Last summer, almost exactly a year ago, I stood barefoot in the kitchen of a beach house in North Carolina—rented by my best friend Sam—and casually dropped five words that would launch us into an unforgettable adventure:
“Beat Shazam auditions are open.”
A Little Backstory
I’m that music geek. The one who grew up in the ’70s and ’80s with Name That Tune as my babysitter. I speak in song titles. I hosted imaginary music quiz shows starring my toddlers before they were potty-trained.
So, when Beat Shazam—a modern spin on Name That Tune hosted by Jamie Foxx—debuted in 2017, it instantly became a summer staple in my house. I’d always dreamed of auditioning. And who better to join me than Sam—my best friend, artist manager, and fellow music junkie?
If I’d read the fine print, I’d have known that auditions are technically always open. But that didn’t stop us. We grabbed a laptop, headed to the deck, and recorded a hilariously goofy audition video (yes, there may have been wine involved).
Me and Sam on Halloween as JD and Turk from the 2000s NBC sitcom Scrubs
The Call That Changed Everything
Fast forward five months to January, 2025. Out of the blue, a casting director reached out. We had an audition with her team.
We were stunned.
She suggested we be in the same room for the call—thankfully, we live nearby. Sam set up the webcam and mic, and we hopped on Zoom. It felt more like a conversation than an audition. They wanted to know who we were, how we knew each other, and what made us tick. It was clear: they were looking for a story, not just trivia buffs.
While a confidentiality agreement prohibits me from sharing details of the process, I’ll share that we moved through to a late round. Documents were submitted, and we were in deep.
Beat Shazam is a game show in which you must beat a version of the app to win the big prize. (Credit: Seadog81 / Shutterstock.com)
The End
We made an error when invited to a later audition because Sam and I were temporarily in different states.
Sam was distracted in a hotel room. I was in a different part of the house with a weak signal. The chemistry we had in earlier rounds? Gone.
We knew we weren’t going to make it, and it felt a bit heartbreaking.
What We Learned
Sure, we were disappointed. But the experience taught us a few powerful lessons worth sharing:
- Story > Skill: Every game show—and every piece of content—thrives on compelling characters. Beat Shazam wanted people who could tell a story, not just name a tune. If you’re a content creator, ask yourself: Are you focusing more on what you deliver or how you deliver it?
- IRL Energy Matters: I work remotely and love it. But for the big moments? Be in the same room. Our best audition happened when we were together. The energy, the chemistry—it just doesn’t translate the same over Zoom.
- Music Is Connection: Beat Shazam reminded me why I love music. Every song is a story. If you’re in music or entertainment, ask yourself: is the music just background noise, or is it the main event?
The Encore?
Maybe next year. Maybe not. But one thing’s for sure:
The world needs more storytellers.
