Elmhurst Teacher Competes on NBC's 'Hollywood Game Night'

Patty Chirumbolo is nearly finished keeping secrets about her appearance as a contestant on NBC’s “Hollywood Game Night.”

The Hawthorne Elementary School teacher and Lombard resident couldn’t tell anyone where she was going when she missed school to fly to Los Angeles as a finalist for the show.

So far, she’s also avoided being tricked into spilling the beans about the episode’s outcome, and she just has to keep the secret until her television debut at 9 p.m. Aug. 11.

“Hollywood Game Night” features two contestants playing party games accompanied by celebrity teammates for a chance to win up to $25,000.

Catch a glimpse of Patty Chirumbolo in this episode preview.

Chirumbolo said the show was made for her, and she and her husband watch it all the time. So it wasn’t a huge surprise when her pop culture prowess successfully lead her through several rounds of interviews and applications.

“I wasn’t nervous, just super excited,” she said. “This is who I am, how could I not get on this show? I basically just had to be myself.”

With eight years of teaching under her belt, Chirumbolo also found she wasn’t nervous about competing in front of an audience. She’s used to keeping her cool in front of a crowd. She even chatted with one of her celebrity teammates, Kevin Smith, about his daughter and school systems.

Her team also included Justin Long and Haley Joel Osment.

“Everyone was really nice, and no one had an attitude like, ‘I’m famous,’” Chirumbolo said. “It was just like a party, and you’re mingling. But the people you’re mingling with are famous.”

Craig Robinson also stopped by the set, and Chirumbolo got to tell him how much she loved him in “The Office.”

Chirumbolo said she was surprised how intense the application and filming process is, and she advised TV game show hopefuls to apply for shows that suit who they are.

“Find something you enjoy doing and something you’re good at, and be yourself.”

Chirumbolo will watch her episode at home Tuesday night, accompanied by friends and family who are dying to see her compete for — and possibly win — the grand prize.

You can catch the “Hollywood Game Night” episode featuring Chirumbolo at 9 p.m. Aug. 11 on NBC

Photos by Ben Cohen/NBC.