Biggest Loser casting tips (season 9)

~ Matthew McNutt

Casting has begun for season nine of Biggest Loser. Here are some links with some great casting advice, followed by some of my own advice based on my experience getting on to season three of Biggest Loser (still the best season in my opinion!!!):

  • NBC has posted casting information and the application here.
  • Pete Thomas, the season 2 $100,000 winner has some of the best casting call advice out there, which you can find at www.WinningMan.com.
  • Jen Kerns, a season three contestant like myself, and a doctor for the show for seasons four and five, has also put together some fantastic casting advice that you can read here.
  • Holland, a casting director for Biggest Loser posted a ton of great casting advice in the comments below; I reposted here to make it easier to find.
  • My original casting tips post with over a thousand comments worth of discussion, click here.  Stacy, Adam, Phil, Amy and Coleen were all reading and posting in the discussion there – it’s fun to look back and realize they were some of the superstars of season six!
  • My second post (fairly identical to this one), with well over two thousand comments worth of discussion, click here.
  • If you’re dealing with disappointment about not being cast, then check out my post on Biggest Loser casting disappointment.

One of the questions I hear a lot is about money … how do contestants afford to be away from home and work for months at a time?  I don’t know what it is now, but when I was a contestant there was a $500 a week stipend for cast members on the ranch.  When you received the check you could cash it and spend it, send it home, save it, whatever.  All airplane tickets, hotel accommodations, etc., for the contestants and potential cast members are taken care of by NBC, and during the casting process it self there was a $50 per diem to cover food costs.

Another question is timing; typically a season lasts for about 8-9 months.  About four of this is spent in filming; if you last all the way until the final three or four, you could be away from home for as much as four months or so.  Once the ranch filming wraps and the last few contestants are sent home, however, there is still another four or five months that all the contestants have to continue losing weight until the finale.  In addition, potential cast members are flown out to California a couple weeks before filming begins for the final round of casting, medical checkups, psychological evals, etc.  NBC brings out more people than what they need and the cast is not finalized until filming literally begins.  People have been cut at the last minute and replacements flown in with hardly any time to spare.  Nothing is in stone until it’s on camera!

When will you hear from Biggest Loser about your video?  There is no way of knowing.  I heard back a few weeks after I sent it in, but even after that it’s a big waiting game.  If you get a phone number or email from a casting direction, definitely drop them a line/call every couple weeks to find out if you’re still in the running or what’s going on.  Schedules and plans change almost every day, so it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle.  If you don’t hear back within a month I would think your video didn’t make the cut.  That doesn’t mean you can’t send in another or visit a casting call – it’s just up to you!

Finally, here’s my video application tips!  This is by no means a recipe for success; it’s based on my video application and the conversations I had with casting directors out in LA in between things.  I was pretty curious about the whole process so I was pumping them for info even after filming began.  I’m such a nerd!

  • They’ve usually decided if they’re interested in you within the first 30-60 seconds of your video, so front load it with your best stuff.  Make it interesting!  Start off with something funny or exciting!
  • Keep in mind, if you’re going to be cast, your video is going to be watched hundreds of times by producers, executives, casting directors, etc.  If it bores you or your friends the second or third time watching it … put some more time into it!
  • Special effects?  Don’t bother!  We’ve all got video editing software with all sorts of bells and whistles on our home computers, but fancy transitions are not going to sell you to people who do video editing for a living.  In fact, it can distract from who you are.  I’m a video editing nerd and I didn’t use any special effects other than putting my name and contact info on as a subtitle at the beginning.
  • Don’t bother talking about why you need to lose weight.  When I first started filming my audition video I started describing all of my health reasons for losing weight – but when I was watching it back, I realized … they don’t need to hear it!  One look at me was all they needed to know I needed to lose weight!  Show them why you need to lose it; I said I needed to lose weight for my kids, and then I followed it with a minute or two of the best footage I could find of me with wrestling with my three boys.  We probably filmed half an hour of that insanity and I grabbed the cutest, loudest, and funniest few moments for the audition video.  Your physical need to lose weight is not nearly as interesting as who or what your losing the weight for.
  • Live loud!  Reality TV is over the top, dramatic, and filled with loud personalities.  They need to see that on your video!  I wanted them to know that even though  I was morbidly obese I was up to the challenge of the crazy competitions and workouts – so I threw on a bunch of clips from my different youth group activities; me getting slimed, snowtubing, playing paintball, screaming at events, being on stage, running around … you get the idea.  Other contestants did things appropriate to their lives; Tim from Oregon had himself spinning out on his Harley, Tim from Delaware recruited his elementary school class to do things with him, Heather Hanson filmed herself running around in a sports bra all day doing her household chores and errands.  The less talking and more action you can have, the better (in my opinion)!
  • If you have footage or photos of yourself thin, include those at some point on the video.  If you can show them what your after will be, then do it!

Remember, enjoy the conversation here and know that I will never compromise your anonymity – not to NBC, 3Ball, Casting Directors or anyone.  You can post anonymously, or you can leave your names and contact information … just remember that NBC likes to be the one announcing their cast for the show, so if you start identifying yourself publicly as a finalist, you’ll probably find yourself eliminated from the casting process.  Be aware that casting directors do check in at my blog to see what people are saying, get a feel for what questions are going on out there, and sometimes to give us updates.  Good luck to everyone … and let me know if you make the show!  I get a kick out of hearing about the different contestants that have hung out on my blog before making the show!  ;)

2,609 thoughts on “Biggest Loser casting tips (season 9)”

  1. Ahhh Yarra! That stinks. You were so close, and to have them call you is awesome. You will be getting on that show at some point I just know it. I wanted to ask if you would be willing to share you blog page that you have? I would love to see it.

    It is so hot here today! Ugh. Could be worse though, we have dry heat here.

    Tucker – Tides fan? Cougar fan here, sorry. We play Oklahoma for our opener. Ouch. That should be interesting.

  2. Thank you Dropin' in and Yarra for your posts. Even though I was going on with healthy food and exercise it's nice to really know. I've lost 12 lbs since we tried out in July. Once I read about Dropin's email that had specific dates and don't talk about it I knew we didn't get quite that far so we were out. I think both of us have enough to lose to be losing between now and Dec so we are prob going to give season 10 a try if it's couple or singles we'd be happy if they took either of us. And if we don't make season 10 we'll just keep trying on our own. I hope everyone sticks around to support each other and discuss Season 8. I'm still interested in the private FB group if everyone is doing that. Good luck to everyone on their journey.

  3. Yarra, I also am interested in the private Facebook group. I'm so sorry about your disappointment. That really reeks!

    Lookingfine…I think you may have misunderstood my last post. A few other posts appeared between mine and butterandsalt's post about "bringing on the college football." I LOVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL and was a little concerned that I would be missing my beloved Crimson Tide this season! In response to your question: My daughter emailed Holland on Saturday night and she sent a personal response the same day. I haven't communicated with anyone directly since the final 3 questions about 3-4 weeks ago now, but this emailed response was to both of us. My daughter and Holland are near the same age and seemed to have a lot in common (including being from Alabama). We had high hopes (as did all of you). Let's all continue to communicate and encourage one another. 🙂

  6. does anyone know Jodi Thomas' email? She told me I could email her, but then I didn't get her address.

    I'm at a loss for words. I think the tears speak for me.

  8. Sparkle…didn't she tell her email address on one of the You Tube videos? You might want to check hat out.

  11. Sparkle you doing ok? Hang in there everyone, now that it is final that they have contacted everyone it is ok to let yourself feel down but not for long, then you need to get back up on the bike and try again. We can do this. Baby steps.

  12. I'm still in the hospital with my mom. Feel like my emotions are hanging on by a thread. I've been on such a high for the last 6 weeks just sure I was going to be picked. Now to be crushed while I'm already under stress with my mom…my kids all had crying fits last night because of missing me and the people who were taking care of them being mean….I think I'm at an all-new low. Thanks for being an outlet for me. No one else would understand. I've got to stop crying now; it's worrying my mom. Bye.

  13. SPARKLE its ok to cry. Do what I do just tell your self that it can only get better if I make it better. Sounds like your kids would have missed you too much if you went to the ranch. Everything happens for reason, you can do anything you put your mind to, be strong. I will pray for you that life brings everything you deserve and more.. Good Luck and you may you SPARKLE forever

  14. Sparkle- you are running on probably fumes right now. Be good to yourself and allow yourself to cry and then take a deep breath. I know exactly where you are right now, I have been there and I promise it will get better. I have three young kids, my husband travels alot and my dad had a cardiac arrest while in surgery last week. You are going to be ok, you are not at a new low, just hang in there and you will be ok. Put good things in your body and try to get some good sleep tonight.

  15. We're here for you Sparkle. Take care and know that we are praying for you and for your mom. Be thankful that you have your mom. My dad died of a sudden heart attack at age 51. That's one reason I'm trying to hard to get healthy. Treasure every day with your family. We love you.

  16. Well, I too just found out that we are not getting in this season. Thank you butter and salt. Jodi at least answered my email. I tried to get my cd jax and or angelic to answer me. She did say that all finalists have been notified. My daughter and I felt like we really had a chance, but like many of you, we were not what they were looking for. Yarra, I feel bad for you. I know that you were probably so itchy to tell everyone and then couldn't. Sure enjoyed this board. Mind you it is the first time I've ever blogged. I didn't even know how to text when we got our call back. Learned a lot on this escapade. Hope everyone doesn't go away. If so, please let us know where to find you so we can keep in touch. Starting to work out. I really don't want to be a contestant next year.

  17. We need to figure out where we can go from here to keep this going. Yarra, I tried to find that Facebook page with the link you put up but couldn't get to it.
    Should we just start our own for Season 9 and on….??? What do you think?

  18. Sparkle– please know I'm praying for you! And giving you a giant cyber hug…..

    Can someone answer these two questions and save me from bugging the BL casting team?

    1. Will blogging (not on BL matters) affect our eligibility to be pitched/put on the show?

    2. Is the facebook group safe to join if you plan on applying in the future? I'm not paranoid but someone mentioned that even this season we should not join until we were positive that we were not in the running.

    I've been back at the gym, it's been good. Scale hasn't moved, but at least my body is moving!

  19. Yarra, the link to the FB group is just taking us to the FB home page. How can we find this group? I'm definitely ready to join. Thanks and have a wonderful weekend everyone.

  21. Hey all!

    I thought I would check in and see how my favorite nutjobs were doing. I am very sorry for you all whom didn't get chosen for the show. It's like wanting a big shiny toy for christmas to find out you didn't get anything from your family when you aren't chosen. Yarra has given you all some good advice. Start today and when your battle of the bulge by what ever means. I personally have begun the process for the gastric bypass (the insurance stuff). You may not need surgery or even a show, all you need is drive. Keep ya head up and break a leg to those of you auditioning for season 10!

  22. Hey guys we finally got the no go after 2 emails to AV that went unanswered all week. I have to say that I know everyone thinks these people care but they really don't in the end it's about the show. I looked at the cast for season 8 and it's a bunch of yawners. People like sparkle and few others on here are much better choices. I find out info that it is parent/child for the new season. I can't tell you how I know but trust me. That is the big secret for season 9. They basically want to pit parent against child. MaHarishi really do your research on gastric bypass it's no joke and an absolutely no other option choice. I will pray for all of you. Take your life in your hands and make changes I am! God bless all of you. As for the BL team thanks for everything just try to have a little bit more information for everyone remember we are people! I dont want to hear what a tough job save it who doesn't have a tough job? Bye y'all.

  23. Hey guys! Chin up! 6-8 months until the fun begins again (assuming it will continue to a Season 10). How much can you lose by then? If it is really about weight loss and not about getting on a show than you have to consider how different your life can be by the time casting comes around again. At a mild 10lbs a month, I could be down 60-80 lbs. I will feel so empowered and energetic! Concentrate on your inner strength…

    My 2 cents…

  25. Dazed and Confused….

    Being a nurse, I have THOROUGHLY examined the bariatric process in that I have cared for those whom got the procedure as well those whom have complications from the procedure. I spent a yr. researching the procedure. I am that methodical and anal. I was VERY discriminating in doctor choice and I really think I am on the right track. I'm even going to watch the doc do a procedure first! No cuts have been made yet and I have quite an amount of time to go before my surgery. If I find one thing that I don't like, it will be a deal breaker!

  26. Surgery is definitely not the ideal but only you can know what's right for you.

    I've seen friends with lap band and gastric bypass that still struggle just as hard, while others have a remarkable turn around in their lives.

    Good luck to you!

    Have you all posted the fb page?

  27. I will be the first to say that surgery shouldn't be your first go to. You need to be able to say that you tried everything. I had to write down all the diet attempts and such, prove that I tried other things. I wasn't just me saying it. I got to the point where I thought something was physically wrong with me. The only thing I haven't tried, is Loser and the surgery. I need to do something so I'm giving it a go.

  28. Thank you for all your support, everyone! I'm going to start looking for you on Facebook. Personally, I would rather start our own at home contest against each other. We could post our percentage off each week…mimic all of the competition and fun without the voting off part. I am already grateful that I didn't get in, belirve it or not. I felt HUGELY disappoited, but it really wouldn't have been fair to my three little kids. My mother's left ventricle is still not pumping, so I couldn"t have gone off and left her, either. It'll be a no go for next season, because hopefully, we will be close to completing an international adoption. I am reading Bob's and Jillian's stuff to design my game plan, and I will start Sept 1. Are ya with me?

  29. Absolutely, Sparkle. Sounds like a great idea. Count me in and please let me know how to get on the Facebook page. I'm not having any success!

    I'm also disappointed, but relieved too. I am a middle school teacher (band director) and church choir director and it would have been very hard for them to carry on without me. I love my job and would miss them a lot, not to mention missing my family, especially my almost two-year-old granddaughter!

    Hope your mom improves real soon.

  30. Hey guys. 🙂 I am still here. Just been working a lot on getting things taken care of around the house. Ya know, trying to start over fresh!

    I don't know how to link the FB page, but the group is called The McNutty Family so I would just do a search for that. the profile pic is Matt's before and after Biggest Loser Promo shot.

    To answer quickly, Yes, it is safe to blog about your weight loss, just don't talk about your casting process, or give your alias here away on your blog since it is public. IE: "HI YALL!! I am blah blah…but some of you might know me as Yarra on matts blog"

    NOW quite the contrary…on the FB page, you can list your name and alias, you have to in order to be a member, but it's totally safe. It's only available by membership, matt is the only non-mcnutty there, no casting directors (to protect anonymity)

    If you DO decide to post on the FB page, you will either need to use a NEW name HERE if you apply next season…OR use the SAME name, just don't tell ANYONE here that you are applying… lol

  31. Hey guys!

    I would suggest being a part of the existing page, rather than starting your own fb group. People don't really stick around that long once casting is over. We had a HUGE presence on the board here last year, matt had to start 3 more pages for us…and there isn't a lot of activity on the FB page even now. Having you guys come on there and start your contest or whatever will get the board hoppin' again. 🙂

    Just sayin' if you start your own board with like 5 people, you probably wouldn't have many after a couple months.

    Plus it's the official biggest loser reject page. lol

  35. I can only speak of my own experiences. I had the lapband surgery and I lost about 40lbs right away but than included the weight I lost before surgery. I was basically on a liquid diet for a month(2weeks before and 2 weeks after) if I remember correctly. I have this thing. I only have about 3cc injected into my lapband and I have troubles eating most foods. It still makes no sense to me how this works. I cant eat chicken and normal food even trying to eat healthy. I will vommit at least one time a day. Then I will still be hungry and I can eat junk food problem free. Wouldnt you think it should make it hard to eat junk food and easy to eat well. This sucks and if I can get a grip and lose the weight on my own I will get rid of this fricking mistake. I wish they would have had a support group telling their good and bad experiences with the surgery before you make a decision. I just want to make you aware of the problems that may occur. I have a problem where they could barely fill my lapband or I would vommit water right there. I could only fill 1cc at a time if that.. Please check out every option and and the good and bad before you make a decision. I have a cousin who had the gastric and I just seen him after quite some time and her lost a ton of weight but looks so sickly it wasn't even funny. So beware. Later

  36. Thanks Yarra! I was not even able to send Nikko a message on FB without requesting him as a friend (which I did)! Hope I'll hear back from him.

  37. So has everyone gone to Facebook already??? I don't have facebook and will miss you!

    I'm try'n to eat healthy today.
    Just remember: "When you stop try'n, you start die'n"

    Happy Monday everyone!

  39. Nope, I'm still here, though I do hope to join the FB page also. I'm also trying to eat healthy and drink lots of water. I'm also trying to reduce my Diet Coke addiction! 🙂 Have a great day, SoReady.

  42. I haven't noticed anyone posting this info but if you did I'm sorry. I knew I was out of the running after my CC because we didn't get a CB. However, I've followed this blog, Holland on Twitter, Facebook, BL NBC blog, Youtube, etc.

    I got a text message from GLCastingteam on 8/29/2009 at 3:30 PM CST. It said:

    "The finalists 4 BL9 have been notified. Thx every1 for auditioning. BL10 casting in a few months. Be sure 2 watch on NBC Sept. 15 @ 8/7c."

    Hope this helps everyone move on.

    Sparkle…I said a prayer for your Mom today. I lost my Mom in 2005 and am caring for my Dad now.

    Yarra….sorry about the disappointment. That just stinks.

    However, I bet some of the McNutty family made it. Haven't heard from some of the regulars like Lovely Lady Lumps, Princess Fiona or Pink Princess since the notifications. If they did make it, I hope they figure out a way to let us all know when their season is on TV.

    It's just as well for me that I didn't make it this time. My husband and father have been ill, my job is precarious and some other stuff has happened that would've made it impossible for me to leave home. God knows what He/She is doing.

    If I am still "fluffy" enough, and if I meet the other criteria, I plan on trying out for BL10. In the meantime, I am going to exercise and eat healthy.

    I have become so addicted to this blog that I don't know if I will be able to stay away from it until BL10 casting starts!

  43. Ok, I am in the facebook page now and posted under Season 9 in the topics. Thanks Yarra that one worked!!!! See you guys there!

  44. Woo Hoo! I'm finally in the FB group, but will continue visiting and posting here as well. Have a great week, everyone! Thanks Yarra for all your help.

  45. I was just curious has any of the sibling teams gotten the news that they did not make it? I am wondering if they took any sibling teams?

  46. Really Wondering…I'm a sibling team and I haven't gotten any response back from my CD at all, which I hope is a good thing. I emailed them (my CD's) and they haven't responded, which is not like them. I'm sort of holding on to the mid-September date for finalist.

  47. Steel…
    That is really unfortunate about your lapband and yet confusing. On most cases, eating the chicken is fine and you get sick with the process sugars and fat. I had a patient that had issues with processing meats. Her prob was that she didn't chew her food well enough. She was told to chew her food very fine and add liquid before she swallows. I dunno if that will help you or not.

    Now as for the bypass and I. I did the research. I don't want anyone to think I just woke up one day and decided to do this. It is understood that I am to care for all patients whom have had any kind of weight loss procedure. I have studied charts and how the surgery affected their health. I talked to them personally. I have heard the good and the bad. I have spoken with TONS of docs both here and abroad. I researched for almost a year. I wanted to know going in what to expect, the pros and cons, and I SCUTINIZED all the docs in my area. I dropped docs for things other wouldn't.

    I am truly one of those people whom have tried everything. I have been the biggest fan of Loser since day one. I didn't dawn on me to audition till season 5. Loser and the surgery are the only things I haven't tried. As I have said before, the surgery shouldn't be the first go to for weight management. You should be able to say that you have tried most things first. When I went to my appt. There was this guy and his wife in the waiting room. Part of the paper work requires that you list all you diet attempts. He said very loudly and expletive ladened "I have never (insert as many curse words as you can here)been on a diet". He would fill out one sheet (out of the many)and turn it in to have the nurse hand it back to him. I was in my uniform and he asked me if he should get it. I told him in my opinion, no. If he isn't patient enough to fill out his sheets and if he doesnt know the struggle of a diet, how is he going to deal with a very finely tuned behavioral scheme that this surgery requires?

    Like I said…try other things first and dont make the surgery your first option. For me, I have nothing else. I don't want to meet the same fate as my father, uncle and aunt. If I don't do something now…that will most definitely happen

  48. As for the lapband and eating. They told me to chew really well but not to drink anything until a half hour after you eat. Which seems ridiculous to me. But the doctor told me that if you drink right away it pushes the food down and then you will still be hungry which will make you eat more. I only had their instructions to follow, so Im lost. We should all start a new reality show called, The Rejects. I tried everything to get on the show, 3 casting calls, 12 dvds, countless money and miles and still not even a call back. I may be the biggest loser and not in a good way. I even offered to cut the lawn on the ranch and still a no go. I will do windows and toilets. I know no shame. Later

  49. I am pretty excited. I finished a puzzle yesterday. It took me 12 weeks to finish it. Which is pretty impressive since it says 4-7 years on the box. I must be a genius. Later

  50. Where is everyone? This board is so dead! Hope folks won’t quit posting here just because calls have been made. Come over to the FB page if you enjoy social networking. It’s great to know people’s real names and a little more about them. Can’t wait for the BL8 premiere! Less than two weeks now! 🙂

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