By the time I was seven (the year I appeared on the show), I'd been watching The Ramblin' Rod Show for a few years. I don't think I realized the show was filmed locally, so it never occurred to me one could go on it, until one morning when I was watching it and I recognized a girl. I don't remember her name, but she went to my bus stop. I was like Wow! That girl gets to skip school and be on TV! The show, if I recall correctly, ran from 7:30 to 8:30. That morning at 8:15, I made my way to the bus stop. There was the girl! The girl on TV! I couldn't understand how she had gotten there so quickly.

My own RR experience occurred not long after that. I was invited to join a group that included my neighbors, Tiffany and Bryce, and Tiffany's friends. It was around the time of her birthday, so she got to be one of those special birthday kids that did the bows and curtsies.

I remember being somewhat awed by the whole experience -- arriving at the KPTV 12 headquarters and seeing the giant "12" logo on the wall. Wondering why we were there in the afternoon, since RR aired in the mornings (yes, I still had not caught on.)

We were brought onto the set and led to the bleachers. I was ecstatic because I got to sit in the front row. When I was a kid, I thought the front row was the highest honor a person could have. (Front=best.)

There was a camera in front of the bleachers and a monitor where we kids could see ourselves. This was the first time I had ever been on a video camera or seen myself on a TV screen, and I was transfixed by this monitor. I spent a good portion of the show watching myself.

We sat a while before filming began. We were coached to hold our hands up and cheer. They made us practice it several times, and may have even gotten a few of these moments on tape. I seem to remember a crewmember becoming frustrated with us because we weren't acting enthusiastic enough. Eventually we got it right.

About 15 feet away, sort of diagonal behind the cameras, was another section of bleachers, this one for the parents and the kids who were younger than three (younger siblings, etc.)

I'd brought a button for Rod, but I -- like many kids -- forgot about it until he saw it and pointed it out. I handed it to him, never taking my eyes off that TV monitor.

We watched several cartoons during the taping. Two, maybe three. Not as many as went into the final-cut episode.

I did not win the Smile Contest. Apparently it was all random because looking at the tape of my brother's and my episodes, some of those supposed "winners" had really crappy smiles.

I remember feeling very disappointed about A) not being a Smile Winner and B) not getting to be one of the birthday kids. All of the above came home with some sort of prize, which seems dinky now but back then was a big deal. A box of fruit snacks, a pass to the Enchanted Forest, a balloon animal.

During the birthday kids segment, the characters from Chuck E. Cheese ran out and did a modified Beach Boys number. The blue one sat on me. I remember being horrified, though in the video I look like I'm enjoying it. I really was not.

My brother got to be on the show a few months later; I asked him to share his memories but he says he does not remember his experience in great enough detail to share. He was not a Smile Winner either.



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