Life Is Like A Game Show!

I've accomplished another one of my goals in life....I was on a game show!

Zach and I went on an audition for "Family Game Night" in early July.  The first thing we had to do was fill out a 3-page application.  The questions had to do with our favorite family games, have we ever been on a game show before, what members of our family would enjoy playing games on TV and general background questions.

The producers brought us in and we both instantly kicked into "on stage mode" and started telling jokes and involving them in the interview process.  I think we learned more about them during the interview.

They gave us the potential taping dates and told us we would be hearing from them in the near future.

Not "we have to finish the other interviews and then we'll decide if you move forward"...They told us "you WILL be hearing from us soon".

I got an email that afternoon listing the show taping dates and asking me to reply with the dates we were available to attend the show.  I answered the email and waited to hear from the producers.

I got a phone call two weeks later asking me if we were available on a certain date.  I was told "this is not a confirmation phone call".  I found it odd that "it was not a confirmation phone call" but the producer told me he would be my on-set contact and to save his number in my phone.

He also told me I would get a letter in the mail in the next 5-7 days if they selected us to attend a show taping.

I was emailed a letter two hours after the phone call.

The producer called me (again) right after I got the email to make sure I replied "yes" to attending the show.

I was at the bank last Friday when the same producer called me to make sure Zach and I would be at the show.  He told me to arrive at least 15 minutes before the taping and to find him before we filled out any paperwork.

To review...We've gone from an audition to "you WILL be hearing from us soon" to "not a confirmation phone call" to having an on-set contact to being emailed the invitation letter to a "FIND ME IN THE MORNING" call from my contact.

I told Zach that I wasn't counting on it but I would be shocked if we didn't get on the show.

I set my alarm for 7:30am on Saturday morning.  I received a text from my contact at 7:45am telling me what he was wearing that day so he would be easier to find in the crowd.

We arrived at the studio at 9:40am and the first thing I heard was "MARK AND ZACH" as a guy wearing the clothes I was looking for shot towards us out of the crowd.  He took us to the sign-in table and handed us a bunch of paperwork.

We turned in the forms and were led to a side area with seven other families while the main part of the crowd was on the other side of the parking lot.  All of the families in the side area were told to read a handout listing the various games of "Family Game Night" and the rules of each game.

The producers of the show asked everyone to wear comfortable clothes with no visible logos, patterns or stripes.  The choice of shirts didn't matter in the end because all of us had to wear
t-shirts with a giant "Family Game Night" logo.

We were also told no cell phones or photos were allowed during the taping of the show.

The eight families to the side of the sign-in area were led into the studio about 10 minutes before the start of the show.  We were told where to sit as the camera guys checked the various angles and lighting.

Zach was amazed when he walked into the studio.  He enjoys watching the show so it was a thrill for him to see the games and stage in person.

The rest of the crowd was led into the building and it was (almost) show time!

All shows have a warm-up person that greets the crowd and helps keep them excited and entertained during the taping.  Stacy told jokes, brought crowd members on stage to sing and showed us how to clap and cheer for the various games.

The taping was scheduled for 10am and it finally started around 10:40am.  It was time for the first game of the day and to get some audience members on stage.

We can't reveal the final outcome of the show (due to the sign-in paperwork).  I will tell you:

***We got on stage
***We played a game
***It was a great time
***The make-up people had to work on my "bald head shine" during filming breaks

"Family Game Night" is on The Hub.  I have no idea (yet) when the show is airing BUT I'll let you know ASAP!