FlipFlopper7769’s TPiR Trip Report!!! DAY 2/SHOW 1 (Of the Day)
Well today was the day, I decided, that I wanted to sit in the elusive front row inside the studio. My friend however had other ideas and wanted to catch up on some sleep. So while he slept back in the hotel, I took off at midnight in hopes of gaining a seat in the front row.
THE LINEUP
Again, I arrived in line at midnight as number 005, so if all went well, I would get my spot in the front row! The first two people in line on this early Tuesday morning got there about 11:00 P.M. the night before, but both were in wheelchairs. While in line, I met a very nice couple from British Columbia who were #3 & #4, and then two college girls close to my age joined us around 12:30. For the next 2 ½ hours, the seven of us were the only ones in line. This was strange because I wondered #1, where is everybody, this is The Price is Right, and #2, there may be room then for both tapings today! It was quite chilly this night and luckily the two girls brought blankets and hot coffee to share, and we became good friends while waiting in line. It wasn’t really until 5:00 A.M. when the people began to arrive, and by the magic hour of 6:00, there were about 70 people waiting in line. The rest, then, came during processing time. It was beginning to look like the Tuesday show was a day where less people would show up.
THE PROCESSING
Processing was pretty much the same as was the day before, but this day’s pages were a tad slower at getting the nametags and contestant cards collected and processed. I recognized a few of the pages from the day before, including the very convincing Will Ferrell look-a-like, Calvin, and we got to know each other a little better. Excitement was once again in the air, but I couldn’t help noticing that it seemed a little less than yesterday’s first show. Maybe it was the day, Tuesday, or maybe it was just a different group of people. My group at the front of the line, including me, seemed to be the most pumped of the people I could see. Again, I had to run through the story of my being a contestant before and why I had the big black “X” over my contestant number. I really should have kept a tally chart of how many times I was asked. Right around 11:00, Stan joined us outside in line in his traditional Hawaiian T-Shirt. He welcomed me back again and asked if I enjoyed the show yesterday. I said yes and once again thanked him for signing my book and for all the hard work that he does. He appreciated my compliments and hoped I would have just as much fun today. So it was around the corner and onto the final set of benches once again to wait for the rest of my group. As I said yesterday, the pages call all ineligible or handicapped contestants to the front of the line to have their interview first to speed up processing. There were three other ineligibles besides me this day. Sharon, the loveable, excitable contestant who played Bargain Bar on yesterday’s show. She was absolutely awesome out in line and you could tell that she was a perfect contestant. Pure energy, even though she was ineligible. Next was a woman who just didn’t want to be a contestant because she was nervous of the cameras and being in front of all of the people in the audience. Third was a previous contestant on one of Bob’s MDS’s who had won a trip to Las Vegas, but lost his pricing game. For anyone wondering about trips, yes, he had to go back to LAX to fly out to Vegas. Processing on the second set of benches took a bit longer than yesterday, as many people had brought their cell phones or cameras, which of course, are strictly forbidden at CBS. Before we knew it, though, the affable Calvin once again ran down the line yelling “SHOWTIME!” and we once again entered the studio.
I couldn’t believe it. I was in the third seat in the front row! THE FRONT ROW!! Even though my voice was completely shot from yesterday’s show, I suddenly felt resurgence and it was a party once again. Rich came out once again, and just out of instinct, I yelled “HI RICH!” and he politely waved back at me and I was beaming. Then when he introduced Jeff, I yelled “HI JEFF!” and he too waved back. Then he went over to the camera man who would shoot the opening sweeping shot of the audience and they whispered back and forth. Then Jeff pointed at me, and the camera man acknowledged and I knew what was coming! CLOSE UP SHOT IN THE OPENING!!
THE SHOW
And there I was! Third seat in the front row, waving my hand off and clapping like there’s no tomorrow! I still can’t believe that not only did I get to sit in the front row, but I also got a close up on camera! Wow, what a show this would be!
TRIPLE PLAY: So it was Plinko yesterday, and now one of the big three???!!! You’ve got to be kidding me! I never in a million years thought I would see this game on my trip out to LA. This was such an easy set up that everyone in the audience was flabbergasted when she lost. Drew did reveal the price of the Cobalt to himself and everyone else after the cameras were off.
STOPDOWN 1: After the game, Drew teasingly reminded Teonne of the rules to Triple Play and Teonne pleaded that she was just nervous and it is so much harder in person than watching it at home.
PUSHOVER: I was a little stumped on this one. 75 looked ok, and so did 39. But I went with 53 and so did Lindsay. Good win!
CLIFFHANGERS: Out in the line when I was discussing pricing games with some of the good folks I met, this one seemed to be the least popular on everyone’s list. So when the game was revealed inside the studio, a collective groan could barely be heard from the first few rows. The yodeling music is quite loud actually in person!
SWITCH: Yep, Switch? Again! I’m glad Risé won this game! Did anyone see me helping her with the IUFB???
ANY NUMBER: This game was quite painful actually, not many fours in the audience except mine for the price of that car. Nicholas didn’t really admit at first that he worked for Piggly Wiggly. He first stated he was a student, but then the truth came out during the stopdown!
PICK-A-PAIR: Even though it wasn’t the SafeWay Cocoa Mix, the tea still wins it with the V8! Poor Jenna! I told her 999 for that darn ceiling fan and thought it was one of the expensive ones! I felt bad she couldn’t win!
SHOWCASES: After the show, I met the rest of Teonne’s group and they were simply in tears after her grand showcase win. It’s so thrilling to see something like that happen to good people. I guess that’s what makes the Price is Right so special! Drew was a little frazzled during the showcases to answer a question. There were a couple of edits because he couldn’t quite get the rules spot on as he would have liked.
REVIEW
Once again the crew at Beverly and Fairfax put on another amazing show for my friend and me on Tuesday, May 20th. Lots of good people, good games, great wins, and of course, myself in the front row! The $100 was drawn, the lights off, and it was over again. But was it? Rich then announced that there was still room available in the second taping! So why not? Here we go again!
