 games left, it’s nerve-wracking. Between the producer seeming unimpressed by my small posse, and us sitting us in the corner like bad kids, I didn’t think it was my day. (I was having a wonderful time anyway, laughing at the jokes between the comedian beside me, and the ones onstage.)
But on the off chance it was my day, in my head I started pleading with The Price is Right universe, “Please, oh please, Price is Right, if you are going to make my childhood dreams come true, and make me the next contestant to come on down, please do it now or don’t do it today. I don’t want any fewer than 3 chances up at that podium. Please?”
Then, it was so weird because when the incredibly peppy, energetic guy (Scott Robinson, I think) came out with the poster board covered up and ready to be revealed, I got a bit of butterflies in my stomach. Something in my brain said, “Aurora. I think you’re gonna be called next.”
I know that sounds completely crazy. And it is. So, I tried to push that down. “Now, Aurora, that is just silly. You can’t just ‘feel’ things like this.”
This is where I’ll pick up tomorrow.