My 6th Trip to TPIR Trip report Part 2 – Airs 6/2/08
Without any sort of idea of the reasons for what me and my family was subjected to from the previous day’s taping, after the taping was over I didn’t have a clue where to start looking for answers - Should I ask CBS guest relations? Perhaps try to contact someone from CBS Daytime Television? Or even higher than that my mom suggested we write a letter to the FCC but I knew that would be way too drastic and it was unlikely they’d do anything.
In the mean time, I did what I could and consulted as many people as I could – including several members on this board, the front row crew from the previous day’s taping which I had made fast friends with in the camp out the previous night, the guy that runs the bagel shop across the street, and the staff at the Farmer’s Daughter hotel where we stayed at (An aside: Tedd doesn’t do his normal 10 PM TPIR lecture anymore, and there was an incident when he talked down to my mom and I like we couldn’t understand English – I thought this was derogatory and disrespectful and to say the least I will not be staying there again if I can expect to be treated like that). The consensus opinion was that everyone else was just as clueless as to why this happened as I was, and that it was probably wrong simply because I was not given any sort of reason why. I had also asked everyone whether I should attend the next day’s taping knowing that it would be likely I would get the same treatment – and it appeared the majority opinion was to just show up, don’t do anything too crazy (i.e. try to be #1 in line again) and see how they respond to that, although some people including my mom thought I shouldn’t go again because I should be getting the same treatment. An important point that someone brought up was that I was not actually barred from going to the show as of that point in time, and at the very least if they wanted to bar me from going that they would’ve done so already. With that, I went to bed after getting a grand total of zero sleep the night before with this issue still hanging over my head and my mom and aunt still demanding an answer as to why.
For today’s taping, I had priority tickets from Hollywood Tickets, meaning that I would not need to show up to the studio until 9 AM. Still unsure whether I should attend, I took the opportunity to jump into Daytime Chat an hour before that time and get some feedback from the members that were there – everyone I talked to was just as dissatisfied with what happened as I was, but I should still just go to the show and try to enjoy it. Despite my mom’s theory that the production staff doesn’t want me to come back and since they can’t ban me from going without a reason, they could give me this treatment and eventually I’ll get tired and not come back and that would yield the same result as banning me, I chose to show up to see the show – and at the very least try to enjoy it. However, I also didn’t know what time I had to show up to get to the taping of Dancing With the Stars on the other side of CBS TVC – the primary reason my family and I made the trip. Knowing that we may have had to show up to that studio right around the time the first taping ended, and since Dancing With the Stars requires semi-formal attire, I showed up to the TPIR taping dressed in a suit. While I knew I was kind of over dressed for TPIR, I knew that there was a possibility that I’d have to bail on the TPIR taping just to show up to Dancing With the Stars in time.
Arrival at CBS Television City: As I arrived on the CBS lot about 20 minutes early, I took the opportunity to meet some people – including the first few people in line who had been in line for 12 hours. I had also met a few people that have been to tapings before and I had talked about possibly strategy for the interviews – and what I was told was almost verbatim from Tedd’s old night-before TPIR lectures at the Farmer’s Daughter hotel. I had also met some people (Including Kenneth) from the Radford University – which is somewhere in the neck of the woods where I live. I’ll admit I was a bit jealous that their entire group was on their way to Australia the next day.
Roger Tells the Show’s Side of the Story: Karen Winchell, the head of Guest Relations pulled me out of the line and just outside of the overhang of the audience holding area so I could talk to Roger Dobkowitz himself. I had many unanswered questions for him based on how I had been treated the last 3 times I’ve been to the show, but I was quite worried I would get some sort of warning for what happened the day before considering what I thought the budget situation was.
The first thing I questioned Roger about what was the reason for what happened yesterday and why my mom and aunt were also marked like I was. I had also mentioned that I was told that if I was alone that I’d be in the back. Roger told me was that my presence there put their production staff in a bind because they didn’t expect me to show up to that day’s taping (Like I was supposed to call them in advance and tell them when I’m going to attend tapings?). While he did admit the way they handled the situation was wrong, I don’t think he formally apologized for what happened, because he pushed that aside to get to his point.
Roger explained that helping people I met in line was the important issue at hand. I had told him that I guessed this was an issue with the budget - since I wasn’t sure how their budget situation was (I thought it was bad), but he assured me that this was irrelevant to what he had to say. The important thing was that the people I meet in line that get help from me could provide an unfair advantage for them on the show. The figure they could come up with was that I could potentially meet around 50-100 people in line before the show and that since they believed that I am someone that knows a lot about the prices that any contestants out of that 50-100 people are at an advantage over the other contestants in the 200-250 others that don’t know me. While I hadn’t thought of that point of view, it kind of made sense, but I didn’t understand how they expect to run an audience participation show if they don’t want someone to participate – to which he responded that they believe they think I know “a lot” about prices and reiterated the point about unfair advantage for contestants who know who I am.
Another issue that they had was that any of the contestants in the 50-100 people I meet will all look to me – and it looks bad on camera if all of those contestants look specifically to me, and he pointed out an example from the previous day’s taping (the 5/29/08 show) when Michael looked directly at me after each one-bid. He explained how it “takes away from the spirit of the show” that it’s the entire crowd that helps – and not just one person. I had asked him why are we running an audience participation show if they don’t want me to participate – and again he pointed back to the same reason of unfair advantage for contestants I meet in line. He mentioned that people on TV would wonder why is everyone looking at that one person for advice? While he didn’t specifically give me a reason for that, I had thought about it later and recognized that could be a pause for concern – as someone on TV may think I’m a ringer planted there by CBS that knows all the prices.
Roger then told me that because of these reasons, they would have to subject me to certain terms and conditions if I wanted to continue to attend tapings. He told me that because of these two reasons that if I wanted to continue to attend tapings that I would have to refrain from talking to people in line even outside of the studio (because I could talk to audience members I meet about prices in the line). The pages outside would watch to see if I was talking to anyone in line to check and make sure of that. In addition, I would also have to sit in the back so I couldn’t be seen on camera too. If I did not comply with these terms and conditions, I would be asked to leave the lot and not be allowed back.
Roger used an analogy to compare what these terms and conditions were – he compared it to catching a card counter in Las Vegas – if they are caught, they have to either comply (which they likely won’t) or they will get banned from coming back. Immediately, I wonder whether this would affect any possible contestant eligibility I have left – which I ask him next. He doesn’t give me a direct answer – he said that “No, you’re not ineligible because you are classified as eligible based on our eligibility guidelines – you don’t know anyone on the production staff, any sponsors of the show, nor do you work for a CBS affiliate.” Unfortunately, he didn’t give me a straight answer so I interpreted this as “You’re still eligible but we’re not likely going to pick you because of these reasons we just told you,” since he neglected to mention the reasons for the terms and conditions. This was quite disheartening, and I walked back to my place in line kind of dejected as I reluctantly agreed to Roger’s conditions just so I don’t get banned from seeing the show again.
The entire conversation between me and Roger was seen in plain view by the audience holding area – and I had been asked by several people I’d already met about what happened. I was basically forced to respond with “They told me I can’t talk to anyone in line or else I’ll get kicked out.” However, I did something else to make sure the people around me knew what was going on – I had called several of my contacts on my cell phone who I had gotten advice from about what happened and I knew that everyone around me overheard it.
Waiting in line with no one to talk to: I was very fidgety during the next few hours in line – I was really bored since I couldn’t meet anyone in line, and four hours is a long time to kill when you’ve got nothing to do except sit on benches and stare at the parking lot. I had contemplated walking out about 3 times because I really felt unhappy with this turn of events, but I knew that walking out would be the same as not complying with the terms and conditions and I’ll end up barred anyway.
By the time Stan’s interview came around, I was not in the right frame of mind to be happy and energetic like I should be during the interview and also thinking that they’ll never pick me because of the terms and conditions that Roger outlined earlier. If Stan wasn’t going to pick me – he certainly didn’t act like he wouldn’t during my interview. Stan commented on my suit and I mentioned I wanted to look good on TV, but when he asked about if my mom enjoyed the show yesterday, that really struck a nerve and I passed it off by saying “yes” just because I knew it wouldn’t be appropriate to bring up a can of worms in front of the rest of the audience.
After going through security, I was seated at the beginning of the 3rd bench, and #1 in line asked me how I did in the interview – to which I again gave my response of “I can’t talk to anyone or they’ll kick me out.” The entire wait on the benches was really straining and boring, and it was frustrating not to talk to anyone in line – especially when you know a lot about the show and want to correct what people think they know about the show – i.e. someone in line thought that they pick everyone in military uniforms, someone thought that they still played Plinko for $25,000 and that the Showcase Showdown is the last act of the show. Thankfully, as #201, I didn’t have to wait more than 45 minutes to go in the studio and Charles, the head page, allowed me to go take my seat first, since I knew where I was going to be sitting.
I knew I was going to be sitting in the back by the sound mixer, but I had no idea they would tape off a seat with my name on it like they usually do for VIP’s (There’s an example in the Golden Gallery
here). As we are filing in, I notice that were seated around me in line were looking for where I was sitting – and they all waved apologetically at where I was placed. At least I knew they got the message and found out what happened to me.
It’s Showtime: I don’t remember too much of what happened because I was more scared of making any sudden movements that could be interpreted as a signal, but I guess I didn’t realize at the time that nobody would be looking for me anyway – except for maybe the Radford group.
1 Right Price: The audience was split on what they thought the right prize was – and I thought he would’ve lost, but I guess I didn’t notice it was Aico.
Bonkers: I knew Katie was already at a disadvantage wearing flip-flops, but unfortunately she didn’t realize that 30 seconds really isn’t that long that looking at the audience won’t really help you.
More or Less: This clearly was set up for a win – with two prizes with prices marked $1000-2000 away from the ARP. Drew talked to her during the break and found out that Carmel was a victim from Hurricane Katrina – so we were all happy for her that she won the car.
Push Over: There were probably a couple of choices for the price - $3498 and $4981.
That’s Too Much!: I was glad that Kenneth won the car since this isn’t a car they offer much on the show. Most of their group wanted him to go one more after $21,962 though. At this point I couldn’t believe the lineup timed way too short – with no GP or SP game this lineup had to have at least 5-6 minutes left, I would’ve thought they could play something like Shell Game last.
Now…or Then: But instead they pick a not-so-exciting game. I really liked Drew’s joke of I used to be “Young and Restless, Bold and Beautiful” but nobody got it I guess. Another really easy setup that you could tell which one was now or then based on the packaging only.
SCSD2: In my previous 5 trips to TPIR, I have seen at least 1 big wheel winner each time – the streak continues!
Showcases: Almost everyone in the audience thought Carmel was way over on her showcase, but I knew the African Safari was way more than anyone thought. I thought she had a DSW-quality bid and I was going to fall out of my chair laughing if they got a DSW on an all-trip showcase and I didn’t even help. My bids in studio were 31000/32400 – a double overbid! The $50,094 graphic was added in post-production because I know I didn’t see it on the monitors after the showcase. May I also mention that Rich does run pretty fast when he has to get to door #1 to greet the winner at the ending after saying the outro.
I left this taping even more bitter than the day before – the entire experience of this taping was tainted by the terms and conditions that I can’t say that I enjoyed the taping at all. While I understood from their point of view why they didn’t want me to participate, I still think that was wrong that they want to silence me completely when I’m even on the CBS lot. Maybe my mom was right that they don’t want me back in studio and they’ll give me the shaft whenever I go back because I didn’t take the hint. Fortunately, thanks to our favorite former page Chuck - Dancing With the Stars an hour after the taping made my folks happy and compensated for the way we were treated at TPIR – I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed it had I not seen Usher, one of my favorite artists. After that, it was time to head home and forget about what it’s like seeing the magic of television in person for at least a while.
On the plane going home, my mom had talked with me about what she thought about TPIR (lets just say there were some choice expletives that can’t be repeated on this family friendly website) as well as was what the production staff was trying to get me to do – that is not come back to any more tapings and not pick me as a contestant. Since my primary objective in going to tapings is to eventually live the dream and “Come on Down,” and knowing that my chances could seriously be in danger thanks to the events of this week, I’m not so sure I would ever want to go back to a TPIR taping, but doing that would just satisfy what the production staff wanted. I thought there was no way they’d ever ban an eligible contestant from going back to the studio, but I was very close at one point during this trip – and that’s not how I want to go see TPIR – silenced the entire wait time. It sucks that the only thing I did wrong was watch the show every day and pay attention to prizes they offer on the show.
Many people ask me why I go back for so many tapings even though I haven’t been a contestant yet. While trying to be a contestant on a game show is priority #1, as it has been a dream of mine since I first saw a taping of Jeopardy! in Washington, DC when I was 10 years old, I know that meeting people in line from all over the world from different backgrounds in a microcosm of America that is The Price is Right Audience is worth its weight in gold – and if I can’t meet anyone, I don’t see how that can be enjoyable experience anymore. Maybe I’ll go back in the future, or maybe not, but based on the events of this week, I think living the dream at TPIR of being a contestant could likely be dead for me, but the dream of being a contestant on a game show still lives, and I hope and pray that one day I’ll finally to fulfill the dream.
- Voltaire Ronquillo
(Voltron291)
