At the beginning of 2020, my goal was to attend episodes of game shows like “Wheel of Fortune,” “The Price is Right”, and “Let’s Make a Deal.” Of course, the cousin we all dislike, COVID-19, had to ruin that for me. Regardless, I was still able to watch episodes of those shows during COVID.

I am sure, like many others, my fascination of game shows starts from spending time with parents or grandparents who watched the shows.

“Wheel of Fortune“

“Wheel of Fortune” is one of my favorite game shows because it is a monetized version of my favorite game, Hangman. I love the words and letters attached to the game as well. If you cannot tell, English was one of my favorite subjects in school. As a kid (and even now), I love watching the show to see if I can actually solve the puzzle. Let us not forget, the travel and cash prizes make it more appealing.

I applied in 2020 no response.

“The Price is Right“

One of my baby sitters — to this day I do not know how to spell her name — Miss Seppi, used to watch “The Price is Right” when Bob Barker hosted. Back then, I used to enjoy the colors, prizes, and noises on the show. Now that I am older, I like the the “guesstimation” and shopping aspect to it. I always hated shopping at clothing stores growing up, but I liked grocery shopping. I liked going with my mom to the store and keeping track of the grocery prices as she shopped because I had a running total in my head. By the time I would get to the register, I had an estimate of what her total would be.

That is what I like about The Price is Right. You really have to pay attention to how much traveling can cost, what regular grocery items costs, and of course the luxury items. Let us not forget, I love the cash prizes that come with game shows like this one.

Besides, I am ready to hear, “Katrina Wilson!! Come on dowwwn!”

“Let’s Make A Deal“

As far as, “Let’s Make A Deal,” I am a late bloomer. I did not start watching the show until Wayne Brady started hosting. This is mainly because I would spend three or four days at my grandmother’s house and she and I watched it when it came on Live 5 News at 3 p.m.

The show appealed to me because you really are making a deal to get cash, luxury, or vacation prizes. For example, suppose there is a small box on the stage and you have no clue what it is in it. Wayne Brady can say, “I will give you $500 cash right now, not to take the box. What do you want to do?” From that point, you are guessing what is in the box, is it a Zonk (that’s bad news and you lose your prizes if you get a Zonk), or should you take the $500 cash.

The final thing that attracts me to the show is the theatrical aspect. I love seeing the contestants wearing different costumes as a wizard, farmer, bumblebee, etc. Another theatrical aspect is the different forms of set design they do. The Zonks are pretty creative as busted pools, busted cars, or the different props used for the various games on the show.

I applied in 2020. No response.

Other Contests and Game Shows

While those are my favorite game shows, I do have some honorable mentions like, “Family Feud” or “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” I occasionaly watched Jamie Foxx and his daughter on, “Beat Shazam.”

Let me take this moment to inform you that I still enter myself in local contests because it gives me those game show vibes. For example, I am always entering a radio contest or contest operated by a small business.

I know I sound cheesy, but I think I could win big one day on the local level. I have a few times before. For example, I remember when we had a semi-professional basketball team in Charleston, South Carolina called the Charleston Lowgators. I won a contest to attend one of their games.

In 2020, I entered a contest that Westfields Center in Fairfax County, Virginia had. I won a gift card to one of the businesses integral in their partnership.

Trust me. I plan to do more contests — local or not.

If possible, I would like to be on a music game show or radio contest for 1960s music, 1990s R&B music, and maybe early 2000s music. Why is this so significant?

Ever since I was a kid, my dad constantly played music from the 1960s and 1970s in the house. Songs from Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers to the group Dion to the Motown Era and a little bit of the 1980s hip hop era with Run DMC and LL Cool J would waft through our house often.

Whenever Ja Rule, Twista, or a music artist would sample a song from all those different decades, my dad would say, “You know they sampled that from a song I knew as a kid” or “You know who they got this from right?”

He would also tell me I needed to know some music history because what if I win a contest for knowing it. It hasn’t happened yet, but I know it will someday.

What are some of your favorite game shows? What has been your success with game shows or entering contests? Leave comments and remember to share this story.