"I acknowledge that I may be chosen as an alternate...&

[thguy65]

...(as opposed to a contestant) by Producer, it its sole discretion"

This is a standard sentence in a Contestant Release Agreement, and the Million $ Password folks seem to like that a lot.

After I got "the first Call" on Wednesday and faxed back my signed agreement, I hadn't heard anything by late on Friday about any specific tape date (which were going to be 8/2-8/4) until 9 PM. Sure I can be there at 7:30 AM on Sat morning.
So I get to CBS Radford Studios along with about 24 other people, and they need only 8 contestants for the 2 shows they are taping that day! They had more individual game-play auditioning planned with the shows head honchos, so this turned into a combined Callback/Walk-in-and-Win situation. If you did enough to impress them a lot, it seemed you were going to be chosen to play that day. During my time with the Producers, my clue-giving wasn't flawless, so I didn't make myself standout enough.
The vast majority of us would be out of luck. We just wouldn't know it until the end, since they only announced the next 2 contestants just before their game was to be taped.

At the end of the tape day (around 6:30) we were released and told that if they wanted us back, we would receive a call approximately 30-60 minutes later. It wasn't until 10 PM that I got my call to be there at 7 AM on Sunday morning. Five of us came in from Saturday's group, plus 8 new people (mostly out-of-towners).
When we went to the stage are to be oriented to the set-up, I saw SecondChance there as a rehearsal "contestant". We exchanged knowing facial expressions without speaking to each other.
There was a little bit of "extra auditioning" conducted for the new people, and just like the previous day the Producers' choices were revealed only when 2 people were removed from the Green Room. Due to "special" circumstances, they used 10 contestants today: All 8 of the new people, and 2 of Saturday's leftovers. I was among the 3 people who were unused for both days.

I have to work on Monday, so that's it for me (for this particular "season" of MDP). I am quite disappointed, but probably much less bitter than the other 2 people left out of the process. When I was called Friday night, the PA did say there as a possibility of not appearing on the show. I asked "So basically I can show up tomorrow and have some chance of playing, or not show up and have no chance of playing." She said, "Yes, that's right." So I had relatively low expectations from such a late call that I wasn't on their prime list, but I thought today's callback had some decent odds. There are some changes in the prize structure that are much more favorable to the contestant compared to the initial run shows this summer. I was aching to have a shot at it.

One of contestants who taped today has posted on the Bored at the time of his WWTBAM appearance last season. I'll let him decide if he wants to show up here again and tell any of his own story. I don't know the outcome of his game.

[ulysses5019]

Sorry to hear the bad news Tim.

[TheConfessor]

Tim, I'm sorry you didn't get the chance you hoped for and expected. I'm sure you would have been excellent. I hope this isn't the end of the story. The show has been successful, so I would think that you still have a good chance, if they tape additional episodes.

What would you estimate as your expected value of appearing on the show, versus the consequences of missing a day at work?

[Ritterskoop]

Too bad you didn't know the score up front. You might have been less let down, I guess. But we will continue to support the show so they get picked up and you get the next chance!

[15QuestionsAway]

That sucks Tim - I was really hoping you'd get on. You sure you can't get of work tomorrow? If not, I hope you get your chance in the next run.

I just watched the repeat of the Betty White episode. I didn't realize that if a contestant makes it past $100k in the endgame, they get to see the first five passwords at the next level. It's still such a risk to go to $250k that I can't see anyone trying it without some modifications.

[silvercamaro]

This makes me sad. I wanted to see you! I hope there's still a chance for you in future tapings.

[thguy65]

That sucks Tim - I was really hoping you'd get on. You sure you can't get of work tomorrow? If not, I hope you get your chance in the next run.

I just watched the repeat of the Betty White episode. I didn't realize that if a contestant makes it past $100k in the endgame, they get to see the first five passwords at the next level. It's still such a risk to go to $250k that I can't see anyone trying it without some modifications.

I have a full slate of patients scheduled, and I would feel very very very bad if I canceled their appointments and was left on the sidelines again. I just can't bring myself to do that.

The modifications are major enough to spur one to give serious consideration about going for the higher levels on the money tree.

[NellyLunatic1980]

This deserves a <grumble>®.

[peacock2121]

I am sorry.

It doesn't matter when they told you this - that it is that way really is poopy.

[MarleysGh0st]

This deserves a <grumble>®.

Indeed.

<grumble>®

[geoffil]

Your experience seems so unfair. The producers should decide who they want and then those people are the final contestants. They don't need all the backup people. Did they compensate you with anything for your time?

Was Anthony helping out?

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

More stuff for my nightmares.

[PlacentiaSoccerMom]

I am sorry that they didn't pick you to play. Hopefully they will keep you in mind and pick you to play the next edition of the show.

[ulysses5019]

More stuff for my nightmares.

Your costume is more than enough for my nightmares.

If they call you, you will play.

[thguy65]

Your experience seems so unfair. The producers should decide who they want and then those people are the final contestants. They don't need all the backup people. Did they compensate you with anything for your time?

Was Anthony helping out?

We were fed and watered.

Anthony was around, but we rarely saw him in the Green Room. He must have been doing stuff near the set, guest wrangling, or celeb prep.

[peacock2121]

More stuff for my nightmares.

This will not happen to you.

It just plain won't.

[MKearney]

Not that I can say anything, Tim....but thank your lucky stars that you WEREN'T selected. You have a much better chance at the money on some future date.

[gsabc]

Bummer. I hope they call you again for later editions.

[thguy65]

Not that I can say anything, Tim....but thank your lucky stars that you WEREN'T selected. You have a much better chance at the money on some future date.

I think I catch your drift.

[secondchance]

...When we went to the stage are to be oriented to the set-up, I saw SecondChance there as a rehearsal "contestant". We exchanged knowing facial expressions without speaking to each other.

Hey Tim, I was wundrin’ what the heck was going on, why I didn’t see you “come out to play.” After my “gig,” I stayed to watch all the games so I could cheer you on…

I’ve been gone most of the week helping daughter get set up at college. *sniff*
Got home exhausted, and an hour later at 11pm, out of the blue I get a phone call from one of the casting coordinators (hopes up ever so high, but…) asking if I would be interested in coming in the next morning to act as a “celebrity stand-in” for the run-through before the taping. I said, “of course, that would be great – I’ll be there!” I was told that by doing this I would not be able to be a contestant this season, but that the experience would be sort of a formal audition in front of all the exec producers, etc., and that if I did well I would be considered for next season.

I got there at 8am and after going through a bunch of game play with producers, I went up on stage, mic’d etc, with my other mock partner and we played a round as they set up sound, lighting, etc. It was fun and we did well. Then you and I saw each other, and I was so happy to see you prepping for your turn but alas didn’t see you again... One thing I can say is that sometimes things turn out the way they do for a reason, and for the best – even though it doesn’t seem so at the time. In other words, hopefully by next season the celebs will be more qualified and better trained. Yesterday was somewhat disastrous for most of the players, and for 2 an absolute “fiasco.”

At the end of the day, I was told by the coordinators that I caught the eye of several of the uppity-ups and that I’d almost certainly be called in for next season to be a contestant. So maybe we’ll “meet” again then. I’m just so sorry to hear that you rotted there for 2 days. I don’t know which guy you referred to as previously being on BAM, but I watched all the games so if you want to PM we can discuss.

[christie1111]

Not that I can say anything, Tim....but thank your lucky stars that you WEREN'T selected. You have a much better chance at the money on some future date.

I think I catch your drift.

Hmmm, I wonder who the guest celebrities were this time around?

[gsn309]

With all due respect to Tim and Second Chance, the description of this contestant selection process takes it to a new level of rediculousness.
I mean, you're playing Password -- not acting in a Broadway play!

An LA-based friend who has worked a bit in game shows told me that at the network-level it was more-or-less like this now -- but this sounds more like running rats through a maze than any sort of fun process.

That said, here's hoping both of you make it next year--and for Second Chance in particular -- if you do make it, I hope the Little Blonde Meanie is watching that night!

[thguy65]

With all due respect to Tim and Second Chance, the description of this contestant selection process takes it to a new level of rediculousness.
I mean, you're playing Password -- not acting in a Broadway play!

An LA-based friend who has worked a bit in game shows told me that at the network-level it was more-or-less like this now -- but this sounds more like running rats through a maze than any sort of fun process.

That said, here's hoping both of you make it next year--and for Second Chance in particular -- if you do make it, I hope the Little Blonde Meanie is watching that night!

Now that I've caught up a little on my Craigslist from the weekend, the whole additional auditioning process was worse than I thought.

Hmmm, I wonder who the guest celebrities were this time around?

http://www.ocatv.com/shows/
A few other celebs on earlier this weekend have their names on this page.
One other player is an Emmy-award winning actor who was notoriously bad at "Pyramid". I feared the possibility of playing with this person.

[MarleysGh0st]

http://www.ocatv.com/shows/
A few other celebs on earlier this weekend have their names on this page.
One other player is an Emmy-award winning actor who was notoriously bad at "Pyramid". I feared the possibility of playing with this person.

Ooooh! That page says that 5th Grader is taping this week!

[MKearney]

To make it clear, I'm the other BB member who was taping this weekend. Tim was VERY lucky to not get selected for either of the shows taped this Sunday.

SecondChance, you might remember me as the record holding smart kid.