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Last night, Tristen and I checked off another box of “things to do before I die”.  She, Megan, Trilby, Brook and I headed up to Los Angeles to try out for Family Feud.  We both have game show experience (I won $13,800 on Card Sharks, and she made a fool of herself on The Rich List), but we always wanted to do a show together with some family. 

When we got there, the production assistants went down a list of thing they were looking for , such as always say “Good answer” even if it is rediculous and dumb (they explained that “good answer” is part of pop culture now because of “the feud”), give an answer instead of standing there dumbfounded, and have lots of energy.  They said without these three, you didn’t have a shot of getting on.

They asked for two guinea pig families to show everyone how it was done, so obviously I volunteered us.  They told us that the team captain needed to introduce the family quickly by only saying their name and the names of the family and how they are related.  Like “I am Sally, this is my sister Jenny, my brother Adam,” etc.  So Tristen, our team captain, went first.  She said, “Hi, I’m Tristen…the tenth child of twelve children…”.  The guy put his arms in an X, because she obviously didn’t hear a thing he said and I announced, “John, she didn’t listen to directions.”  He said nope, and Tristen was absolutely clueless as to where she went wrong.  The audience laughed, and John went through the instructions again.  Luckily she got it right the second time through!

We were one of the last two families to try out - probably due to the fact that we were the last family to get there - one minute before the 7:00 cut off.  Every family was pretty good with a ton of energy, so in an attempt to make sure we got on, I turned into the Feud Nazi.  Because we went up as the guinea pig, I already saw our energy level, and how we worked as a team.  I told Trilby she needed to step it up a notch on the energy, Brook he needed to be quicker on the draw, and Megan that she needed to be thinking of answers before it was her turn!  I tried to tell Tristen she needed to listen to directions, but she thinks she know everything, and if she doesn’t listen to them, she is charming.  Whatever!  I was also the person who researched the game on the internet and found out stats on what we should focus on to win.  On our drive up, I had questions and I was quizing everyone and critiqueing their answers.  Everyone was into it except Tristen who after every lame answer would say, “It’s not all about winning, Lindsey.  It is about making memories and having a good time”.  I responded with…”Tristen…I bet we would make cooler memories and have a better time if we walk away with a fatter wallet”.

I didn’t really care if I was labeled the Feud Nazi, because I was the only one of the bunch who had succesfully done the whole game show thing.  I also wanted everyone to be at my level of the game so we could get on, and ultimately win!

It was finally our turn.  We got up there and Tristen had to face off first.  There were seven answers on the board, and we had to “name a state that has two words.”  Tristen buzzed in first and said South Carolina.  We have figured it out and there are only ten answers possible, and Tristen unfortunately got one of them that was not on the board.  The other team said New York and got the obvious top answer.  They went through, while we huddled, and got all but two.  We had the opportunity to steal it, and New Jersey gave us the win!

The next face off featured me.  There were seven answers on the board, “name something associated with an eskimo.”  I rung in first…with the top answer “Igloos”!!!!  We got to play, and Megan was next.  She said “fur” and got on the board.  Then things turned south.  Brook said “Alaska”  which I thought was a pretty decent answer but was a no go.  Then Trilby was up and said of all thing, “Seals”???  I yelled her name in a disapproving way, but when I saw the casting director shoot me a glance, quickly followed it up with clapping and yelling “good answer”!  By this time we had two strikes, and we still had ,”make memories, not money Tristen”, before it got to me, and I had the absolute best answer!  When it was her turn the time was almost up but at the last second she belted out “fishing”.  It was on the board, and I was next — thank goodness I already had an answer.  John read me the question, and I didn’t even listen because I was whispering to Megan, who was next, that my answer was a definite winner, so she needed to start thinking of her next answer.  I said verbatim…”I am going outside the box on this one John, but I have a good answer…”.  Now keep in mind, after igloo, this was the next best answer in my mind, and I was sure middle america would be on the same page as me.  “Ice Cream Sandwiches!”  My whole family was trying not cry/scream/laugh, and through gritted teeth clapped and said “good answer”!  John responded by building a fake box with his fingers and telling me, “Lindsey, this is the box,” then he pointed far away and said,  “and Lindsey you are way over here”.  Well, I was literally dumbfounded that I got an X.  Tristen called me an idiot under her breath, and I still couldn’t believe it wasn’t up there. 

The other team tried to steal with Mukluks, but got an X, and we won the game!  We cheered our way off the stage and it wasn’t until I saw my mom and she digustingly said, “did you mean Eskimo Pies” that I realized where I went wrong.  Whoops!  And I am sad to report that Eskimo Pies wasn’t up there either.

When we got in the car, I told everyone that I was proud of their energy and answers.  They told me they were only that energetic for fear of the lecture I was going to give them on the ride home.  And as far as the answers they gave….I didn’t have a foot to stand on.  I told them at least I made the host laugh, and because of the impression I left, thanks to me…..we will probably get on. 

Hopefully we get the postcard that says we are on…..Time will tell!