Picking up from yesterday –
So then, it’s time for the block of shows to start.
If you’re in the first group to play, you stay behind to get mic’d and things. If you’re in any of the other groups, you go to a designated area of the seats to watch. (It’s way on the edge, away from other audience members).
And you’re supposed to stay away from any audience members. Everything has to stay on the up-and-up. There can’t be any appearance of anything that’s not fully above board. So you can’t have your phone. You can’t talk to anyone who’s not a contestant or contestant coordinator (or the lawyer). You have to be watched and good.
So, we all sat there and watched the episode. And of course everyone is very quietly playing along, which is funny, seeing the people around you with the various strategies.
One thing that was interesting when I’d been a standby contestant and got to see all 6 shows, was as far as me and the other standby contestant could tell, when they put the mystery wedge on the wheel, they switched it every time. So, for instance, if the mystery wedge that showed $10,000 was near Free Play in the first game, then in the second game, that space was bankrupt. And in the 3rd game, that space would be $10,000 again.
Or at least that’s how it *looked* to us, from where we were sitting, but we couldn’t be 100% sure. And I’m sure there’s no way they do that every single day, because people would catch on and always know for their game where mystery wedge was (assuming they were watching it be set in the games before them).
I was curious though to watch and pay attention to if that pattern reemerged during this tape date. But alas, I was the second show. So, I didn’t see any wedges being switched out except on one game before mine.
So, yeah, we all watched the first game.
And juuuust a little bit before the game is over, the take the next group down to the contestant room again for last minute make-up touchups, to grab some water, and to get ready to go on your game!
And then as soon as the players who just played are coming back, you’re going out and getting mic’d up and everything.
I was a little bummed that we were being taken back before the bonus puzzle, because I really wanted to see at least one full game to practice/warm-up/get in the swing of things.
But! The good news is, they had the bonus puzzle up on the TV in the room. And I got “Riding a Bike” JUST in the nick of time. (I know bike is always a go-to word if it’s an activity and I don’t know what it is.)
So, I felt confident-ish going into my game.
And then it was our turn to play! And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow!