“Hollywood Squares” holds auditions at SMU

Producers for the game show “Hollywood Squares” came to SMU for the third year in a row Thursday to audition students for the college tour of the nationally syndicated television show.

The show, which features nine celebrities each episode, uses popular culture trivia and tic-tac-toe to award contestants with money and prizes.

Television, movie and music personalities such as Anna Nicole Smith, Tom Jones and Alec Baldwin have graced the “Hollywood Squares” soundstage as celebrity guests. Even Elmo and Kermit the Frog have filled a square, answering questions and cracking jokes with the rest of the guests.

Students auditioning for the show had to first pass a test on popular culture before advancing to the next round. Those students still in the running had pictures taken and enacted a mock show for the three producers in attendence. Finalists will be announced at a later date for the mid-January taping in Los Angeles.