They stood in line five, six, seven hours for their 15 seconds.
"I want to meet Howie!" they screamed.
"I want to pay my house off!"
"I want the million bucks!"
The exclamations came from the hopeful souls clamoring to become constants on the hit TV game show "Deal or No Deal." Organizers estimated as many as 10,000 people showed up Saturday at the Folsom Auto Mall for a 15-second tryout. Show contestants pick among money-filled briefcases for a chance to win $1 million.
Producer Neal Konstantini wouldn't divulge what casting agents were looking for in that 15 seconds. Candidates were simply asked to state their name, age, hometown and what they would do with the money.
"It's dumb luck," said Konstantini, who spent much of the day corralling the unwieldy line with his golf cart. Konstantini said he wasn't sure how many people would actually get on the show from Saturday's tryout, if any.
Still they waited. And waited.
A trio of middle-aged women passed the time by dancing and screaming like teenagers to an MC Hammer tune pumping through the concert-sized outdoor speakers.
"They want you to be hyper," shouted a shimmying Liz Carpenter, 54, of Rio Vista, before emitting a shriek that became contagious.
It turned out to be good strategy.
Carpenter descended into the Chrysler showroom-turned-casting studio along with her two dance partners: Alice Baratone, 49, of Rio Vista, and Whitney Moore, 55, of Roseville.
But when Baratone and Moore emerged less than a minute later, Carpenter was still inside.
Producers apparently liked her energy, and kept her around at least another half-hour for a second audition.
Surmised Moore: "They either kidnapped Liz, or she's going to Hollywood."
As for her own prospects, Moore was glum.
"I don't stand a ghost of a chance," she said.
But the rejection didn't dim her enthusiasm.
Another tryout, she said, is scheduled for next weekend in Reno.
Call The Bee's Todd Milbourn, (916) 321-1063.
