One year later

[jpahk]

geez, it amazes me that people can remember when they were called up during their audition. my one and only audition was not so long ago, but i have no recollection of when i might have been called up or how the mock game went. or even the other auditioners! one of my opponents in my first game, a cook from new hampshire, later told me that she remembered me from auditioning together in boston. i, somewhat to my chagrin, had no reciprocal memories. i guess it's a good thing i'm better at remembering facts than faces.

back on topic, though: we don't know if the order in which you get called up matters, but even if we knew for sure that it did, how would that knowledge be at all useful? you can't control when you get called up, anyway. just do your thing, and if you end up getting the call, fantastic. if not, keep trying, and maybe next time consider changing something that is within your control, like what you wear or how you comport yourself in the interview. or maybe not. it's a little insane to make decisions based on the tiny amount of maybe-data-maybe-noise you have available to you. being in the pool and not getting the call for 18 months constitutes literally less than one bit of information*.

bunkie, this was a nice thread. thanks for sharing.

*: as per shannon's definition.

[immaf]

back on topic, though: we don't know if the order in which you get called up matters, but even if we knew for sure that it did, how would that knowledge be at all useful? you can't control when you get called up, anyway. just do your thing, and if you end up getting the call, fantastic. if not, keep trying, and maybe next time consider changing something that is within your control, like what you wear or how you comport yourself in the interview. or maybe not.

You are absolutely right, and I really am convinced that the order I was called up is irrelevant. But at this point -- my 5th swim in the pool -- I will grasp at anything that gives me a little hope.

I am, in fact, beginning to wonder if I should just stop trying (assuming I don't get the call this time around). I will be 55 by the time I am allowed to take the online test again. Maybe I'm just not young and vivacious enough (although I've been able to make Maggie and Robert laugh). Maybe my reflexes are too slow. I keep telling myself that Vijay Balse didn't get on until his 6th swim, but I don't know...

[Spaceman Spiff]

geez, it amazes me that people can remember when they were called up during their audition. my one and only audition was not so long ago, but i have no recollection of when i might have been called up or how the mock game went. or even the other auditioners! one of my opponents in my first game, a cook from new hampshire, later told me that she remembered me from auditioning together in boston. i, somewhat to my chagrin, had no reciprocal memories. i guess it's a good thing i'm better at remembering facts than faces.

back on topic, though: we don't know if the order in which you get called up matters, but even if we knew for sure that it did, how would that knowledge be at all useful? you can't control when you get called up, anyway. just do your thing, and if you end up getting the call, fantastic. if not, keep trying, and maybe next time consider changing something that is within your control, like what you wear or how you comport yourself in the interview. or maybe not. it's a little insane to make decisions based on the tiny amount of maybe-data-maybe-noise you have available to you. being in the pool and not getting the call for 18 months constitutes literally less than one bit of information*.

bunkie, this was a nice thread. thanks for sharing.

*: as per shannon's definition.

I remember that I was the first one called up, but I just figured it was either random or the fact that I was the last one in the back who had their test picked up, so it might have been on top of the pile after being graded. Or maybe it was because I was giving Robert the business about using a Polaroid camera when they took our pictures beforehand. It did seem that the people were being picked from all over the room each time, but again that might be just randomness.

That being said, the only advantage in my mind for going up first (or at least earlier) is the same reason I always preferred to be earlier in a job interviewing process -- it's easier for the interviewer to remember the first few, even if they are taking notes. After a while, names and faces naturally start to blur together.

[Troydozzy]

All of these thoughtful posts have reconfirmed my own suspicion that I didn't give my best at the audition. Even though I'm usually have a dry wit, I know that I seemed like a milquetoast in front of Maggie. Driving back from Toronto, my wife and I thought of cleverer answers to nearly everything that happened. If it really does come down to 'popping' on screen, it is hard to believe that I was competitive against the actors and comedians who were at my audition (who were also good players, truth be told). At least I can free up my brain for something else the next 18 months.

[alietr]

I am, in fact, beginning to wonder if I should just stop trying (assuming I don't get the call this time around). I will be 55 by the time I am allowed to take the online test again. Maybe I'm just not young and vivacious enough (although I've been able to make Maggie and Robert laugh). Maybe my reflexes are too slow. I keep telling myself that Vijay Balse didn't get on until his 6th swim, but I don't know...

I'm the same age, and I know my mental recall is slower than it had been, but what do you have to lose by continuing to try? I don't think anybody has gotten on and said, "I wish I hadn't gotten on." (well, maybe that kid). Virtually everybody has a great time; it is soooo worth it. You already know the odds are against you. If it doesn't happen, oh well, you didn't beat the odds. It's not exactly a big shock. And if you do get on ...

And FWIW, I was in the second of two groups for the mock game at the audition, and I did get on. One more data point.

[harrumph]

Here's a nice audition story - when Genesis was looking for a new drummer in 1970 Phil Collins showed up first, but he didn't perform right away, he relaxed in the pool and watched all the other auditioners. He came up last and Peter Gabriel says that just from the way he sat down on the drums he knew that Collins was the man for the job.

[Magna]

I'm the same age, and I know my mental recall is slower than it had been, but what do you have to lose by continuing to try?

True - there's no point in waiting until you are younger to try out.

[Bunkie]

One of the things that I remember from my audition is that most of the other folks at the audition were young enough to be my children. One young guy was telling the story of his band which did covers of Talking Heads songs. Maggie asked if they did "Psycho Killer" and he said no. When I was being interviewed and I got my chance I mentioned my band and said "and we do a really great version of Psycho KIller".

Then there's the "what would you do if you win a lot of money" question. Almost to a person, the standard reply was "travel". The best response came from one of the other <ahem> older interviewees who had been commuting by air every day to his job. He said "Not to have to travel. I want people to come see me for a change!" That got a good laugh.

[Bunkie]

Joon,

I felt that it was important to share my thoughts about the whole experience, both for my own reasons and to help everyone who aspires to be on the show. I'm exceptionally happy that so many folks have shared their thoughts and experiences. The thoughtful responses have certainly helped me a great deal. As I said, it's a bit lonely having been a contestant. Being able to commune with people who know what it feels like has been very rewarding.

[jfrumkin]

Then there's the "what would you do if you win a lot of money" question. Almost to a person, the standard reply was "travel". The best response came from one of the other <ahem> older interviewees who had been commuting by air every day to his job. He said "Not to have to travel. I want people to come see me for a change!" That got a good laugh.

There's one of the downfalls of going first. My answer was jokey: I had just gotten back from a vacation in Charleston and one of the Rainbow Row houses had been listed on sale for $6 million (which surprised me; I thought they'd be more expensive), so I answered that I planned to win 600 shows in a row so I could buy the house. It got a laugh, but as the subsequent interviewees answered about the things they'd buy for their parents or the non-profits they wanted to start, I was positive that my answer was too glib and I vowed to be more serious of I ever got asked back for my next audition.

[whoisalexjacob]

geez, it amazes me that people can remember when they were called up during their audition. my one and only audition was not so long ago, but i have no recollection of when i might have been called up or how the mock game went. or even the other auditioners! one of my opponents in my first game, a cook from new hampshire, later told me that she remembered me from auditioning together in boston. i, somewhat to my chagrin, had no reciprocal memories. i guess it's a good thing i'm better at remembering facts than faces.

back on topic, though: we don't know if the order in which you get called up matters, but even if we knew for sure that it did, how would that knowledge be at all useful? you can't control when you get called up, anyway. just do your thing, and if you end up getting the call, fantastic. if not, keep trying, and maybe next time consider changing something that is within your control, like what you wear or how you comport yourself in the interview. or maybe not. it's a little insane to make decisions based on the tiny amount of maybe-data-maybe-noise you have available to you. being in the pool and not getting the call for 18 months constitutes literally less than one bit of information*.

bunkie, this was a nice thread. thanks for sharing.

*: as per shannon's definition.

If I recall, you weren't a fan of the show, so it doesn't surprise me that you don't remember the audition as well as others.

Who said the knowledge would be useful? You might as well go into the obscure record holders thread and say the same thing...true, but obvious.

[jpahk]

If I recall, you weren't a fan of the show, so it doesn't surprise me that you don't remember the audition as well as others.

that's a fair point. i did not go into the audition with any kind of build-up or anticipation about it.

Who said the knowledge would be useful? You might as well go into the obscure record holders thread and say the same thing...true, but obvious.

well, the difference is that you can (at least in principle) know or discover the answers to the obscure record holders questions, and who am i to say that somebody shouldn't be interested in that? some people like trivia, i've noticed—even trivial trivia. but the question of whether call-up order matters is both unknowable and irrelevant. that strikes me as a particularly fruitless combination when it comes to choosing a topic of discussion.

[whoisalexjacob]

If I recall, you weren't a fan of the show, so it doesn't surprise me that you don't remember the audition as well as others.

that's a fair point. i did not go into the audition with any kind of build-up or anticipation about it.

Who said the knowledge would be useful? You might as well go into the obscure record holders thread and say the same thing...true, but obvious.

well, the difference is that you can (at least in principle) know or discover the answers to the obscure record holders questions, and who am i to say that somebody shouldn't be interested in that? some people like trivia, i've noticed—even trivial trivia. but the question of whether call-up order matters is both unknowable and irrelevant. that strikes me as a particularly fruitless combination when it comes to choosing a topic of discussion.

I'm not trying to go back-and-forth forever here, but... you must have bones to pick all over the internet. Which baseball players deserve to be in the Hall of Fame? What's going to happen next on Breaking Bad? Who is Jeopardy! going to cast in the special tournament? (Okay, that's not irrelevant for you, but you get the point.)

[Tybalteon]

What an insightful post! I found that after auditioning for College Jeopardy last year in Cleveland (didn't make it unfortunately; I would have loved to grace this board's presence with my flattering picture) a lot of the things that happened after being on the show happened to me; I stopped watching the show for a while and especially when I wasn't cast for the tournament, going over what could have gone differently during the audition, etc.

[NYCScribbler]

Now that I think of it, I think I was in one of the early groups for the mock game too. Then again, I distinguished myself by winning the Wii Jeopardy!.

[marpocky]

Now that I think of it, I think I was in one of the early groups for the mock game too. Then again, I distinguished myself by winning the Wii Jeopardy!.

I won that too! But no call. So again, not a reliable metric.

[Bunkie]

On a completely different note, another thing happened to me as a result of my appearance on the show. I decided that I had gotten a little too, shall we say, porky. So I decided to lose about 20-25 pounds which I've managed to keep off. All I have to do is play my episode again to restore my motivation. The bad news is that I no longer wear my lucky seersucker suit as it needs to be taken in.

Ah, vanity!

[Austin Powers]

You know what is also lonely? Trying out multiple times and not making the cut.

[econgator]

You know what is also lonely? Trying out multiple times and not making the cut.

Disappointing, sure, but lonely? I don't feel lonely because of that.

[seaborgium]

You know what is also lonely? Trying out multiple times and not making the cut.

Disappointing, sure, but lonely? I don't feel lonely because of that.

You've got tons of company!