One of the best well-kept secrets in Hollywood is that studios pay non-speaking actors known as “extras” to sit in the audience while a TV show is being taped for broadcast. For a TV addict like myself, that’s just crazy talk. I would voluntarily watch the taping of any show for free, but, hey, if you really wanna pay me, I will take your money. You name the show, I have been in the audience, clapping and laughing on cue, and earning extra cash for no reason.  Family Feud, The Newlywed Game, The Singing Bee, Bank of Hollywood, Minute to Win it, Catch 21, The Doctors, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel, Let’s Make a Deal, and Dance Your Ass Off just to name a few. Cha-ching. There are many agencies that book for these shows. They tell us what to wear, and where/when to show up. I seriously still laugh at this crazy reality.

They don’t let us take cameras on set, or I would have some amazing pics for you. But I will tell you that of all of the hosts, Carnie Wilson of The Newlywed Game is by far the friendliest. She fully interacts with the audience at all times when the cameras are not rolling. During a particularly bland show, she walked up to our group and whispered, “please help me out. These couples are so boring they’re putting me to sleep. Make some noise and wake me and them up.”  On the last day of this season, as you can see below, she actually thanked the audience, most of whom were present during the entire run. She is a class act. How funny too that I had her band’s, Wilson Philips’, CD handy for her to sign 20 years after the CD was released…Thanks Carnie 🙂