By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Wednesday, May 8, 2015
NBC's "The Biggest Loser" is offering my readers front-of-the-line audition access for five lucky pairs on July 18 in Atlanta. This upcoming 17th season, the show is doing couples again, meaning any compelling combination, whether it's spouses, best friends, siblings, parent-child et. al.
Just email me at rho@ajc.com by Wednesday, July 15 at 3 p.m. to qualify. I will put your names in a random drawing and if you get one of the slots, I'll contact you later that day.
UPDATE: I received 20 entries. Thank you! Congrats to Danielle, Megan, Kristi, Karen and Patrick for winning!
Both of you would need to be at least 80 pounds overweight. The winner could take home $250,000.
If you make the show, you'll be placed on a ranch and given a trainer to help you lose weight. Former Atlantan Dolvett Quince remains one of the trainers.
This front-of-the-line access doesn't guarantee that you'll get past the first round. This just means you won't have to wait as long as everybody else.
Nonetheless, you can still show up at the Georgian Terrace across from the Fabulous Fox Theatre in Midtown on Saturday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, July 18.
The casting director will sit 10 people down at a table and you'll have a discussion. From there, the producers can see if you have the drive, the sincerity and the story to qualify for the show.
Here are the details:
10AM – 4PM
The Georgian Terrace Hotel
659 Peachtree Street NE
Atlanta, GA 30308
Randy Bernstein, a casting director who has also worked on "Top Chef," "Masterchef" and "Millionaire Matchmaker," said "The Biggest Loser" is a favorite of his. "I love casting this show," he said. "When we were asked to do this again, I came back with bells on. This show will change people's lives. They come out of this show stronger, leaner and adding years to their lives. This show speaks to me."
He has nothing to do with the production of the show, which has been criticized for the way it could create unrealistic expectations for viewers, encourages questionable weight-losing methods once contestants go home for the sake of the prize money and hardly guarantees participants don't regain the weight once the show is over.
Bernstein is merely looking for people who truly want to lose weight. "I really look for someone that has that burning desire deep inside," he said. "You can weed out the fakers and the people who are just saying things you want to hear. We've been doing this so long, I would definitely say I have a pretty good BS meter."
You should have one basic questions ready with good answers: "Why are you here? Why now? Why haven't you been able to lose the weight yourself."
As for casting reality shows, he has been doing it for a decade and says "it never gets old. And this one has such a big payoff. It's always amazing to get to the finale every season and see the transformation."
And often times, "Biggest Loser" alum will show up at the casting call to encourage would-be contestants. At the point I talked to him, he wasn't sure who might be there. But I'll update this with any names if I get them.
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