WWTBAM Bored

By lately, I mean in the last five years or so. I've been invited to be part of a panel discussion at the local library about being a game show contestant. Obviously, SyndieBAM will be mentioned, but I want to discuss my 90 minutes of fame (three shows) on WoF as well. That experience is coming up on twenty years ago, so I'd like to get some updated info about the set.

- What does the used letter board look like? It used to be just a line of blocks on the top of a white board. When a letter was used, a staff member flipped it over to the back of the board. Have they joined the 21st century and made an electronic version?
- How do the contestants keep track of their current scores? When you got a letter correct, that same staff member (I called him "the busiest man on the set") would get updated information from someone else off stage and then frantically erase your old score and write in your new one. Again, is this now electronic?
- How about the wheel itself? Between rounds, some strong souls would heft in two halves of the wheel and lay down the new set of wedges. Also, a piece of gum rubber tubing was used as the spring for the arrow.

Any other background insights would be appreciated. Either reply here or PM me. Thanks.

I was on 5 or 6 years ago. If my memory is correct, the alphabet was arranged in a square that looked like the side of a rubic's cube. Five across by five down with an extra letter on one row (bottom I think). As letters were called, they went dark and only the unchosen letters remained lit.

There were digital scoreboards off to the left that showed the contestant's totals. Very similar to the ones in front of the contestants.

I don't know exactly what they did to change slices on the wheel. They made us turn our back and take a couple of steps down to the studio floor. While we were there, the "pit crew" (makeup, microphone tech, personal cheerleader) would make any adjustments that were needed. Once the wheel was configured the way they wanted, they would spin us around and send us back up to our places with a "Go Gettum" .

Probably the oddest thing I remember is that my makeup was applied with a spray gun like you see people air brushing T-shirts with. No pads or bristle brushes, just an air brush machine.

gsabc wrote:By lately, I mean in the last five years or so. I've been invited to be part of a panel discussion at the local library about being a game show contestant. Obviously, SyndieBAM will be mentioned, but I want to discuss my 90 minutes of fame (three shows) on WoF as well. That experience is coming up on twenty years ago, so I'd like to get some updated info about the set.

- What does the used letter board look like? It used to be just a line of blocks on the top of a white board. When a letter was used, a staff member flipped it over to the back of the board. Have they joined the 21st century and made an electronic version?
- How do the contestants keep track of their current scores? When you got a letter correct, that same staff member (I called him "the busiest man on the set") would get updated information from someone else off stage and then frantically erase your old score and write in your new one. Again, is this now electronic?
- How about the wheel itself? Between rounds, some strong souls would heft in two halves of the wheel and lay down the new set of wedges. Also, a piece of gum rubber tubing was used as the spring for the arrow.

Any other background insights would be appreciated. Either reply here or PM me. Thanks.

20 years ago, WHeel still had the old "letter turning" puzzle board(current letter touching board debuted in February 1997), they changed all the dollar amounts on the wheel after each commercial break(that stopped in September 1996). Now they only change one or two spaces per round(the top dollar value is changed after the first and third commercial break, and the Mystery spaces are added in round two, and the Express space, new this season, in round three, and all the non-money amount squares outside of Bankrupt, Lose a Turn, and Free PLay, are stripped from the wheel during the third commercial break) the offstage scoring is now electronic. I don't know when that changed, there were pics in the 80s of scores on a chalkboard offstage, and the used letter board above that. When the million was first won in the bonus round in October 2008, they showed a glimpse of the offstage scoreboard at the end of the show, which by then was electronic. I imagine it's been electronic since the 90s(they moved production from CBS to the current Sony lot starting with the 1995-96 season). WHat was the third show you were on besides Millionaire and WOF.?

zachhoran1 wrote:WHat was the third show you were on besides Millionaire and WOF.?

The 90 minutes referred to WoF. I was on in 1994, when the winner carried over to the next show, up to three. I retired as an undefeated champion. Still trying for Jeopardy to make it to three different shows.

I'll be taping Friday, but idk if that helps.

Thanks for the updated info. I had wondered what differences there were after they moved to the Sony studios. Unfortunately, not enough people registered to attend so they cancelled the panel. I'm disappointed. I never miss an opportunity to talk about myself. They should have put my name in the notices to draw a bigger attendance.