The Real Gilligan's Island Season 2

Pre-Show Experience

       I was at a point in my life where I literally had nothing. I had just dropped out of school, and had taken a 5 dollar an hour job as a hotel cabana boy, even though I was greatly overqualified. The simple fact of the matter was that I needed a job as quickly as I could get one. I needed to eat. It was nothing glamorous, but until I made enough money to get my life back on track. I ate the unfinished food that guests didn't eat from our pool grill. This was my rock bottom.

     After a few months, I was able to afford a place to live and a vehicle to get to and from work. However, at this point, it was just about all that I had. Across the state, I worried over and tried to figure out a plan to save a fragmented family. My mother was sick and I was beginning to see trends in her sickness that worried me. Nonetheless, I was content with my lot in life and spent my nights getting into shape, studying on my own, or seeking adventure downtown.

     One day at work, a buddy of mine named Jack Runkle mentioned that he read in the paper that they were holding auditions downtown for Gilligan's Island and that I should go out for it. He knew that I was an avid opportunist who took any chance. Later that day, my Uncle Rusty called and recanted the same thing to me. I laughed the both off, as I had never fancied myself an actor.

     Well, as luck would have it, I was downtown trying to sneak into a concert at Janus Landing, but unable to, walked down to the pier where I had parked. I saw a crowd there and remembered about the audition. I figured that since I was a rather intelligent guy with a biology background, that I would go for the role of the professor. While in line, I was told that it was a reality show and that the professor had to have a PhD. Since I was in line, I figured I'd just try to play up the role of Gilligan.

     On the application, one of the questions was, "If you win the money, what would you spend it on?" My answer was, "a lung transplant to save my mother." We were divided into two lines, and a newscaster in costume as a Maryanne said that she thought we were the line that didn't have a chance. When it came time for my interview, I knew I had to embellish my goofy side a bit. I danced. I acted a little spastic. Luckily, I've always been good at reading people, and was able to feed the producer everything he wanted. On the application, under unusual talents, I had written, "I can climb anything I can get my arms around." To prove it, I climbed a steel girder in the building and swung around through the rafters. When I landed and shook the producers hand, I knew I had the part. This was in May.

     In the coming months, I decided that if this was indeed, a chance to save my mother, I needed to dedicate my all to it. I trained hard. I ran every night. I researched and studied up on various plants, animals, and survival techniques. I read and memorized facts about Gilligan's Island. I was prepared.

     Come July 4th, I received a call informing me that I made call-backs and they were to fly me to L.A. Everyone at work freaked out, but I honestly wasn't surprised. I even told them that I knew I had the part already. I flew out to L.A. and had a physical, psychological exams, background checks, and the whole gamut. When it came time for my final interview, I knew I needed to be in rare form, so I used "substance enhancing chemicals." I purposely didn't eat anything while I was out there. Ten minutes before my interview, I crushed up 3 caffeine pills and downed them for quick absorption.

     During my interview, I was again able to read exactly what they wanted. What I wasn't aware of was that Mike Fleiss and Sherman Schwartz were watching my interview from the next room. I was invited to go over and meet them. Rather than suck up or act humbled in their presence, I ignored them and focused more on the bowl of candy, (knowing that Gilligan had a sweet tooth.) I asked them if I could have some of the candy since I didn't have any food. They consented and I grabbed an exaggeratedly large handful. I had to naturally appear as they character they wanted. They smiled at each other and I knew that my ploy had worked.

     I continued my training until I was running 10 miles a night. I could successfully weave rope from bark and mastered any skills someone truely shipwrecked should know. I got the call that I made the show while I was in the middle of driving someone to the hospital for an emergency, so I was less focused on the call. One producer said, "You don't sound surprised." I told her I knew I had it since day one. I was told that I was chosen to be on Season 2 since they needed stronger characters. They believed that Season 1 would be fine no matter who they stuck in because of fact it was a new, novel show.

     In October, after I had received all my immunizations, I found myself aboard a plan and flying to Cancun Mexico. I was supposed to be picked up by someone with a sign that said "Allies," but that person never showed. I couldn't call anyone because a small Spanish woman stole my calling card, and I didn't have any money. So I made my own "Allies" sign and sat outside of the airport on the sidewalk. Eventually, a large man in a Hawaiian shirt and bandana walked up to me and asked if I was picking him up. I told him I thought he was picking me up. Realizing that we were both cast members and it was against the rules to meet ahead of time, Charlie went the other direction and pointed me to my ride, who was at the wrong gate.

     I was then driven South and put up into a luxurious suite. The only problem was that I wasn't allowed to leave my room. So I spent my time doing laps back and forth and pushups for 2 days. Any time they let me visit the buffet for food, I gorged myself knowing I needed to start carb loading.

     For a couple days I was shuttled back and forth for pictures, promos and ultimately the intro to the show where I met the green team. I assumed it was survivor like, and had a few stratagems that I was going to use to win. I had also thought about what would happen if I didn't win. I was still on a goal to save my mom's life, so decided that I needed to get as much air time as possible on the chance that I could segue myself into a little fame and raise some money.

     While we weren't allowed to talk about anything other than small talk, before the game, I felt the cast out to see who would best fit my plans. Finally, we were blindfolded and driven south to the location of the "island" or as I call it "peninsula."