Ohio Math Teacher's Heartbreak, Triumph On 'Family Feud'

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OH — Cleveland Heights High School math teacher Margo Murphy-Speight and her family will appear Feb. 6-7 on Channel 19's long-running TV game show "Family Feud." Their journey to television was winding and heartbreaking.

The trek began in 2017, when Murphy-Speight's sister, Melissa, harassed her family about auditioning for the show.

"I, along with the rest of the family, would just laugh at her and shrug it off," Murphy-Speight told Patch. That all changed after an episode of "Family Feud" aired and, at the end, the screen lit up with the words, "Auditions for Family Feud coming to Ohio."

Murphy-Speight's husband, Chris, paused the show and took a picture of the screen. He sent the photograph to Melissa. Then the wheels were in motion.

Melissa emailed the "Family Feud" producers and told them why her family should be on the show. Her email was accompanied by a short video of the family at Christmas. The recording, Murphy-Speight said, was a simple home video, with the family being goofy and having fun. It impressed the producers.

The family was told to go to Kalahari Resorts Sandusky for the tryouts. Six family members arrived and played a mock game against another family. After the game was over, Murphy-Speight and her family were guided into another room, where they filmed short interviews about themselves. The family was elated with their performance.

"We were so pumped, and it rubbed off on others, as they high-fived us after we finished," she told Patch.

Footage of the game, and the interviews, was sent to Los Angeles for review. Several weeks passed.

Then Melissa heard back. Everyone would be flown to Los Angeles for an appearance on "Family Feud." Murphy-Speight, Melissa, Monica (Murphy-Speight's other sister), Chris and Marilyn (her mother) were all chosen for the game show. They would get to meet host Steve Harvey.

They were scheduled to fly to Los Angeles in May 2018. The family had just arrived in Denver and were waiting for a connecting flight to Los Angeles. Then tragedy struck. Hours after saying goodbye to his family, Murphy-Speight's father, Melvin Murphy, died.

"This was a huge shock to us because two hours before he passed away, my dad had dropped off my mom and sisters at the airport, wishing us well," Murphy-Speight said. "Shocked and confused, we contacted 'Family Feud' producers who were so nice and understanding. Expressing their sincerest condolences, they rerouted us back to Cleveland."

The family mourned and rallied around each other. They said goodbye to a father and husband. They regrouped.

A year passed.

The family made the decision to reach out to the "Family Feud" producers. They were ready to try again. The producers agreed — they still wanted the Murphys on their show.

In June 2019, Murphy-Speight and her family were flown to Los Angeles.

"We met the producers who we had been in contact with during the time our father passed away," she said. "They really felt like family, giving us hugs and still offering their condolences."

During the filming, the family wore buttons to honor their father, Melvin.

The family ended up playing three games. They cannot talk about the results until the episodes air, but Murphy-Speight said the experience was thrilling and unforgettable. And Steve Harvey was lovely.

"He was very down to earth, funny, and gave motivational talks between shows and during commercial breaks. He really takes his time to talk to each family member before the game begins," she said. "This helped us feel more comfortable and at ease."

The family's episodes will air at 3 p.m. Feb. 6 and 7 on Channel 19. Their first episode appeared Jan. 29 on WOIO.