“Wheel of Fortune’s” Wheelmobile rolled onto campus Monday, challenging students to test their puzzle-solving skills for a chance to appear on the syndicated game show.
David Strathearn, director of marketing and promotions for Sony Pictures Television, said most general public auditions are finished.
“We worked with University Relations to make this event more private and student-based,” Strathearn said.
The Wheelmobile, which serves as a tour bus for recruiters, visited campus to find Tigers to represent the University in the April 2011 New Orleans filming of “College Week.”
Student applications were put into a lottery machine.
Strathearn hoped to call as many names as possible throughout the day.
“I want to give every Tiger the chance to play the game,” Strathearn said. “We want contestants that will be energetic and enthusiastic.”
Strathearn hopes to have talented University students participate.
“When you’re watching the show at home, you root for the person who has the most enthusiasm,” he said. “Your energy and attention is invested in that one person.”
Recruiters collected and called applicant names in yesterday’s events. If those called were in the audience, they were invited to solve puzzles onstage.
Strathearn explained Monday’s events were only the first part of the application process for the lucky contestants who got to participate.
“I’m in charge of the promotions department, and our job today is to get the word out there,” he said. “We are here seeking out the hopefuls that will make it through to our Contestants Department in January.”
Strathearn said the department, which screens and interviews contestants for “Wheel of Fortune,” will be in New Orleans in January.
“They will [administer] a written test to really challenge each finalist’s puzzle-solving,” he said.
If the contestants do well in their tests, they may have the chance to be a part of the April 2011 taping of “College Week.”
Greg Renoud, mass communication junior, was called onstage to prove his puzzle-solving skills.
Renoud said auditions and interviews don’t faze him.
“I’ve had a lot of experience being on stage through theater and Tiger Band,” Renoud said. “But this was still a little nerve wracking.”
Renoud said being in front of strangers is easier than being onstage in front of friends.
“When I introduced myself, I sang for the audience,” he said. “It was really hard to do that with a straight face in front of my friends.”
Renoud said he hopes to make it to testing in January.
“I’ve watched the show since I was 4,” he said. “I love it.”
Each contestant received swag like “Wheel of Fortune” hats, shirts, duffle bags and more.
“We just had to spin the wheel and whichever prize it landed
on, we got,” Renoud said.
Strathearn said there is another way for students to sign up for January testing.
“I understand that some students who may make great contestants on the show couldn’t make it out today due to class,” he said. “We would like to give them a chance, too.”
To register, visit fox8live.com and click the “Wheel of Fortune” link, where there is an application for “College Week.”
Each of the online applications will be put in a database and randomly selected.
 
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Contact Kayla DuBos at [email protected]