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Madison woman scores appearance on 'Wheel of Fortune'

By Stephen Gallien

MADISON, AL (WAFF) - A trip to Las Vegas turned out to be a Madison woman's lucky break, helping her land a spot on the game show "Wheel of Fortune."

Cindy Butler had gone to Las Vegas for her husband's birthday and it just so happened that the Wheel Mobile was at their hotel conducting auditions.

Butler gave it a shot after getting encouragement from a hotel attendant.

"I was the fourth person to be called up on stage and play a little mini-show, then I was emailed to come back to Vegas for a real audition," said Butler.

That second audition involved playing a real game as well as taking a written test to solve puzzles.

Butler said she was told a million people try out for the show each year but only about 600 actually make it. Butler was one of the few selected to be on the show.

"I was like, 'You're kidding me. I am going out to LA, this is awesome.' I just wanted to say, 'Oh well, I tried out.'"

Butler was flown to LA, where she spent a day sequestered from 7 a.m. until 7p.m., being briefed by lawyers, getting her makeup done and practicing spinning the wheel, which she said was very heavy.

"Vanna actually came in and said hi to us while we were getting ready so that was kind of neat to see her," said Butler.

Then it came time to play the game.

"It was just fun out once you're out there playing the game, you don't even know people are watching you, you're just playing," Butler recalled.

Butler said she bonded with her fellow contestants after spending the entire day with them. They pulled for each other during their game. Butler could not disclose what, if anything, she won until the show aired Thanksgiving evening at 6:30 p.m.  She finished second.

She said it was a great time and she said one of her best memories was of Pat Sajak reading her introduction.

"He read a little card of mine and he said, 'This is something I've never seen a woman put this on their card in 27 years of doing this show. You hate to shop.' I said, 'I really do hate it.' And he said, 'Your husband is a lucky man,'" Butler said, smiling.

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