How do they coordinate this lifeline on the show? I know it’s taped, not live, so if you agree to be one of a contestant’s 6 lifelines (or however many there are), do you agree to wait by the phone for the three hours or so it must take to tape an episode? What if your guy is on for several days (i.e. no good at fastest finger question) - are you stuck by the phone for days, in case you get the call?
My understanding is that if you get chosen to be on the show, you submit the names and phone numbers of your lifelines (and you are allowed to have 5 picked). I’m not sure how long a taping of an hour show is, but my understanding is all of your lifelines are supposed to be reachable during the taping time. Should you win fast finger, all five are called and get to hold on the line, making them instantly available when called upon.
Naturally, should your appearance extend into another taping day, your five potential lifelines would be told to be available at that time.
Oh, and one other thing.
You can’t sit there for day after day. The ten people on at the top of the hour can only stay until the hour is up, (unless one is in the hot seat). After the taping, they go home.
I don’t watch the show regularly but I’ve noticed that at certain points, all 10 of the eligible contestants get replaced. I suspect that means all the episodes for a certain period, say a week or two, are filmed back to back over the course of a day. As a result, you’d just have to agree to be available for a single day.
There was an atricle in my local paper that described the actions thusly:
You identify all of your “phone a friends” in advance. They are then called by the producer and told to keep the line open for the next (insert period of time here) they are also told to answer on the first ring and expect to have some small amount of banter with Regis.
Then when your friend calls you you answer immediately and you are always home (notice how they never ring a house where someone is gone or where it rings 4 or more times before answering).
Am I the only guy who thought of using Unca Cecil on the phone-a-friend option?
Here’s the scoop from a former contestant. The detailed rules are at abc.com if you’re really interested.
You provide a list of up to 5 people to your associate producer, along with their phone numbers for both the setup call and the taping. The AP calls each one during the setup period, which differs depending on whether 1 or 2 shows are being taped that day, to confirm the callback number for the actual taping. The AP also establishes their eligibility (over 18, and not on a PAF list more than twice per series). They have to commit to being at the phone for a particular 3-hour period. Tapings are usually only 2 hours in real time, but can run longer depending on the Hot Seat contestant (the record for time on a single question is 56 minutes, edited down to about 1 minute for broadcast).
The PAF’s MUST use a hardwired phone for clarity. They are instructed to answer on the 3rd ring, and only say “Hello” when answering. The call from the studio and the 3 rings take place while Regis is doing his spiel, which starts when the director has heard enough from the contestant to know s/he’s using that lifeline and has identified a particular PAF.
The call takes place live in the studio; there’s no tape break. The live music is played in the studio as well. The 30-second timer starts when Regis says so, after bantering with the PAF. Even after the timer runs out, the PAF can listen in until Regis confirms that the answer is right or wrong (When I used mine, she got a real kick out of it).
Once the lifeline has been used, the others on the list get a stand-down call for courtesy. If the contestant is coming back the next day and hasn’t used that lifeline next, the confirmation calls etc. are done over the next day, but with the same people.
The consensus among people who have been PAF’s as well as contestants is that being a PAF is far MORE nerve-wracking.
Does that cover it for you?
Sure does ElvisLives. BTW - how’d you do?
Thanks. Up to $64K, took shot at $125 and missed, got $32K.