Netflix released a brand new series last month called “Nailed It,” where contestants recreate baking disasters that happened in their very own kitchens for a grand prize of $10,000.
Ole Miss’ very own fan, Amanda Giles, was plucked from her hometown of Laurel, Mississippi to compete in the reality show. She was first approached by casting directors who witnessed her baking disaster on Facebook.
“I thought someone was pulling a prank on me because all my friends saw my baking disaster pictures I posted on Facebook,” Giles said. “After a Google search and finding out that it was, in fact, real, I discussed it with my family and decided to go for it.”
Being 70 years old, she didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to travel to Hollywood to be on a Netflix show. It was a dream that she could have never imagined but somehow fell into her lap.
Unknowing of the expectations of reality TV, Giles was showed the ins and outs of the production. The directors walked the participants through the set allowing them to become familiarized with the pantry and appliances that would be used during the competition. The cast members practiced entering onto set several times while the production crew positioned the cameras.
“It was mostly all highs for me – the fun, the adventure, the experience. I learned so much about the making of a TV show,” Giles said.
The show was unscripted and the producers wanted the contestants to be themselves, Giles said. The hostess and a comedian, Nicole Byer, presented the contestants with what was supposed to be duplicated.
The judges included Byer along with Jacques Torres, the famous chocolatier, and Zac Young, the famous pastry chef.
“The judges were fantastic and funny,” Giles said. “They kept us at ease during the filming of the show.”
Although Giles didn’t win the competition, she gained a lot of new experiences and friendships, she said. She and her fellow competitors are now connected for life and keep in touch through social media. Giles left California with the experience of stepping out of her comfort zone and branching out at the age of 70.
“It’s never too late, and you’re never too old,” Giles said.
Giles said she would be more than happy to reappear on television again. But she would stick to reality T.V. over scripted because memorizing lines isn’t her forté. She also learned to conquer her fears and just go for it.
“I’d rather be ran over than left behind,” Giles said.
“Nailed It” aired on March 9 and can be viewed on Netflix.com.
By Talbert Toole, associate editor of HottyToddy.com. He can be reached at talbert.toole@hottytoddy.com.
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