Deal or No Deal
While on my recent trip to California, my mother and sister and I had the fortune of getting free tickets to be audience members in a taping of the game show Deal or No Deal. It was neat seeing the models - especially when they did that walk up the stairs on the back side of the stage. Of course, we got to see Howie Mandel in all his bald headed glory as well. Quite nifty! During takes, he would hang out at the edge of our audience section, talking to some people a couple of rows up from us who he apparently knew. There were thirteen cameras around the studio that were recording, and in between we had an audience manager who kept us busy with stupid games and contests and guided us in our clapping, enthusiasm and laughter. It was quite an organized event.
In true geek fashion and to better describe where I was sitting relative to the stage and the models and the aisle where Howie entered the stage (and hung out during takes), I drew a diagram (in MS Paint, no less):
I am the little red dot with 'di' written in it.
We were there for almost 5 hours (quite longer than expected), and by the time we left we were more than ready not to be there anymore. Our faces hurt from smiling, our hands hurt from clapping, and we were long overdue for a bathroom break. We watched them tape the ending of one contestant's attempt to win $1million, and the beginning of another contestant's turn at the money. They couldn't give us a specific date when the shows would air, but they did say it would most likely be sometime during October. If you happen to watch and you see a cute Latino woman in black pants and a royal blue shirt or a black man in black pants and a light blue shirt as contestants, then look for me. I'm about five rows behind where the podium is on stage, and I was wearing a red top and black pants. I'm the one who looks like a dork!
