The Biggest Loser Season 14 Audition

I have a hate/hate relationship with auditions (yep, that's how I started the previous blog). I hate being judged off of how I look as opposed to what I can bring to the table, which brings me to the topic I'm discussing-- The Biggest Loser 14 auditions.




Interesting note: I have auditioned for EVERY season beginning with season 4 (I believe-- it might have been season 3 but I don't remember). A shame, yes, I know. But every one of those seasons, with the exception of two, have been for couples and I, for the life of me, have the darnedest time finding someone either as interesting, lively, or willing to be as open as me to audition with. No surprise that the only time I had a call back was for season 8, a singles season. I was even told by the casting director that I should expect to get called out to Los Angeles for sequestering, during which a battery of physical and psychological tests would be run and other interviews would be conducted.


I was filled with giddiness, spurred on by the arrival of the background application and the request for a biography and more pictures. I thought, finally, I have a chance to tackle and conquer the weight with help. Then...nothing. BIG let down. Guess I didn't fit the profile or they filled their black people quota [TBL, normally, allows a maximum of two brown people (individuals) or sets (couples) per season and they usually don't make it to the make-over portion, often being voted off by the other contestants fairly early]. Fact.


With, at least, the small consolation that I was initially wanted, I applied to other weight loss shows, getting as far as the background app with the promise that I'll hear something soon, followed up by silence. Even with The Revolution last year, I got the same spiel, getting passed over until, I guess, they still had a few spots left and my casting director fought harder for me. So I got to fly out to Los Angeles for the interviews then, unexpectedly (by both myself and the casting team-- they told me with red glistening eyes that they expected me to make it to the boot camp and on the show...so did I) I was sent home early.


Disappointed but not completely discouraged, I came home, enrolled in a boot camp and injured my foot. The rest, if you've been following my blog, you already know. I spiraled into depression and have ridden the lowest point of my life for the last few months. I'm just beginning to ascend and regain my sense of self and purpose.


Now, apparently, The Biggest Loser is auditioning again and this time they are looking at people a little differently but I have a problem with the wordage. An excerpt of the interview follows below.


"Here's a Q&A with Brandon Nickens about "The Biggest Loser" Season 14:" (font emphasis on words are completely mine)

"Q: How do you choose contestants for "The Biggest Loser"?

BN: "For Season 14, we're doing things a little differently. Instead of looking for someone that meets a certain profile, we're asking the question, 'How deserving are they?' We're looking for real, genuine people who will appreciate this opportunity to change their lives! It's really a golden ticket! We spend four to five months searching for the ideal candidates for this show and we listen to their personal stories."

Yes, I have a problem with the word "deserving" because, again, there's this negative judging aspect attached to it. What is the criteria they're checking off to determine who deserves this "golden ticket"? What makes someone more deserving than someone else? I feel like I'm back in P.E. getting picked for teams and TBL is the cool kid whose team I want to be on. Do I want to put myself through that agony?

Well, here's the rub: I already applied. I edited together an audition tape, painstakingly and honestly answered the questions on the long application, combed through family photos, then attached everything to an email as instructed to BL14Casting@gmail.com, addressed to the Cool Kid, with the fervent prayer of "Pick Me" woven into every electronic fiber of the biography I wrote as an introductory note BEFORE I found the aforementioned interview on the web. Now I'm trying my best not to obsess and worry about being passed over because I may have been considered undeserving. 

This second interview I found clarifies the sentiment a little more and makes me feel a bit better:

"Who they want: Nickens says that past seasons have often relied on contestants who were TV savvy, with big personalities and dramatic stories to tell, but this time he’s after something different. “For Season 14, we’re looking to get back to basics. The most-important thing is to find a deserving, “rootable” person. … It’s good to have a little back story, someone who’s been dealt a rough hand, but this is a golden ticket. We want to give it to someone who is deserving of the opportunity. A person who will pay it forward.”"

The word "deserving" as it's used here is a bit more positive than it was in the other article. And, given the rest of this second excerpt, I feel I fit the criteria of what it takes to join the Cool Team because my mind has already been on a way to pay it forward, not just the opportunity but life's lessons in general. 

I'm definitely ready to play. So I guess this means I'll be heading to this weekend's open casting call. Now, what to wear...?

QoMV