I have a confession to make. I have officially become my grandma. I am a Wheel Watcher.
It happened gradually. Putting Lucy down to sleep used to be such an exhausting process that Dave and I would melt onto the couch and need a few minutes to veg. Since we don't have cable, the choices at 7PM are pretty limited to celebrity news magazines and, you guessed it, Wheel of Fortune.
Guess what we chose?
I realize that having the official game show of the AARP on most nights hardly makes our living room a bastion of coolness. I mean, what about shows like Mad Men? Lost? The Wire? Those shows are hip while Wheel of Fortune is decidedly uncool. I mean, my grandma has been a faithful watcher for years. Remember the days of post-puzzle shopping where winners walked away with rattan dining sets and gold jaguar broach pins? Yeah, she watched it back then. So I recognize there is a low coolness factor. But I gotta tell you, it's so entertaining. On any given night you can hear either Dave or I saying things like:
"That Pat - what a kidder."
"Don't you know better than to pick "M" in the bonus round? C'mon, people, don't you watch this show??"
And before the final spin, "C'MON $5000, C'MON $5000!!!!" (seriously, every night this spews from my mouth - I really can't control it anymore)
This half hour we spend in front of the television has become somewhat of a ritual (did I just write the word "ritual" in regard to Wheel of Fortune??). I love the prize puzzles. I love trying to solve the puzzles before Dave. And I love it most of all when each of the contestants walk away with a nice sum of cash (I'm a game show socialist - share the wealth, I say). Wheel of Fortune is pretty unpretentious in today's greedy game show world. No one is going to be able to retire with their winnings or buy a house outright, but I think that makes me like it more as there is less angst when people lose. During the summer there are re-runs and I do draw the line at watching Wheel of Fortune episodes more than once. But come September, while others may be excited about new shows in prime time I'll be reunited with my old friends, Pat and Vanna, cheering for some "big money" as the wheel goes round. Listen to grandma, people. She's got good taste.
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9 comments:
I was about ready to tell you that just because I was away for a week doesn't give YOU a vacation from blog-land.
But this post was worth the wait.
I knew this tidbit of your addiction to the wheel, but doesn't it feel good to confess to a larger community? I can so picture you and Dave watching this together. And even I know not to pick a M in the final round! But besides the RSTLNE, what are the best letters? Inquiring minds need to know.
BTW... my 94 year old granny watches Detroit Tiger baseball, not Pat and Vanna. That's how we roll.
Edie, this is hilarious. I would love to watch the Wheel with you :)
Coby
It's good to come clean, Diane, not that it's a surprise to anyone that Dave and I are total nerds.
These days, RSTLNE are a given. You get three more consonants and one more vowel. If you pick CDMA you are a goner. There's little chance in hell that you will win. I'd go with GHFI.
BTW...My grandma watches Nebraska football and taught me to play poker so don't even think your granny is cooler than mine.
Ha! Ha! "My name is Edie, and I'm a Wheel-a-holic."
Welcome Edie. I have been a member since giving birth to baby #1.
No, please, more "My granny is cooler than your granny" banter...
is your granny barely 5 foot with a fancy wig and gold metallic shoes? yeah, my granny rocks.
You rock, Edie! I, too, have a similar confession. When I nurse Samuel at 1 pm, I watch the only thing that is on (other than soaps and infomercials)--Family Feud. I've gotten to the point that I look forward to watching the Feud while I feed the baby. Game show nerds unite!
Coby - Next time you're in the country, it's a date.
Dionne and Alli - So nice to know I'm in good company!
Diane - Aside from the fancy wig, you could be describing my grandma. I'm calling a truce.
I once heard this comedian say that he wishes to be so rich some day that he could put "Wheels of Fortune" on his car. He could drive around and you can hear the beep-beep-beep-beep-beep of the wheels as he comes to a stoplight.
I'll let you know if I ever see them on sale. You'd be the envy of every 80+ year old in the Pacific Northwest!
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