An e-mail comes from a friend who has been MIA–moved to Orange County with wife and kids:
“I don’t know what you’re up to these days…” he writes, “but this may be of interest to you.”
Attached are two PDF-format files that I struggle to open as they don’t give any indication of their subject, and my friend may have been crazy to move to OC, but he’s unusually reliable.
I open the attachment that describes, via a press release, the national audition schedule for a new reality TV show with remodeling as the theme. Very up my alley. The schedule indicates that the deadline already has passed for most of the national cities. Los Angeles has special instructions on the network Web site. I go to said site.
Further inquiries to the e-mail address on the press release prompt a call to me from the Actors Studio.
“We want you to make a home video of your remodeling efforts, so we can see how you and your husband react together” an unidentified voice states. For the “show.” “With one of your projects as the backdrop,” the voice adds.
Is this for real? Me, in a video?
I’ve seen the outtakes from “American Idol,” but nevertheless, I become completely intrigued.
“I don’t have the time to make videos,” is my abrupt answer to the voice.
“Well, let us know if you change your mind,” the voice says.
An e-mail message arrives next from the senior casting director for the show: “I’m sorry your inquiries to our show were not responded to in a timely manner, please call our office immediately to discuss your candidacy.”
Are they kidding? Over dinner that night, everyone urges me to throw my hat in the ring.
“What’s the prize?” they all ask.
The promo material on the Web site states that the “winners” get to keep the profit they make from remodeling this project. In Malibu. Two months.
I can’t resist. I’m an addict. I’m calling tomorrow.
Julie Brosterman is a consultant to the real estate technology, mortgage and servicing industries. After she spent 15 years in the title insurance industry, the Internet “spoke” to her and she has never looked back. She lives in Los Angeles and can be contacted at juliebrosterman@hotmail.com
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