Tired of watching UCLA lose without a prayer?
Then tune in and cheer on fourth-year biomedical and French
student Carrie Brubaker as she goes for the gusto against a student
from USC tonight on Hollywood Squares.
“I never really felt the rivalry, except during the
football season,” Brubaker said.
That is of course before stacks of cash were on the line, and
the only thing between her and pay day was a Trojan.
“Let’s face it, we’re all college students and
we all need the money,” Brubaker said. Even though she adds,
“He was a nice Trojan.”
Brubaker aspires to be a biochemistry professor, and is
currently working on a research project exploring the uses of
bioactive polymers.
“When I brought my biochem reader to the taping people
were like “˜dang, that’s your homework!'”
she said.
Needless to say, she didn’t doubt whether or not she had
the right stuff to excel at the contest questions.
“I think it is fluff for the most part,” Brubaker
said. “They admitted it themselves. They revel in the fact it
is not the most intellectual show.”
Brubaker’s experience was ameliorated by the joking and
friendly Hollywood Squares producer Henry “The Fonze”
Winkler.
“He is the coolest guy ever,” she said.
“He’s just awesome. He was really appreciative and took
the time out to shake our hands and talk to us.”
Brubaker wasn’t phased when meeting the stars of the show;
such as “Bobby’s World” star Howie Mandel,
Olympic speed skater Apollo Anton Ono, and “Suddenly
Susan” star Sally Kirkland.
“I’ve never been star struck. Stars are really
short. It’s weird. Across the board they were all
5-foot-7,” Brubaker said.
Aside from being taller than most of the stars she met on the
show, Brubaker believes that living in Los Angeles has desensitized
her to seeing famous people.
“You kind of get jaded living in West L.A. You get over
it, after going to premiers and what not,” she said.
Brubaker loved her experience on the show and hopes more UCLA
students try out. She says getting on was as simple as calling a
number from an ad she saw in the Daily Bruin, and then going down
to the television station for some simple formalities.
Tonight’s show is part of a series of shows making up the
Hollywood Squares College Tournament. During the taping, Brubaker
met people from 14 other schools across the country, made new
friends, and had a blast doing it.
“It was a fun environment, with fun people, and it was
nice to spend a weekend doing that,” she said.
A rigorous academic schedule keeps Brubaker busy, and
she’s always looking for some kind of break outside of
Westwood. She says being on a game show is one of the unique
opportunities she has discovered.
“All the pieces are there, the stars, the glitter, going
to the television studio, everyone wants to be rich and you get to
earn money; it’s a purely L.A. experience,” she
said.