WHO hasn’t at some stage in their life thought about competing on a television game show, with all that easy money up for grabs?
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I’ve watched countless quiz shows, convinced every time that I am smarter than the carry-over champion and it can be exasperating - of course the Battle of Hastings was fought in 1066!
Who wants to be a millionaire? Me!
But when, thanks to the irrepressible enthusiasm and determination of my daughter Bec, I got a chance to compete on Family Feud where $10,000 is up for grabs every night, I can honestly say the money was never on my mind. It was all about the excitement. The nerves.This huge leap into the unknown. A new experience and a whole heap of fun.
It began with a phone call from a very excited Bec: “Dad, we’ve got an audition on Family Feud!”
It was the second time we’d reached this point but the first time our family had an unfortunate clash of unavoidable commitments and we had to pass up the opportunity for fame and fortune. But this didn’t deter my daughter, who kept on applying until we got our second crack.
So, Team Meenahan – captained by Bec and backed up by my wife Jen, sister Alli and me - headed off to Sydney in October last year for our audition along with about 200 other aspiring contestants.
The first half of the day involved information and interviews. We were asked an endless stream of questions about our careers, our hobbies and any off-beat or funny experiences.
The interviewer was charming but skilled in drawing information out of us and we knew some of it could come back to bite us on national television.
At lunchtime we were all dismissed and asked to keep our phones handy because only those who got a call in the next hour or so would be invited back for the afternoon session.
Family Feud bloopers
We made that cut, returned for the rest of the audition and we were then told there were no guarantees - we may get a call up in a month, it could be six months, maybe never.
But the call did come late last year and a very excited Team Meenahan arrived at Channel 10 studios in Daring Harbour and was ushered swiftly into the green room where we met the other contestants waiting and watching the monitors as the filming of games got going.
All of a sudden a cheer went up: “The car had gone off!” One of the teams had just won the car and the contestants, our hostesses, the tech guys, everyone shared in the excitement. The green room was buzzing; we were buzzing, the atmosphere was electric.
During a break we were taken onto the set and given an explanation of how things rolled, where to stand, how to move, how to act but, most of all to relax, have fun, and to get involved if the compere Grant Denyer tried to engage in some on-air banter.
We went back to the green room, then to make-up, wardrobe, a sandwich or two, and finally it was our turn. We were miked up, given some last minute reassurance and then Grant bounded out, shook our hands and things got underway.
I can’t share the result of our first game with you here because of confidentiality agreements so you’ll have to tune in tonight if you’re curious how we performed but if you’ve ever thought about trying to get onto your favourite game show, I’d urge you to do it.
It’s professional, it’s friendly, it's non-threatening and you’ll have a ball. Do it.