As some of you may know I was on Wheel of Fortune earlier this year and did relatively well, making it to the bonus round. If anyone wants to know more about the process (how I got there, what taping involves, what Pat/Vanna are like irl) feel free to ask! Or just ask me anything about myself, if you're interested in me.
I won just over $16k in cash and prizes. qrstuv posted an episode link on my profile.
Here was the basic process:
1. Attend an audition event (called a Wheelmobile event). Pray your name gets picked of of a barrel of about a thousand. You'll have to talk about yourself in front of the crowd and play a short mock speed-up round with 4-5 others. Alternatively, submit a video online. But in-person is your best shot of being called back.
My biggest tips: show your personality. Have a great, bubbly personality. And don't call the same letter three times. Yeah, that happened to someone.
2. Wait 3-4 months for a callback to a final audition. About 50-70 people attend. You get called to play the game for a bit. There's also a written test, 16 partial puzzles in 5 minutes. I can't explain it very well but if you go on buyavowel.boards.net there's a very detailed explanation of this part.
3. If they like you, you will get a letter in the mail in about two weeks. If you get this letter, you are officially selected to be a contestant! However, you can wait up to 18 months to actually be on the show. I was lucky, I only waited about a week and a half for my tape date.
Oh yes, and you pay all expenses to get to LA. But the minimum you win is $1,000.
Oh come on, you can't really hate either of them. :P They both interacted with us and the audience before/during/after games and they were wonderfully personable.
But Vanna is such a sweetheart. She wished all the contestants good luck when we were practicing spinning the wheel, she was in regular clothes and no makeup but she still looked stunningly beautiful.
I didn't interact with Pat too much but he seemed very nice. Before we taped the bonus round I warned him I would be spinning with my left hand and didn't want to accidentally hit him and he said, "Don't worry. If that does happen, it’ll make a great moment and be all over YouTube”.
