T.O. woman wins big at ‘Wheel’
By Michelle Knight
knight@theacorn.com

Pooneh Nasrollahnia was born the same year the "Wheel of Fortune" debuted on TV. So it seemed she’d be destined to win when she appeared as a contestant on the game show. And she did.

Even though Nasrollahnia had never been on a game show before, she won nearly $21,000 in an episode that aired last week. Coincidentally, it was the same week she turned 22 years old.

"It was fun," said the computer animation student, who’ll graduate in June.

The show is one of TV’s highest-rated series. Last year, more than 1 million people wanted to audition as ‘Wheel’ contestants. Nasrollahnia was among the fewer than 600 who got the chance.

While on the Cal State Northridge campus last year, the Thousand Oaks resident learned that an audition would be held for the show. Being a fan, Nasrollahnia was excited when her name was one of the several drawn from a turn drum filled with hundreds of other names. She played a simulation game on the school’s campus; representatives from the show liked what they saw and subsequently sent her a letter asking her to show up for another audition

This time the audition was conducted in Los Angeles. Nasrollahnia was again selected, but as a stand-by contestant. She went to the "Wheel" studios, knowing it was unlikely she’d be in that day’s episode.

Nonetheless, she said, it proved helpful to observe how the show is put together. By doing so, she could get a feel for the show before becoming an actual contestant, which helped quell her nervousness and apprehension.

A few weeks later Nasrollahnia was in front of the cameras.

"Overall it was a good experience," said Nasrollahnia. "I would say to anybody, just give it a try; who knows what will happen?"

After taxes, which she expects will take about half of the $20,950 in winnings, she plans to give some money to her parents, invest some for a house one day and give the rest to a charity where 100 percent of the donation goes to the cause.

Nasrollahnia loved being on "Wheel of Fortune" and said, "Getting the money is just a bonus."

The two phrases she was the first to figure out on the show—"Paid in full" and "Partly sunny disposition"—not only paid off but also seem to describe her experience on the game show and her bubbly temperament.