Kennett resident to appear on Wheel of Fortune game show

Kennett resident Lyndsey Gardner will be appearing on national television's most popular game show, Wheel of Fortune.

Gardner and her mother will be featured as contestants on the game show on Wednesday, May 4, as part of "Mom and Me" week. Wheel of Fortune airs on local cable channel four at 6:30 p.m.

"My mom got online and signed us up to be on the show," Gardner said. "They e-mailed her back and we had to go to Kansas City to audition."

Out of 50 teams of mom's and their children, only 15 were selected to participate on the game show.

"We had to go to Kansas City to tape the show," Gardner said. "We got there at 9:00 in the morning and they taped all five shows while we were there. Each show took about an hour to tape."

Gardner said that they weren't allowed to bring cameras to the set.

"The wheel is heavier and smaller than it looks on television.," Gardner said.

She also said that there is a separate board that you can't see on television with letters on it that have already been called.

While most people think that playing Wheel of Fortune at home and solving the puzzles looks easy, Gardner said it was actually a little difficult when you play it for live television.

"Pat [Sajak] was really personable and went out into the audience to talk with the crowd," Gardner said about the host of Wheel of Fortune who is in his 23rd year with the show.

"When Pat introduced me, he said 'you're from Kennett, Mo., hometown of Sheryl Crow,'" Gardner said. "I also said that I was expecting my first child, but you couldn't give the date because it wouldn't match the time the show airs."

While she doesn't plan to be a contestant on anymore game shows in the future, Gardner said it was a chance of a lifetime opportunity.

"It was a lot of fun and something I'll never forget," she said.

Tune in to the show Wednesday, May 4, to find out if Gardner and her mother won big bucks or went bankrupt on Wheel of Fortune.