Meggy Huston is having a Cinderella experience — if the fairy tale substituted a pumpkin coach for first class air fare, and it included playing a penny toss game with Anderson Cooper and Courtney Cox on national TV.
The senior family studies major will be appearing on the Anderson Cooper Show at 4 p.m. on Wish TV after responding to a tweet from the show's producer and discussed her newly won walk-on role for ABC's sitcom "Cougar Town."
"I wasn't sure if it was really the Anderson Cooper Show or some scam, but I decided I'd check it out," Huston said. "The next thing I knew the producer wanted to interview me and my boyfriend and asked if they could fly us to New York for the show."
The show was filmed last Tuesday and featured the Cougar Town cast and star Courtney Cox. Huston didn't think she'd be meeting one of her favorite celebrities so soon after she won a contest. She'll appear in an episode set to air next season. Her challenge was simple: promote the show during Super Bowl Sunday. She used signs and local media to give attention to Cougar Town's next season. Huston's boyfriend who accompanied her to the "Anderson Cooper Show," senior sports administration major Ray Neal, was impressed by her efforts.
"She got up at 4:30 a.m. to get ready and then she drove down to Indianapolis and was there at 6:30 a.m. in the freezing cold," he said. "It wasn't just luck that won her the contest. It was also her determination and persistence that helped her win."
Huston then was interviewed by two local TV stations and sent the YouTube footage of the sitcom-promoting interviews to the show's producers. She was then told she had won the role along with two other student fans, Molly Raker and Tyler Clements.
"Of all the people in Indiana the only three people to win are Ball State students," Raker said, "I just think that is awesome."
The students have not been told yet what role they will play on the show. They will be notified once season four is confirmed to run. Then they will be flown for four days to Los Angeles to shoot with the cast.
"Courtney Cox is extremely nice and beautiful in person," Huston said. "She was very thankful for me promoting Cougar Town in Indianapolis.
Huston said she had never met a celebrity before, and talking with Cox and Cooper was different than what she expected.
"Anderson Cooper was very nice and talkative," she said. "He chatted with the audience during commercial breaks and interacted with everyone."
Her favorite moment was playing a Cougar Town game called "penny can." According to Huston, the game parallels corn hole, but instead of boards, a paint or coffee can is placed at a distance and competitors test their accuracy by trying to toss pennies into the can.
"Originally I was told I'd get to be in the audience and then maybe get to ask a question to the cast, but when I went to ask my question they called me on stage to play penny can," she said.
She was joined by Cox, Cooper and Josh Hopkins, who plays Cox's boyfriend on the show.
"Josh was by far the best at it, and I actually made one shot on camera," Huston said, "Anderson thought the game was goofy, but he was a good sport."
Huston will appear in the last half of the show. She is planning a get-together with her boyfriend, roommates and friends when the show airs, and she wants to watch the taped episode with additional friends later.
"I bought new wine and wine glasses for watching it, since on Cougar Town the characters are drinking wine almost every episode," she said.
Huston's mom, Peggy, is planning a party in her hometown, Noblesville, to view the show today.
"I'm really excited for Meggy," he mom said. "She is a huge fan. I don't think she's missed a show since it started."
She and her husband are taking the afternoon off to host a watch party.
"I don't know of anyone that knows about this who's not DVRing it or taping the episode," she said.
Huston wants one thing to be known from the "whirlwind" of experiences she's had since she won the contest.
"A lot of people are telling me how lucky I am," Huston said, "But it's also about determination, too. It's about getting to Indianapolis at 6:30 a.m. to try to be on TV. Stuff like this is real. If you have dream, don't give up on getting there. I feel blessed for this opportunity and am just living in the moment."
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