Picking up from yesterday –
So, once we get to Sony, we go into this contestant room for Wheel of Fortune people.
It’s stocked with bagels, drinks, snacks. They do a great job of keeping us fed all day.
On the side of the contestant area is a make-up area. They’re right next to each other/connected by a door that’s generally kept open the whole time.
So, some announcements and things can be given while people are in make-up, because make-up needs to cycle through people, and you can hear in there.
(Some of the more important announcements, they’ll stop down make-up, but for some of the simpler things, they won’t.)
Three people can go to make-up/hair at a time. So, three people start in on that. People are snacking. The day is starting.
We all get little lockers in the back of the room where we have to put our phones (and really, basically everything we have, as we’re not allowed to have much while we’re there).
A contestant coordinator comes in and explains “Hometown Howdies” to us – which is where people will tape a little thing for their affiliate stations.
They have a little board where it gives the script, and says something like “I’m [name] from [city]. Watch ME play Wheel of Fortune tonight on ABC 6.”
So, we go around the room and one at a time, someone stands, says their little script to practice, and then gets notes on it (which for most people is just ‘louder’ and ‘more enthusiasm’), then sits down.
Angelinos don’t do “hometown howides,” because our local stations don’t care/don’t play them. But we still get to practice them for funsies!
And I felt special, like I got a little ‘gold star’, because they were very proud of how I delivered the lines with the inflection the way they wanted it – plenty loud and enthusiastic!
It is so funny to me the difference between being an LA person and people from other places. Because, not to knock them at all, I’m sure other people have plenty of skills I don’t have.
But I am SO used to being able to “turn it on”and kind of get that inflection of like upbeat-game-show contestant that they want, that when people seem bewildered by it, I get bewildered at their bewilderment!
But then again, try to put me in their day-to-day – I’d have absolutely no idea how to like cook for a toddler, or drive a manual car, etc. But I sure can hit my mark, and smile big. I’ve been practicing that since I was a toddler!
Anyway, enough about being overly-trained on how to be an over-the-top LA person.
Then, it’s time for paperwork central!
And that’s where I’ll pick up tomorrow.