Carol Kaelson/Wheel of Fortune®/© 2024 Califon Productions, Inc. ARR.
Tool Elementary Principal Brandi Sutton will appear on Wheel of Fortune at 6:28 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12 on CBS. 

Courtesy Photo/Brandi Sutton
Students at Tool Elementary play a game with Principal Brandi Sutton upon her return from filming Wheel of Fortune.  

CEDAR CREEK LAKE—A lifelong dream for Tool Elementary Principal Brandi Sutton turned into reality when she was selected to appear on the Wheel of Fortune game show. Sutton says the game show was something she grew up watching and as an adult would watch while she cooked dinner or folded laundry. She said that appearing on a game show, specifically Wheel of Fortune was on her “extensive bucket list.” Five years ago she began applying via their website. “You fill out an application and turn in a video of yourself explaining why you want to be on the show,” said Sutton. She said she would remember during the summer when she had some downtime, to reapply every year. 
The email came in October, stating that she had been chosen as a potential contestant for the first round of interviews. She had her interview where she says it was a producer and another contestant over a Zoom call where the producer gauges personalities, whether the contestants are presentable, and if they will be a good fit for the show. “I found out really quick that I had made it to the next round where it’s another Zoom call. Then you get to the round where there are 10 to 12 applicants in a large Zoom room where applicants are gauged with toss-up puzzles,” Sutton says. She explains that this is where the producers are testing how quickly you can solve puzzles. From there she was put into a private zoom room where she was tested on more puzzles. That was in early December, and she didn’t hear back until she checked her email on a bad weather day for the district. That’s when Sutton saw the email, you’ve been chosen as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune. Sutton says she had 24 hours to reply to the email and confirm a taping in Los Angeles, Calif., in less than a week. 
“A lot of people think they fly you out there, pay for your expenses, but they don’t,” Sutton explained. She says they were quickly booking flights and hotel rooms for the following week. Sutton was able to bring her husband and two family members along for the experience. “The experience was amazing! Once we got to California, I had to check in really early in the morning, where the studio tapes six shows in one day, and that is their week of shows,” explains Sutton. After years of watching Vanna White her whole life, Sutton was able to meet her. Sutton stated that, “She was so normal. She came up and hugged everyone.” One thing that surprised her was the size of the wheel. “The wheel is really small. On T.V. it looks humongous, and the group of contestants spoke about how much smaller it is in reality,” commented Sutton. She says many rounds of hair and makeup were had that day in Sony Studios. 
Sutton says she would love to try Wheel of Fortune again, but they make you wait 10 years before you can apply to be a contestant again. “I love game shows and I love games and I would love to do another type of game show,” shared Sutton. 
Even Tool Elementary jumped in on the Wheel of Fortune fun. When Sutton arrived back at the school, the students made a wheel with a puzzle to solve for their principal during their morning meeting. The category was funny phrases and once Sutton solved the puzzle it read, “We are wheely proud of you.”
Unfortunately, we won’t know how Sutton faired during her taping until we tune in to CBS channel 11 at 6:28 p.m., Tuesday, March 12. “I never thought I would get the chance, but I feel lucky that I got the experience,” stated Sutton.