URI student to appear on Wheel of Fortune's College Week

9/11/09 - While most University of Rhode Island students hope to never hit bankruptcy, the notion took on a whole new meaning for fourth-year pharmacy student Kevin McMurray as he grabbed hold of the Wheel of Fortune prize wheel and hoped for the best.Last Friday, in front of a live studio audience at the Boston Convention Center, McMurray took a deep breath and spun the wheel. For the next 20 minutes he concentrated on buying vowels, guessing letters and ultimately, trying to solve the puzzles.

Wheel of Fortune, usually taped at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, Calif., came to Boston to tape 15 episodes in three days. Five of the shows featured students from New England colleges, all competing for that "big money."

McMurray, 21, said as he was growing up he would watch the show with his parents. When he heard the show was coming to Boston, he gave it some thought and figured he'd apply to try out.

"I said 'Sure, why not? I'll throw an application online,'" he said. "And then I got an e-mail back that I'd gotten an audition spot."

McMurray said at that point, he'd almost forgotten he applied.

Not long after McMurray arrived at Boston's Lenox Hotel for the auditions, where he made it through several cuts.

Wheel of Fortune contestant coordinator, Cassandra Thompson said judges pick contestants based on two main factors: "Focus and Juice."

"You have some people who are very focused, they're very, very smart players," Thompson said. "You know, eye on the puzzle board, they're using the letter board, but they're very serious - no smile, no happiness."

That's where the "juice" comes in. Thompson explained that judges are also looking for contestants that seem energetic and excited about the prospect of winning.

"You want someone who does both," she said. "They are focused on the game, but they're very excited."

McMurray said his strategy was to earn as much money as possible and solve the puzzles as soon as he figured them out.

"The idea is not to neccessarily solve the puzzle the quickest, but it's to solve the puzzle in a way to amass money," Pat Sajak said.

Two weeks after the audition, McMurray's phone rang at his home in Ashby, Mass. It was his 21st birthday and he was notified that he had been selected to appear on the show.

According to Wheel of Fortune, more than 10,000 people audition each year, but less than 600 actually appear on the show.

On the day of the taping, McMurray left his home in Ashby and headed for Boston. His parents, sister, girlfriend and two fellow URI students came along to cheer him on.

At 9 a.m. he was inside the Convention Center signing papers, listening to official rules and trying to not be nervous.

McMurray described the experience as initially "very nerve-wracking."

But six hours later it was "lights, camera, action," as Boston University's band played and cheerleaders took the stage.

Wheel of Fortune's crew had jazzed up the set's background to resemble a New England town, while different views of Boston looped on plasma TVs.

The contestants took the stage and McMurray, sporting a URI sweatshirt, found himself sandwiched between a Boston University student and a Yale student. He admitted that when his friends found out he would be on the show, they joked he'd probably play against Ivy League competitors.

"All of the odds were against me, but I think it turned out alright," he said. "All of the contestants were great, everyone was really supportive."

When Sajak interviewed him, McMurray revealed that he is a former Rhody the Ram, URI's mascot. He also shared with the audience that he is a volunteer firefighter back in his hometown.

"Pat was awesome," McMurray said. "He's really funny. Just with the small talk, he kind of calms it down."

Both Sajack and Vanna White said that the excitement and energy of college week is more than that of their regular tapings.

"The college weeks have always been popular and I think it's partly because of what we said earlier, there's that extra level of enthusiasm, and us old geezers get to sit and watch and go, 'Oh they're having so much fun!'"

"[The students] make me feel old though, but it's fun, they're just alive and just so energetic and bubbly," she said.

After the taping and even more paperwork, McMurray left the Convention Center around 4 p.m.

"It was a very long day, but it was very exciting," he said. "It seems so fast when you're out there because all day builds up to the anticipation of that moment, and it flies by."

McMurray's episode will air on Nov. 9. To see how he did, tune in.