Thanks for all the supporters out there (and the haters too for showing an interest at all)! I'm getting to this a little late, but hopefully Stana would be game to put on a little show while the poll runs. I'll take it upon myself to start things off:
"Celebrity Wheelhouse" is the next great American reality TV show which takes celebrities and pits them against everyday average people in unorthodox and unconventional competitions. Like the many Japanese game shows that inspired it, some challenges are light-hearted and goofy, whereas others are cutthroat and downright brutal (or, as brutal as either contestant is willing to make it). Audience contestants (either single or as a group) pair up against one of the other celebrity guests to spin a challenge wheel which randomly determines what competition they will engage in. I'm one such contestant and standing across from me on the other side of the challenge wheel is Stana Katic.
I must admit, being in front of all the stage lights and the live studio audience makes my heart skip just a beat faster. Stana on the other hand looks calm and collected with the typical celebrity confidence -- not a bead of nervous sweat on her. "Back from commercial in five... four... three..." the stage director calls out from behind the line of cameras, silently counting off the last couple by flashing his fingers.
"AND WELCOME BACK!" the host booms, smiling ear to ear to throw us back into the thick of things. I can't help but take several peeks over to Stana, slightly starstruck having been such a fan of Castle and a handful of her other films. She's definitely taller in person. Skinnier than I thought, no bigger than me anyway. Definitely more gorgeous in person than I was expecting. The host rambles on, on auto-pilot exposition mode to explain the premise of what's up next. Eventually he gets around to introducing me, "To my left here is the beautiful Sara Philipps, who comes from Seattle, Washington." A modest, polite applause echos out through the studio. "So what is it that you do, Sara?" he asks, walking over to me and shoving a microphone in my face.
"Well I work at Microsoft as a User Research Analyst, but on the side I'm a ballet dancer. Really a student of all dance, but ballet was my first love." We go back and fourth a little bit, him probing me with more mundane 'how do ya do' 'get to know you' questions. I do my best to answer them but I'm somewhat distracted by Stana who's really working the crowd, smiling out and standing all model-like as the host interviews me.
"Round of applause for both contestants," the host finally says, and the polite applause picks up once again. "Stana, since you're our guest of honor, go ahead and SPIN THAT WHEEL!" he yells, the audience chanting the show catchphrase along with him. Stana's lanky arms reach up and grabs one of the protruding spokes, spinning the shiny gold and black wheel. Round and round it goes, mesmerizing as it spins, the audience on the edge of their seats. The wheel itself stands a good 12-feet tall which is rather intimidating if I were to be completely honest. *TIC* *TIC* *TIC* *TIC* The spinning slows and the wheel begins to ease its way into one of the segments...
"WOW! BOXING!" the host exclaims, and the audience is all tittering with astonishment. Are they really going to fight each other? Is this all staged? Do either of them even know how to fight? I look over to Stana and she's got her hands up covering her mouth, laughing in surprise at the result as well. It takes a few moments for me to register all that's going on, but eventually I start smiling, getting wrapped up in the exciting buzz myself. I have no idea about Stana, but I've taken several boxing classes with my girlfriends in the past so I'm a little relieved at the outcome. I've never been in anything serious, but I feel like I can hold my own in a fight.
The host throws us back to commercial and suddenly the stage hands and engineers come flooding onto stage to convert it to a mock boxing ring. I get scurried off stage by one of the producers before I could get a word in with Stana or the host (I wanted to wish her luck and maybe get some friendly banter back and fourth before we're clobbering each other with leather). The producer takes me into a back dressing room and she hands me off to their costume guy.
Everyone backstage, including the costume department, are in overdrive. Before I know it, I'm being changed into my boxing gear for the segment: pink sports bra with black trim, thin black boxing shorts that cut off at the middle of my thigh, black and white converse sneakers, hair done back in a sporty pony tail, black oversized gloves, and a pink mouth guard. The host comes back to the changing area to have a quick word with us as my dresser is affixing a boxing helmet to my head. "Hey, lose the helmet for this one. Request of Mrs. Katic. Also, kid," the host says, now addressing me, "No idea if you know how to fight, but make it look good. Go for the win if you want. If it bleeds it leads, if you know what I mean. We want ratings, I have no interest in pandering to a bunch of pompous celebrities."
The host leaves and my dresser takes off the helmet. "Well then," he says, finally speaking to me, "I guess you better go beat her ass..."
