ICYMI: Commack Resident Appears on Wheel of Fortune

In case you missed it, here's a story that appeared last week in Commack Patch:

A contestant on last night's Wheel of Fortune episode might be familiar to some Commack residents.

Local resident 20-year-old Kyle Hirshon won $8,400 on the game show which aired on Wednesday night.

This was Hirshon's first time on the show, which he says he was a big fan of as a child, but he's hoping it's not his last.

"I would tune in every day to watch Pat and Vanna," he told Patch. "I went to 2 tapings a long time ago and I was hooked for life."

When he was old enough to be a contestant on the show, Hirshon auditioned through the show's website.

A year later in June, he was told by a friend that the contestant department would be doing final auditions in Brooklyn so he applied for a second time.

A few days later he was invited to go down and audition and about three weeks later he was selected to appear on the show.

In the fall Hirshon was given his tape date and flew out to Los Angeles to tape the episode.

"I felt confident that I was going to be on the show but at the same time I had my doubts," he said. "I mean I was a teenager, on the autism spectrum, and I had a lame job. When that letter finally came I knew I had potential."

The best part of the show for Hirshon was hanging out with his new friends and the studio and being treated like a celebrity.

"The whole staff and crew were so nice that I just felt very comfortable," he said. "Sure spinning the wheel was fun but just being there and experiencing what it's like to actually be a contestant and actually win money was an unforgettable experience and it is something that I will remember for the rest of my life."

For those who wish to be on Wheel of Fortune, Hirshon offers some tips:

"First you need to know how to play the game. Second you need to sound enthusiastic as well as look enthusiastic. You don't want to look like a monotone robot on national television," he said. "Third and most importantly, Buy your vowels because vowels are very important to the game and if you buy vowels you'll most likely end up with a lot more money."

Photo courtesy of Kyle Hirshon