Mailbox watch - Week Two

[gsabc]

Zip, zam, zowie and swoosh. Emphasis on the zip.

Serious mailbox watch begins today, given TPTB's stated 2-4 week notification.

gs the hopeful

[earendel]

Zip, zam, zowie and swoosh. Emphasis on the zip.

Serious mailbox watch begins today, given TPTB's stated 2-4 week notification.

gs the hopeful

Well, then, we're at the beginning of the vigil. If Sir_G were here he'd tell you that the vigil is the most important aspect of the knighthood process.

[Odyssey]

I am right there with you. Today marks my one week mark. This definitely does not feel the same as my first post card watch. I feel much less excited and optimistic. I think I might have feelings closer to fear.

One friend told me that maybe I should just try out for another game show instead of trying to make over my personality to give them what they want. Kind of harsh after one and a half tries, I thought.

[earendel]

I am right there with you. Today marks my one week mark. This definitely does not feel the same as my first post card watch. I feel much less excited and optimistic. I think I might have feelings closer to fear.

One friend told me that maybe I should just try out for another game show instead of trying to make over my personality to give them what they want. Kind of harsh after one and a half tries, I thought.

The problem is that most game shows are looking for the same thing, so if BAM doesn't select you, odds are against any other show doing the same. Of course that doesn't stop me from trying out for J! every time I'm eligible.

[MarleysGh0st]

One friend told me that maybe I should just try out for another game show instead of trying to make over my personality to give them what they want. Kind of harsh after one and a half tries, I thought.

One and a half tries?

Excuse me while I laugh maniacally to avoid crying.

[fuzzywuzzy]

One and a half tries?

Excuse me while I laugh maniacally to avoid crying.

Come on... be nice Marley

When are TPTB finished taping syndie BAM for the season?

Sending a ton O' ++++++ vibes out to gsabc & odessey for the PC arrival!

fuzzy

[Odyssey]

I knew you would understand, Marley. It makes sense, Earendel, that all the game shows want the same thing, what is so confusing is how come it can take multiple tries for a person to get on? It all just seems so random, which keeps hope alive in the rejected contestant.

Anyone know the most number of tries it took a successful contestant to get on the show?

[Odyssey]

Thank you Fuzzy. Last week was the last week of taping for the season. This would be my dream time to get a happy postcard. Lots of practice time until next season starts!

[MarleysGh0st]

Come on... be nice Marley

When are TPTB finished taping syndie BAM for the season?

It's not so much a question of "nice" as of being frustrated and tortured to the point of insanity.

The last taping date of the season should be this Thursday, Nov. 8.

[Bob Juch]

Anyone know the most number of tries it took a successful contestant to get on the show?

I probably hold the record of eight, but then I snuck in the back door.

[Odyssey]

Yes, Marley's right, the 8th is the last day. I remembered it incorrectly.

[Odyssey]

Anyone know the most number of tries it took a successful contestant to get on the show?

I probably hold the record of eight, but then I snuck in the back door.

Please tell me your story. What do you feel changed on that magic audition number 8?

[earendel]

It makes sense, Earendel, that all the game shows want the same thing, what is so confusing is how come it can take multiple tries for a person to get on? It all just seems so random, which keeps hope alive in the rejected contestant.

There are several reasons I could suggest. First, you're competing with others for the few slots, and whatever it is that makes you an eventual contestant wasn't enough to catch the eye of the contestant selection crew the first (or second or third) time, but eventually it does.

There are also certain demographic "quotas" that the contestant selection crew takes into account, meaning that the first time you try out you aren't good enough to be among the number selected for that demographic, but eventually you do.

It's also possible that the contestant selection crew may be looking for different things at different times.

[Bob Juch]

Anyone know the most number of tries it took a successful contestant to get on the show?

I probably hold the record of eight, but then I snuck in the back door.

Please tell me your story. What do you feel changed on that magic audition number 8?

I won the AOL Million Dollar Buddy contest and bypassed the audition!

[Odyssey]

It makes sense, Earendel, that all the game shows want the same thing, what is so confusing is how come it can take multiple tries for a person to get on? It all just seems so random, which keeps hope alive in the rejected contestant.

There are several reasons I could suggest. First, you're competing with others for the few slots, and whatever it is that makes you an eventual contestant wasn't enough to catch the eye of the contestant selection crew the first (or second or third) time, but eventually it does.

There are also certain demographic "quotas" that the contestant selection crew takes into account, meaning that the first time you try out you aren't good enough to be among the number selected for that demographic, but eventually you do.

It's also possible that the contestant selection crew may be looking for different things at different times.

All very interesting info. Adds up to "keep trying."

Do most people stick wih their "hooks" and practice presenting them or try to come up with new and improved ones?

[Odyssey]

I probably hold the record of eight, but then I snuck in the back door.

Please tell me your story. What do you feel changed on that magic audition number 8?

I won the AOL Million Dollar Buddy contest and bypassed the audition!

Pure genius, Bob. Good on you. Do you know who has the record for try-outs that ends with success after an audition?

[earendel]

All very interesting info. Adds up to "keep trying."

Do most people stick wih their "hooks" and practice presenting them or try to come up with new and improved ones?

I can only speak for myself and only for J! because I made it onto Prime Time BAM via the original Phone Game method. I have been in the J! contestant pool five times. The first couple times I just tried to be myself. The third time I posted my "five cute stories" online and asked my Bored Buddies to help select them. The fourth time I asked for advice about how to present myself and tried to act on that advice. The fifth time was a carbon copy of the fourth time. None of them have been successful. But then I'm a middle-aged white guy, so there's a much larger pool of competitors than there would be for others (women, younger men, etc.).

[Odyssey]

So with Jeopardy, you get into the contestant pool and then get a "do or die" interview?

[peacock2121]

I am still feeling Nov 7.

[earendel]

So with Jeopardy, you get into the contestant pool and then get a "do or die" interview?

The way the process works now is that you take an online 50-question quiz. If you pass it (and you never know whether you did nor not), then your name gets put into a pool and if you're lucky you will be chosen for an audition at a city near you (you get to pick the city when signing up for the test). At the audition site you take a second test, and everyone who passes is considered to be "in the pool." You get to play a mock version of the game, where the contestant search team watches how you buzz in, how you project your voice, etc. Then there's a mock interview, and that's it. Passing the test has never been my problem so I suspect that the reason I haven't been chosen is my inability to wow the search team with my personality.

[Kazoo65]

Earendel described the J! contestant picking process quite well. I am also quite (unsuccesfully so far) familiar with it. I've tried out 5 times. The first was in 1994 in Grand Rapids. The second was in Chicago four years later. The third was also in Chicago, in 2001. Number four was in Detroit in 2003. My most recent attempt was in Chicago in June of 2006-I got an audition via the online test.

The online test is given once a year. The last one was in January of '07, so the next one will probably be in January of '08. If you pass the online test, your name gets put into a pool with everybody else that passed for the city you signed up for. About six weeks before the test, they draw names, and the lucky people get e-mails saying they've been invited to appear at an in-person test. The in person test, like the online one, is 50 questions long. They don't tell you what the passing score is, but conventional wisdom is you need to get at least 35 of them right.

The mock game is important, because that's where the APs get to evaluate how well you follow directions, present yourself, keep the game moving, etc. They will ask you to tell a little story about yourself (where you live, what your job is, and what you'd do with the big bucks you win on Jeopardy!)

I'm anxiously waiting for January so I can do this AGAIN. I'd LOVE to get on Jeopardy! It's one of my favorite game shows!

[lilclyde54]

I think my best shot is to just keep plugging along for a few more years and move out of the MAWG demographic and into the "Amazing that he can remember his name, much less trivia Old Geezeer demographic". With my beard and long hair, I'll wear a red hat and trigger their desire to please Santa up out of their subconcious.