Charlotte native to spin the Wheel of Fortune
On Jan. 29, Charlotte native Craig LaMarsh will take a spin on the Wheel of Fortune. LaMarsh is a writer and script coordinator from Charlotte and currently lives in Southern California with his partner, Daniel.
LaMarsh grew up in the Lansdowne neighborhood in the same house his mother did. They’ve kept the house in the family — his sister now lives there with her children. As a child, LaMarsh attended Lansdowne Elementary and Spaugh Middle School, then Myers Park High School. He started out at UNC Charlotte, studied abroad in Stuttgart, Germany, then transferred to UNC Chapel Hill to pursue a career in media production with a minor in writing for the stage and screen.
“I’ve always dreamed of being a TV writer, I even wrote my first screenplay when I was 12,” LaMarsh said. “So after college, I moved out to California with an internship through UNC working for a UNC alumni who was already in the industry. One job led to the next, and here I am 13 years later, with a produced episode and several major shows on my resume.”
Fun fact: LaMarsh was on the team for HBO’s “Euphoria.”
“It’s definitely a marathon and not a race, and so while I’ve still not yet reached my ultimate goal of being a show creator and head writer, each new job takes me that much closer to achieving my dream,” LaMarsh said.
Now, instead of producing, LaMarsh will be on stage. He has watched Wheel of Fortune for his whole life, and credits his mother for not only introducing him to the show, but also the joy of crossword puzzle games.
“A friend of mine was on Wheel, and told me that during COVID-19, they’re looking for local LA contestants, and that my chances of getting on the show might be better. So I spent a couple hours putting together a one-minute video talking about myself, my work history, and how, as a writer, I love word games and think that I’d make a great contestant for the show,” LaMarsh said.
A few weeks later, he received an email inviting him to the audition round. The audition was held via ZOOM, where LaMarsh and two other contestants silver a series of puzzles and answered personality questions.
“I got the email saying that I’d made it onto the show, and the rest is history,” LaMarsh said.
LaMarsh has watched Wheel of Fortune for his whole life, and credits his mother for not only introducing him to the show, but also the joy of crossword puzzle games. He applied to be a contestant on the show with a video submission, and completed a video audition which offered a firsthand experience similar to playing on the show itself, which he described as “thrilling, yet fun.”
On Wheel of Fortune, contestants compete to predict hidden phrases by guessing letters one at a time. For each correct consonant they guess, they have the opportunity to win money or prizes, determined by spinning the Wheel. At the end of the game, the contestant with the most winnings will play in a bonus round, where he or she can win more.
Wheel of Fortune, COVID version
“Having a history of working in TV production, I knew going into it that it would be nothing like what I imagined it might be like. That said, I had no idea all of the rules and thought that goes into being a contestant on the show, especially during COVID-19 times where there are strict safety protocols to follow while also trying to shake off nerves and solve puzzles,” LaMarsh said. “Things like staying on your mark, speaking loud enough and making sure you don’t clap too close to your microphone are running through your head while also trying to solve the puzzle and not look like a fool on TV when Pat, Vanna and the crew are watching you.”
LaMarsh said that Pat made being on the show feel comfortable, and that he was “jokey and nice,” offering a “calming presence to [LaMarsh] and his fellow contestants as they took on the puzzles.”
As part of “Winter Break” week, LaMarsh will spin the Wheel and solve puzzles to win once-in-a-lifetime vacations and cash prizes. And if he wins? As a roller coaster enthusiast, he hopes to have enough cash winnings to embark on a cross country road trip to see all the roller coaster parks across the nation.
“It’s a lot of pressure for sure, but it was an amazing experience and I’m so glad that I did it,” LaMarsh said. “It’s one thing to watch the show, and an entirely different one to be on it and there with that big wheel and puzzle board staring at you,” LaMarsh said.
Root for LaMarsh at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 29 on WCNC (NBC Charlotte).
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 3:15 PM.
