1984 "The Joker's Wild" TV Broadcast

Okay, still running across things during this Spring cleaning phase we are in ~~~ came across this gem.

BACKSTORY;

1984

I had just married Jennie, I was looking for a fast way to make money ~ legally~

Living in So. California, I decided to try out for some game shows that gave out cash, didn't want just prizes as you had to pay taxes on them, so I needed cash to offset winnings.

"The Joker's Wild" was my best bet ~ I went to several interviews and auditions, and finally they said "how up on such and such date and bring three changes of clothes." I did not have three suits or sports jackets, so I borrowed from friends. Thanks Carlton Goree

Now Jennie will tell you a different story on this part, she thought I was purposely leaving her out by not taking her to the taping, first,

I did not knowing it was gonna be a taping, I had gone three times before for testing, and interviews and did not know what to expect nor on the last one what it meant when they said "bring clothes."

Well, I needed to get myself together, so I had seen Jennie trim horses with clippers and felt she could cut my hair since that's what's used on my hair. Well, my dear new wife started cutting my hair ~~ then I heard what I would come to understand all through our relationship when she would say "Hold Still!" it meant ~~~ she messed up! She tried to cut my hair without any guards on the blade.

I'll come back to that.

Now, the first episode I did not get a copy of that recording, so my entrance was my second day, I now understood why they wanted three changes of clothes, they taped three days in one day.

You play and then go backstage and change, all the contestants were in a room with lots of nice snacks and lunch. We had a good time back there, there were about 12 of us, and you sit and wait, then they called my name and I went out.

Not everyone got to play and some they would ask back and some not, I was lucky that I got chosen on my first day at final auditions.

They tell you, you are not guaranteed anything unless the show airs, so I was praying that nothing happened that would interrupt the showing, like an Emergency Presidential Broadcast, or disaster.

In the interview they wanted your history and they wanted you to be "interesting" I told them a lot of stuff, but Jack Berry, the MC and the writers thought "Naughty Nate" was interesting and fun, he played on that all throughout the show ~~~ I so wished none of that came out ~~ how embarrassing.

There are a lot of little nuances of what happened up there ~~~ one of the things was that if you won something they told you to look at the camera as if you were looking at the prize.

"Act Happy! Be Surprised! BE Fun!" ~ Were the directions from the producers.

I left the commercials in this clip cuz, a lot of what was in the commercials are what they gave me, and to me was interesting of what was going on at the time.

"Where's The Beef?"

On commercial breaks we got to interact with the audience and I had fun messin with people, they wanted to me to sing, dance ~~~which I would not do! I made jokes and feel they were rootin for me!

Gosh, this is so surreal remembering all of this stuff....

When I won cash, as soon as they broke for a commercial the producer would come and take the money from ya, I told dude to "go away!" I came there to win cash, and was havin a hard time givin it up! The audience was crackin up as we played tug-O-war with the cash.

Jack Berry would normally go backstage, but he stayed out front and messed with me and the audience, I thought we made for an entertaining pair.

THE HAIR CUT!

When Jennie told me to "Hold Still!" she had dug out a "plug" (a hole) in my hair, I tried to remind myself while I was up there "NOT TO LOOK TO MY RIGHT!" ~ just above and in front of my left ear you can see it ~~~ no time to grow it out, could cut it out but I'd be near bald.

THE TRIP!

I won a trip to Rio De Janerio Brazil ~~~ I had one year to take it after the airing. How cool this would be to take my new bride on a trip to Rio during "Carnival" ~~~ weeks, turned into months waiting to hear "Let's Go Honey! Jennie never brought the subject up ~~~~

Come to find out AFTER the year expired ~~~ She was afraid of flying!!!

Dagnabbit! I would of have gone and took my brother Douglas!

She said she wouldn't of let me gone with my brother citing he was single and we were wild together ~~` ain't that a Blip!?!

Last year I got the pleasure to travel to Maine for Jennie's Clinic ~~Augusta, Maine! ~ to be on point!

Bugged me the whole time that this city caused me to lose my game!

The year was 1984, I did win some money, fairly fast and legally ~~~` with some nice gifts.

(Side Note; some of the synchronization of voice and video are off, if you have things on VHS Tapes, I suggest you transfer them to digital as over time, the VHS Tapes degenerate and start to fall apart)

Here's my 15 minutes of fame ~ Enjoy the show.