Oversaw COVID compliance operations for GSN’s long-running family game show hosted by John Michael Higgins.
America Says is a word-association family game show on Game Show Network hosted by John Michael Higgins. As COVID-19 Compliance Production Manager, I oversaw COVID compliance operations for the live studio production, managing testing logistics, safety protocols, and contestant safety.
Behind the Scenes
Where were you?
Los Angeles, California
What’s the moment things went sideways?
One of the trickiest parts of this show was handling contestants who came on last minute. We’d often get word that a new contestant needed to compete with very little notice, which meant scrambling to get them tested and cleared in time for their spot. Stand-ins caused their own headache too: a few times they fell through the scheduling cracks, and we ended up doing rapid testing right at the stage to get everyone cleared. It pushed our day back by about two hours, but we got everyone tested and made sure the stage stayed safe.
A crew or cast story that still gets told
Since we were filming America Says and Common Knowledge at the same time, our two teams shared a lot of the same memories, this one included. On our first day of load in, the trucks were pulling in and the stage was just starting to go up. We were all moving into our offices, excited to kick off the season, when we heard over the walkie that the fire department had been called for a dumpster fire. At first we thought it was a joke about how chaotic load in can get, but when we stepped outside, sure enough, the dumpster at the company across from us was actually on fire. Once it was out, we all had a good laugh, though we couldn’t help wondering if it was some kind of sign for the season ahead.
What would a viewer never guess?
What most people don’t realize is just how many teams get interviewed before a single one makes it to air. Producers sit down with each contestant or team together and take detailed notes throughout, and when it comes time to pair them up against another team, there’s a lot more strategy involved than it looks like on screen.
What were you actually running day to day?
A big part of my day to day was overseeing testing for the contestants competing on the show. I set up their testing appointments, followed up with them to make sure everything stayed on schedule, and made sure they felt safe and taken care of the whole time they were with us on set.
What are you proudest of on this one?
What I’m proudest of is being able to pivot and keep the schedule moving no matter what came up during the day, while still keeping cast, crew, and contestants safe throughout filming. Staying flexible without ever losing sight of safety was something I took a lot of pride in.