When commenting on her adventures on “Wheel of Fortune,” Mary Sylvain-Leonas said “It was an awesome experience.” Leonas, a USM staff member on the Lewiston-Auburn campus made her national television debut on March 31. After leaving Sony Studios in Burbank, California with $10,000 cash and an all expense paid trip to South Africa, some might say it was a success.
As an avid “Wheel of Fortune” player at home, and as a member of the “Wheel Watchers Club”, Leonas was sent an email saying that the “Wheel Mobile” was coming to Bangor, Maine. “They brought the ‘Wheel Mobile’ to Maine for the first time to seek new contestants” said Leonas. It was a rainy September day, and Leonas and a friend made their way to Bangor with hopes of being invited to “spin that wheel.” According to Leonas, recruiters for the show started by taking all possible contestants’ names and putting them in a barrel. Once a name was drawn, that individual went up on stage and did a practice puzzle. Friday and Saturday both went by to no avail. However, anyone who wasn’t picked had their names taken with “Wheel of Fortune” officials back to California for further consideration.
“Two weeks later I got an email from them inviting me to an actual audition up in Bar Harbor. And that was on October sixth,” said Leonas. Upon arrival in Bangor, Leonas was greeted by approximately 100 other “Wheel” candidates, all of whom were just as eager and excited to be on the show as Leonas was. There, “Wheel” officials ran some practice puzzles, and gave out a written test. The tests asked candidates to solve as many puzzles in different categories as possible in five minutes. After the test was completed, they were collected, scored, and 80 candidates were promptly sent home. The 20 remaining candidates then did mock interviews, introduced themselves as if they were on the show, and told judges unique characteristics or stories about themselves.
“I felt much more confident that I might get to appear on the show, but that wasn’t a guarantee either,” said Leonas.
The auditions then came to close, and all candidates were told that if they were to get chosen for the show, they would receive a letter in no more than three weeks. As fate would have it, three weeks went by, to the day, and Mary Sylvain-Leonas was officially in the books to appear on the “Wheel of Fortune.” Leonas was told that she would be kept on record for 18 months, and somewhere in that time she would be called to appear on the show.
“So, January came around and in the third week of January, I got a phone call saying ‘Come out to California February 4th for your taping date,'” said Leonas.
As time tends to do, it moved along, and February slowly rolled around. Excitement ran at an all time high in the Leonas household, and Mary packed her bags to head to Los Angeles. Even her son flew out from Jacksonville, Florida to root for his mother. “He was my support,” said Leonas. None of the expenses of the trip were paid for, but it was a small price to pay for a shot at “The Wheel.”
There were 20 other contestants at the hotel provided by the show, and a shuttle moved them to and from the studio. Once contestants arrived at the studio, they were all assigned to a certain show because they film six a day. “The staff was wonderful. They have such great, energetic, young people,” said Leonas. “Vanna White came in to meet us contestants. She was dressed in a sweat suit and no make up. She was just a regular down to earth person. She was very sweet.”
“[The show] was very fast paced. They tell you to keep it moving. Call your letters. Spin that wheel. Watch the used letter board. Watch for the vowels that have been used. Keep your eyes on the camera,” said Leonas.
According to Leonas, she was so nervous that she almost forgot what she did for work. Don’t worry, though: she remembered, and gave a hearty shout-out to USM. After she mustered the composure to spin the 2,000 pound wheel, she took on all comers and won a $9,000 trip to Cape Town, South Africa and $10,500 spending money. The game only lasted 20 minutes, and according to Leonas “It was the fastest 20 minutes I have ever spent. And the most stressful!” Leonas and her husband plan on going on their trip January 6th for their wedding anniversary.
When asked to comment on her interaction with the show’s host, Leonas said “He only came out when it was time to do our show, and I did get to jump in his arms and hug him when I won the trip to South Africa. Because I didn’t even really know that I had landed on that. I thought I had landed on ‘Lose a turn’ and I said awww. He said ‘What are you awww-ing for? You got the trip!'”
The episode aired on March 31, and Leonas had a viewing party at a little pub in Lewiston.
“It was a very exciting time,” said Leonas. “A once in a lifetime opportunity.”