You are reading

Astoria resident wins it big on Wheel of Fortune

RJ WW

R.J. Vaillancourt

March 17, 2015 By Michael Florio

An Astoria man will be on Wheel of Fortune this Friday and will be taking home a big check.

R.J. Vaillancourt, 24, who spent months auditioning for the show, will be a contestant on this Friday’s episode that is airing at 7:30 pm on WABC-TV. While he won, WABC-TV would not disclose how much.

Vaillancourt said he went online and signed up to be on the show about 18 months ago and thought nothing would ever come of it. He said that he was then asked to send in audition tape to the show–and, again, thought it would amount to nothing. Then he received an email asking him to attend auditions.

“There were a lot of other people auditioning at the time,” he said.

After auditioning, Vaillancourt was told he would be notified via mail within two weeks if he were to be selected.

“I checked my mail frantically for two weeks,” he said. “On the fourteenth day nothing came and I was so, so upset.”

However, just when he thought all was lost, a friend who had also auditioned received an acceptance letter just days later. He hurried home to get his mail and found out that he would be on the show.

“I was so excited, but even more relieved that it happened,” he said.

Vaillancourt, who lives near Ditmars Blvd., has resided in the neighborhood for about three years—-after graduating from Fordham University in 2012 majoring in theater. He grew up in Rockland County and now works in New York as a full time actor.

In terms of the game, Vaillancourt said that the atmosphere was intense, yet very exciting.

“The board is way bigger in person than you could ever imagine,” he said. “There is so much going on at once it’s almost overwhelming.”

However, he said the hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White did a good job helping the contestants relax.

“Pat and Vanna were so awesome,” he said. “Pat is even more fun in real life than you’d expect. He’s a cool dude, whose just having a good time and making sure everyone is at ease.”

He said it was still nerve racking, although he decided he would just make the most out of it and have fun.

However, he has been a lifelong fan of the show.

“As long as I can remember I’ve watched it,” he said. “I always performed well while watching.”

He said heading into the show he was just thinking how he would be happy winning anything, but quickly realized it had the potential to change his life.

“You want to go in there and win, but you don’t expect to,” he said. “I wanted it so, so badly.”

He said that he might use his [undisclosed] winnings to find a new apartment in Astoria.

“I can’t imagine ever moving from Astoria; honestly, I love it here.”

Wheel of Fortune was created by Merv Griffin in 1975 and is in its 32nd season in syndication. Sajak and White have hosted it since 1983.

.

email the author: news@queenspost.com

One Comment

Click for Comments 
Jean

How exciting! Congratulations, R.J.! I look forward to watching you kick some butt when the episode airs on Friday. 🙂

Reply

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

DA Katz introduces Kimi, the facility dog providing comfort to Queens crime victims

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz introduced one of the newest members of her team on Wednesday as part of her office’s public information campaign during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Kimi, a 2-year-old golden retriever/Labrador retriever, has been appointed as a facility dog to provide comfort and companionship to crime victims and witnesses. “Kimi has been an extraordinary addition to our team here at the Queens District Attorney’s Office,” Katz said. “She’s affectionate, highly trained, and has already assisted survivors and witnesses and put them at ease.”

Mets to host playoff watch parties at Citi Field

Oct. 3, 2024 By Ethan Marshall

As the New York Mets look to clinch a trip to the National League Division Series Wednesday night in Milwaukee, the team announced that beginning as early as Thursday, Oct. 3, Citi Field will be hosting watch parties of select away games during the playoffs.

Op-ed: Time to register, license, and insure motorized two-wheelers before our streets become even more dangerous

Oct. 2, 2024 By Tom Grech, Councilmember Sandra Ung and Assemblymember Sam Berger

Businesses are feeling the impact. From Astoria to Flushing, sidewalks and streets that once allowed shoppers to stroll safely have become obstacle courses where two-wheelers zip past at alarming speeds, weaving between pedestrians and cars with little regard for the rules of the road. When customers are concerned for their safety, they are less likely to visit, which hurts both business owners and the wider local economy. Haphazardly parked two-wheelers frequently block sidewalks and parking spaces in our commercial corridors, making it more difficult for customers to access our local businesses. This is especially true for seniors and individuals with mobility issues, who now have the added challenge of navigating around e-vehicles to shop at their favorite stores or eat at their favorite restaurants.