Last month, Picayune resident Christine Kennard took a special trip to Los Angeles, California, where she filmed an episode of the long-running and popular television game show “Wheel of Fortune.”
The former educator turned medical transcriptionist is no stranger to the stage having sung with the New Orleans Opera Association for 20 years.
At the request of her grandson, 12-year-old John Blake, Kennard sent an email to the show.
“John thought I should be on the show because I’m always getting the puzzles right when we watch it, so I did it for him,” she said. “The show’s producers sent a response and asked if I wanted to audition in New Orleans. The audition was in mid-May and about 250 people attended.”
The show’s producers were there and put together mock puzzles for participants to answer, she said. Of the 250 potential contestants, 18 were selected for a mock “Wheel of Fortune” game, which featured the infamous wheel.
“They wanted to see if we could spin the wheel,” Kennard said. “The actual wheel in Los Angeles weighs about 2,500-2,700 pounds. I also solved one of the puzzles during that round.”
After auditions wrapped, producers told participants that six of the 18 would receive a letter in 14 days, letting them know they had been selected to participate in the game show.
Kennard received her letter on the 15th day.
“Then, I waited from June to October to get the phone call about the taping,” she said.
While waiting, Kennard practiced by watching taped episodes of the show and playing the game on her iPad. She even timed herself and was able to solve puzzles in less than a minute.
In mid-November, Kennard, her husband, Steve, and their two grandsons, John and Ethan Blake, flew to Los Angeles for the Nov. 20 taping.
Kennard participated in four hours of preparation prior to the taping, which included practice rounds with producers and hair and makeup.
“Once we starting the show, Pat Sajak tried to make us all feel comfortable,” she said. “It was nerve-racking, but fun. Pat Sajak is a doll. He laughed and cut up with us. He is so engaging and supportive. It didn’t hit me just how special this was until I read they audition about 10,000 people per year and only pick 600.”
Tune in to Fox 8 on Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. to watch Kennard participate in “Wheel of Fortune” and give a shout out to Picayune.