Commack Grad Living The Dream On ‘$100,000 Pyramid’
/By Janee Law
jlaw@longislandergroup.com
Commack High School graduate Jeffrey Eisner, right, partners with actor Steve Schirripa, left, of television show “Blue Bloods,” to compete in ABC’s “$100,000 Pyramid.” Photo by Lou Rocco
When Jeffrey Eisner was 6 years old, he looked forward to watching his favorite game show, “$100,000 Pyramid.”
Back in ’80s, as he watched, he’d think to himself, “I have to be on this game show.”
Eisner, a Commack native, and now 35, added, “You really felt the excitement go through the television and you felt like you were there cheering them on.”
Now, his dream has come true. As part of the hit series’ return to television this summer, Eisner will be featured as one of the contestants on this Sunday’s broadcast.
“It goes to show that if you really want to do something all your life, you should go for it because a guy from Commack was able to get on his dream game show,” said Eisner, a 1999 grad of Commack High School.
When the casting call for the episode was brought to Eisner’s attention, he jumped at the opportunity and sent in his application. After the audition process, Eisner got one of the greatest calls of his life: He got cast in the show.
“I lost my mind. Picture someone telling you that something that you’ve always dreamed of doing was actually going to become a reality,” Eisner, who now lives in Queens, said. “I nearly passed out.”
The show is organized with two teams of celebrities and citizens teaming up to give and receive clues to through word-associated games.
In April, Eisner traveled into Manhattan to film the episode, where he paired up with actor Steve Schirripa, of CBS’ “Blue Bloods,” and actress Melissa Peterman, of Freeform’s “Baby Daddy.”
“It was surreal to go from playing a game that you typically sit at home with friends playing to sitting in a studio with celebrities playing the game,” Eisner said. “The whole thing was very unbelievable.”
Eisner, who graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington in 2003, works in public relations as a video producer. He promised that those watching the show at home will be “absolutely entertained.”
The episode is set to air on ABC at 9 p.m. on Aug. 14. It will also feature actress Teri Polo, of Freeform’s “The Fosters,” and actor Zachary Levi, of NBC’s “Chuck.”
Other contestants on the episode include Jenn Lyles, of Nashville; Loghan Bazan, of College Park, Maryland; and Babak Hagh, of Shelton, Connecticut.
The show, which moved on and off the air since its debut in 1973, was rebooted this summer with host Michael Strahan, who replaced Dick Clark.
