..but I'm a Wheel watcher

Yes. Most TV does, in fact, suck wind. Thank goodness there are always those few exceptions -in our era: Jeopardy, the news, a very short list of comedies and dramas- and Wheel of Fortune.

I got to watch them film the show back in 1985. Even got my picture taken with Vanna. I was a road musician at the time, with a group based in LA, and our singer had a connection with somebody on the show, so we got passes. They filmed in Burbank at that time, in a dump of a studio and did three or four or more shows in a day's time. Probably concentrated it all in a couple days' work I remember that the Big Winner for the episode we saw was a guy named Chuck, who wore three-toned shoes and said 'indubitably' an awful lot.

During the 'photo session', which ran all of about 5 seconds, I tried to talk to Vanna, but she was basically this plastic smile for the 5 seconds it took to snap the picture and that was it. I wasn't offended in the least.

Pat came out and talked to the studio audience for a moment before they started filming. Even though he's a bit on the curt side with his guests at the very end of the show as I've seen them on TV, he seemed like he was probably a nice guy in real life. I did hear him say, though, in a moment of boredom or exasperation, "time flies when you're doin' a game show. "

And time has flown. I think they're on the 26th year of doing Wheel of Fortune. Both had other ideas as far as show business back when they started, but Pat's talk show fizzled--he didn't have it to be Cavett--and Vanna's film career similarly tanked. She was a 'no show' for Monroe. But what the hell. Ride the ship that'll take you as a passenger. Both of them look like they're hanging in there, although Vanna does look a bit tired when they flash to her after the Big Winner has won.

Personally, as a viewer, I like the show. Sometimes the puzzles seem too simple, and others I get stumped myself. I don't like it when the contestants yell out 'big money!' and think if anything they should be penalized when they do that- but otherwise have no malice toward those involved, and have their best interests at heart, including seeing them win big money.

The other thing I really like about Wheel of Fortune has nothing to do with the show itself but rather when it's aired. For some years(and, I hope, more than a few to come)it's been on every weekday at 6:30. This is a perfect viewing time, since I'm either starting or finishing dinner. I've already seen the local and national news, am somewhere in the process of having my dinner, thus finishing the afternoon's activities before commencing with the evening's.

Wheel of Fortune is, then, the dividing line between afternoon and evening. Once they're in the Bonus Round, I'm saying that wistful goodbye to the day, knowing that it'll be night soon, It's not just a game show. Wheel of Fortune is the portal between the two parts of my daily existence. It helps define my way of life!