Energetic ASU students who want to buy a vowel will have their chance today when the Wheelmobile makes a stop on campus.
Auditions for the TV show "Wheel of Fortune" will be held today from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Palo Verde Beach on University Drive.
According to Sony Pictures Television, "Wheel of Fortune" is looking for good game players with a sense of humor, but not those who call out illogical letters.
During the event, students can fill out applications and gather in front of a stage with a version of the Wheel and Puzzle board. Applications will be drawn at random throughout the event, and groups of five will be called on stage to participate in a brief interview, play a version of the "Wheel of Fortune" speed round and win prizes.
ASU Programming and Activities Board is sponsoring the event through its Campus Tours.
PAB president Mike Rodriguez said the auditions would be a nice break from finals.
"I think it's the perfect time because we're so stressed out," Rodriguez said. "Students can go down there in the middle of the day [and] still use their knowledge. They can channel all of their street smarts they have learned in college, and plus it's a chance to win prizes."
The most promising candidates will be invited to participate in a final audition in January at the Dodge Theatre in Phoenix. Auditions will consist of playing a mini version of the show and taking a five-minute test.
Three weeks of shows also will be taped at the Dodge Theatre Jan. 9-11. Tickets for the tapings can be requested by calling (602) 242-1515 and choosing option 17.
"It's going to show that ASU students are smart," Rodriguez said. "It's a chance for ASU to be seen in a positive light nationally. I'm going to try out. I want to see everybody auditioning."
It wouldn't hurt to show some Sun Devil spirit by wearing ASU clothes, he added.
Campus Tours Director Darnell Calhoun has been working with people from "Wheel of Fortune" since October.
"This is a rare event. This is the first time they've come to ASU," Calhoun said. "This is a chance to audition for probably one of the best game shows for college students, along with 'The Price is Right' and 'Jeopardy.'"
Contestants usually receive their prizes 120 days after the show airs and must pay taxes on their winnings.
"Wheel of Fortune" first aired in 1981, before some college students were even born. The show's host, Pat Sajak, was with the show from the start and has since won three Emmys, a People's Choice award and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The show's silent co-host and letter-turner, Vanna White, has been on the show since 1982. In 1992, White made The Guinness Book of World Records as "Television's Most Frequent Clapper." She averages about 720 claps per show, more than 28,000 times a season. White turned 46 this year.
Reach the reporter at lindsay.butler@asu.edu.
