We got there pretty late in the afternoon and I was dropped off to get in line. I was probably the 200th person or so, and thus began a very long night. We all met at the RC Willey in Salt Lake City waiting to try out for the show. Alicia stuck around with the kids just long enough to get some free bread sticks from Little Caesars. There were these ladies going around collecting money for a dance-a-thon that they were going to be putting on later that evening. I really did not want to participate (since I hadn't brought any cash in the first place).
Alicia insisted that I needed to have a photocopy of my driver's license or ID to hand in with the application. Word spread like wildfire and within 20 minutes, she had over 15 IDs in her hand and about $30 cash to go make photocopies at the local Kinkos. So we at least paid for the gas it took us to get up there! So she dropped off the copies and headed home for the night.
The night began great. There were some ladies in front of me that brought cots to sleep on and gave me one of there extra chairs to sit in, which I eventually used for my bed the rest of the night, though I did not get much sleep. I was frantically calling friends and family as I was finishing up the application so that I could have a list of "supporters" ready. I was proud of myself, knowing I had everything filled out and ready to go, so I pulled out my phone and played solitaire. Around 11pm, I decided to try and get some shuteye, or so I thought.
By midnight, Little Caesars and Red Robin on a loud speaker announced that they were cosing up and so anyone that wanted to buy the last of their food, it was their last chance. (I think the next time I hear of something like this going on, I am going to set up my grill and make burgers for people).
Around 1am, I think I was finally getting some sleep when suddenly some drunk guys were calling out to their girlfriends right in front of us and were wandering around in the lines looking for them. It was starting to get extremely cold (and we found out later it was in the low 20's!)
If that wasn't bad enough around 3am, some guy starting yelling out "Marco" and those who were awake stood in silence when all of a sudden several people started yelling out "Polo" and thus began a chain of memories for me in the swimming pool with Allen Van and my brother Daniel playing a childhood game and yelling "fish out of water" at every moment. To say the least, that did not help me sleep at all.
Around 5am everyone was awake as more people started arriving off the TRAX station to start getting in line. It was funny because the cops kept calling out license plate numbers to give people chances to move their cars or get tickets. Some people were smart but others never responded so some got towed and hauled away. Of course this caused for some drama but since the cops had been announcing it all night, I can't see how someone didn't know!
Here was the scene when I woke up:
By 7am, the ladies in front of me were getting their hair in curlers. The younger women behind me were getting make-up and such on and were practicing what they wanted to say. The older women went to their cars at the wrong time because a few moments later the announcement was made that we were heading inside and to pack up our things. The line was going to be moving in 20 minutes. I thought that was plenty of time, but those ladies had not returned and I was not about to sit there and wait any longer....I had been here all night! So onward!
Once inside we sat there for about an hour before they decided to start taking us in groups of 10 around 9am. There were several people practicing what to say and I think I heard some crazy stories along the way. We sat there for about 45 minutes finishing the new application they handed us and waited patiently.
The casting director came to the front and made the announcement that we were all going to have 20 seconds to tell our story, one at a time until all 10 of us were done. They would keep a few behind and send the rest on their way. I almost felt like I was at Disneyland in line for a ride. We were all herded in like cattle and then when we were done, sure enough we ended up right inside RC Willey where we were given coupons and welcomed by sales folks ready to harvest us for our information and money. (Actually it wasn't that bad, but you could tell some of them were excited hoping to get some good sales that day!)
They actually kept three people from my group and it turns out that they didn't need my big application as they had us fill out that smaller version I mentioned, ad when we handed them in they didn't want the bigger application, and the photocopies of the IDs were not required either. I was sad they didn't keep me behind but the casting director said that just because someone is held behind does not mean anything, and it can take up to one year before you can even be contacted about going through the more formal interview process.
So for the time being, I am in limbo, but what an experience! I still have my long application filled out, so I think I am going to go ahead and make the 5 minute video and send that in too.
So there you have it!
Here is a video from when I was right at the front of the line. I just got a brief shot of my group...the first three people in front of me that appear are the ones that they kept behind:
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