"Millionaire" Minus Meredith ...

For weeks I've been looking forward to going down to New York City to audition for the game show, "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." I wanted to see the show, take a stab at that million dollars and of course chill with Meredith Vieira. I'm a fan of Meredith for many reasons, I've met her 6 times in public and private settings and just wanted to see her in action on "Millionaire." However, that was not to be!

We get in the studio. I'm pumped, redy to go and excited. Why shouldn't I be? I was on the set of a popular game show, was about to see the woman I admire. What else could I ask for? Then, the person in charge of warming up the audience came out and gave me the worst news I could ever recieve. Tell me I have 3 weeks to live, tell me my car was stolen or that I should have never recieved my college degree ... but not this:

"As you all know, Meredith was just in Beijing for 2 weeks covering the olympics. She is tired and needs to relax -- so she took this week off."

EXCUSE ME!!!! Is this a joke!!! I have been waiting for this for over a month and within 7 seconds it gets ruined?! Instead they had some woman named Samantha Harris to guest host. Samantha who? She is the host of ABC's Dancing with the Stars and an anchor for a news program on the E network. I mean don't get me wrong, she did a good job and was one of the most beautiful woman I have ever layed eyes on in person, but I wanted my MV!!!

The woman who stole Meredith's seat, Samantha Harris

After watching a weeks worth of shows get taped my friends and I audition for the show. The producers pass out a test with 30 questions with 4 possible answer, just like the show. We had ten minutes and whoever got the highest score would move on to the producer interviews to get put into the contestant pool. The end result ....

I did not get chosen, nor did any of the people with me. Only 12 out of 100 people made the cut. Bastards!!! Oh well ... I had a fun day, tried out for a game show and will go back again and audition in the near future.

And next time I will make sure I don't get tickets 2 days after Meredith returns from a 2 week voyage across the damn globe. I'm not jewish, but oy vey!!!

Random picture of the week

Carla standing next to one of the biggest mirrors I have ever seen.

No nail is going to hold that monster on the wall!

And then there were two ...

(On the anchor desk: Me, Erika Arias, Kevin Hogan & Darren Sweeney)

So this week I recieved another devistating blow at work; one of my favorite anchors, Erika Arias, announced that she was leaving Channel 3.

I have worked with Erika for the past 7 months and in that time she and I have been part of the weekend team at the station.

She decided to leave on her own accord, and she will be greatly missed.

First our assignment editor Jenna left, then Darren, and now Erika. The weekend team is falling apart!

I guess what they say is true ... nothing in TV world lasts forever.

Is that your final answer?

Next Tuesday is a big day. I am heading to New York City with 3 friends and we are all going to audition for "Who Wants to be a Millionaire."

You take a test, get interviewed by show producers and if they like what they see and hear -- you get put into the contestants pool.

Now comes the hard part-- brushing up on my knowledge. I have been looking at maps, studying countires, researching famous people, studying the human body and all its elements, all in an attempt to prepare myself ... and pack my brain full of knowledge.


So here's to going the distance and auditioning for a game show. How many of you can say you've done that?

With that said, the "hot" seat is waiting for me and so is Meredith Vieira ...

Son-of-a-beach!!

So I went to the beach yesterday with some friends and as we were relaxing we realized we weren't alone. The damn seagulls began to circle and those bastards wanted in -- they wanted our food!!! Donuts, popcorn, chips, cookies ... whatever they could get their beaks on!

A warning to all you beach goers out there ... be careful. Those ruthless bastards will stop at nothing to get what they want!

On a Wing and a Prayer at 11,000 feet

For the longest time I never understood the logic of jumping out of an airplane. I mean if there is nothing wrong with the plane why jump out of it?

That all changed on Saturday morning when I went skydiving. It was a last minute thing -- I felt peer pressured. Needless to say it was one of the most amazing experiences. Taking that step out of the plane is a feeling you cannot describe unless you've done it. You let go of all control and security and for a period of 3 minutes the sky owns you.

The free fall was the best part -- traveling through the air at 120 mph. Then the parachute deploys (thank the God almighty in heaven above!) and you glide back down to earth like a bird.

The whole thing was fucking awesome ... and I was one crazy mofo for doing it.

I'm ready to suit up and dive in head first, again.