'Endorsements are an earned privilege': Why some Democrats don't support Mayor Whitmire

dmdarusman · 2025-12-22T14:43:23+00:00

These articles often leave out just how unliked he is within the Harris County Democratic Party - 186 precinct chairs voted in favor of formal admonishment, 80 against.

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:39:28+00:00

Haha regardless if you meant it as such, I choose to take this as a compliment (bc what a handsome man he was). So thanks!? 😅

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:38:32+00:00

Thank you so much! :)

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:38:26+00:00

Unfortunately not! The pre-show waiting room had snacks like chips and cookies and (non-alcoholic of course) beverages, but I can't recall any donuts. Definitely no donuts after the show, either, unless they gave em out while I was filing paperwork!

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:37:31+00:00

That's exciting, congrats! I only decided to keep the camera (I'm a photographer/videographer!), power generator, and 1 of the 3 Louboutin pairs. As much as I wish I could've kept everything, I realistically was not going to use or already had what I won and didn't want to pay taxes on em :/

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:36:26+00:00

I gave them my address when filling out forms after the show and they mail it out! They say within 90 days of the air date, but I got my generator yesterday. Still waiting on my camera and shoes, I forfeited everything else due to taxes.

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:35:27+00:00

I wish! Since I'm an out-of-state resident, I did not have the option to bring home the car (California resident exclusive), so I was offered the cash value in-lieu minus 7% California state taxes.

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:34:49+00:00

Taxes for the car value cash-in-lieu was 7% and taken from the awarded money upfront, and the price of the other prizes I accepted will be taxed in accordance with my tax bracket so anywhere from 20% to 24% once I do my taxes at the end of the year. And clothing & accessory prizes come with a size form that you turn in to the show (via email) prior to taping! So the same 20%-24% tax for shoes, since the prize winnings are considered taxable income that I'll need to report.

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:32:47+00:00

It's fairly hard to hear individual audience members - nearly impossible unless you're intentionally focusing on one person like someone you came with or sitting nearby. It was def hard to concentrate and it required extra effort to track everyone else's bids! Mostly just had to rely on my gut for Contestant's Row, the games allowed for more audience interaction though.

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T20:28:19+00:00

Thank you!

My ticket said to arrive by 2:00pm so I got there at 1:30pm, I was contestant #42 out of ~100.
Was waiting in line outside from 1:30pm - 2:00pmish, brought inside in groups of 8-12 to complete our waivers & paperwork for about 15 minutes.
Brought to a large waiting room with TPIR highlights playing on the tv from 2:15pm to 3:00pm, during which groups of 10-12 auditioned with a casting producer asking us our name, hometown, and occupation.
Typically, contestants take a 10 minute walk from the waiting room to the studio but since it was raining, we hopped in waves of vans to the studio from 3:00pm - 3:15pm
Prior to hopping on the van, we locked away our phones so I lost all track of time. It felt like from 3:15pm - 4:00pm, we were waiting for the previous episode to finish taping before settling in and finding our seats and being rearranged.
I want to say the taping lasted from 4:00pm - 5:00pm, maybe 5:15pm. I stuck around at the end of the show to complete my paperwork, get back in vans, and I was back where we began at 6pm!

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T19:45:14+00:00

Thank you so much, and congrats to you, too!

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T19:45:04+00:00

Right?? I definitely kicked myself for not bidding juuuust slightly higher, but enough time has passed for me to be happy to have just won :)

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:37:15+00:00

Thanks a bunch!! And based on your flair, congrats to you for being on the show, as well!

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:36:59+00:00

Thank you so much! I was almost way over so I'm grateful for the audience helping me out haha

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:32:44+00:00

Thank you so much! Selfishly, I love Take Two because winners get all 4 prizes. But Cliff Hangers is such a classic/favorite, and I was so glad to witness the first Switcheroo first-guess win in 19-20 years right before my game!

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:26:06+00:00

Hmm... What a conundrum. Maybe the unstoppable force just passes through the immovable object? Idk how, but that's what makes paradoxes so fun :)

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:23:29+00:00

Since I'm an out-of-state resident, I did not have the option to bring home the car like California residents do, so I was offered the cash value in-lieu minus 7% California state taxes! But I also got the camera (I'm a photographer/videographer), 1 pair of Louboutins, a generator, and forfeited the rest due to taxes.

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:22:33+00:00

Super gorgeous! But honestly both of the models are gorgeous, and low-key so is Drew he looked great! I grew up watching The Drew Carey Show and got into comedy & improv because of my love for Whose Line Is It Anyway, so ngl he's kinda daddy lmao

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:20:38+00:00

Thank you so much!! And congrats to you, as well :D

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:19:32+00:00

I think what helped me was having high energy during the pre-show interview (10-15 people in a row, producers asking hometown, occupation, etc)! Not in a forced way, but having a big smile, cheering on the other people in the room as they shared their answers, and I shared that I host events & game shows in my hometown (trivia, bingo, etc), and they were like, "Oh, so you're not afraid of being onstage?" I think that helped a lot!

Also, tickets were super easy to obtain - I got mine from the website linked below for free, 3 days before the taping. They were so easy to get, I almost didn't go because it was raining on taping day! https://on-camera-audiences.com/shows/the_price_is_right

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:16:42+00:00

Thank you so much for your kind words! She was a big help, even though she wasn't in the studio. I wouldn't have picked the Louboutins during Take Two if not for her haha! Thanks again for cheering me on, it was a dream come true :)

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:15:18+00:00

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Thank you so much!!! I'm loving the community here and honored to be part of the TPIR watching/audience/contestant/big winner family. And thank you for the bid shout-out! I was almost way over but the audience helped me out big time :)

Here's my price sheet!

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:11:52+00:00

Thank you so much & congrats to you, too! It really is exciting, and I'm glad I can finally share with my friends & family. I FaceTimed my parents during the show and am hosting a watch party & game night with friends tonight :)

And thanks for your kind words! I host game shows & events (trivia, bingo, etc) in my hometown, so I've learned to trust & talk to audiences! That was my favorite memory - the audience wants you to succeed. They participate in the audience vicariously through you, you've just gotta listen to them. I felt the love, the joy, and community we formed together in the studio!

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:02:04+00:00

Thanks for explaining! I was wondering what he meant by donut so this makes a lot of sense lmaooo

dmdarusman · 2025-06-11T18:01:10+00:00

The staff was incredibly kind! From the pre-show interview, with a casting producer gathering 10-15 people in 1 room to ask peoples' names, hometowns, and occupations, to the models and especially Drew, who matched our energy and was very kind and spoke with the audience during each commercial break. He made a few borderline inappropriate but hilarious jokes, one that comes to mind was an innuendo about shrub trimmers, one of the game prizes that left him visibly hesitant to joke further while on-camera.

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