Why Does CBS Television City Keeping Popping Up in My Life?

Let me start my telling you that I have an unhealthy love affair with old school game shows. Game shows and horror movies... that was how my dad and I bonded when I was a child. Whenever I was home sick from school and EVERY DAY in the summer I would get up in the morning to watch Family Feud and The Price is Right on CBS then switch over to USA Network in the afternoon and watch The $100,000 Pyramid, Press Your Luck, Tic Tac Dough, High Rollers, Bumper Stumpers, and Block Busters.

Flash forward ten years. I am in college, and for spring break my junior year, I go to Los Angeles with my girlfriend. By pure chance we receive tickets to go see American Idol, which happens to shoot at CBS Television City.

Now, I am VERY familiar with that name as most of the game shows used to tape there, and they were all very happy to tell us, the viewing audience, as evidenced by Pyramid: "From Television City in Hollywood, THIS is the $100,000 Pyramid!"

So as we are standing in line, my mind is racing... NOT because I'm about to be in the audience of American Idol, but because I am about to enter the HOME of all of my favorite game shows, including The Price is Right, which still to this day tapes there. Needless to say, when we entered the building I nearly creamed my pants. Sure, watching Charles Grigsby get the boot, and feeling sad for Ruben Studdard, because surely there was no way America would vote for him in the end, and having my mom call me to tell me she saw me on American Idol was fun, but the whole time I just wanted to wander around and find the set of The Price is Right. I didn't get my wish, but was satisfied in knowing that at least I had been in the same building.

Flash forward four years. I'm hanging out with a friend of mine, who for the purposes of this blog, shall remain unnamed, when she gets a phone call. I later found out that phone call was from the Dr. Phil show. My friend was about to fly out to Hollywood, to be a guest on the show, which tapes where? CBS Television City. So that was weird... but in a good way.

Flash forward 5 months. I get a phone call from ANOTHER friend. I answer, and the first thing I hear from her is, "Oh my god! I was just on The Price is Right!" Then I peed my pants. She actually got called down. And she got to bid. And she got some luggage and a years supply of coffee for being a "contestant not appearing ON stage." I'm already excited for her, then she drops the bomb... she told me that she asked the guy who wrote out her name tag if he would... "...write one for my friend Aaron, who loves the show but couldn't be here, so I can send it to him." And he did. When she told me this on the phone, I had for the first time, and what will probably be the last time, a multiple orgasm.

So, maybe I didn't get to see the set of The Price is Right... oh well... I'm getting my own freakin' name tag from the show! It's just odd how my life takes these random twists, and it really has been that way my whole life... I can't explain it... but... I like it. It makes me feel like I have a story worth telling.

-Aaron