Quick-thinking, minivan-driving, trendy and thirty-something, Craig Scime ‘98 MC performed a series of entertaining tasks that captured the audience’s attention on Game Show in My Head, a CBS television show. After being told by a major talent agent that he needed to be in L.A., Scime made the move west and is making his way through Hollywood.

 

If you could start your own television show, what would it be about?

If I did a show, it would be a combination of Regis and Kelly, Jay Leno, and Saturday Night Live with a touch of improv. It would make people feel good, be a little bit informative, and showcase some of my talents.

 

How did you find out about being on the show Game Show in My Head?

I am constantly looking for opportunities to be on TV. Some jobs have led to commercials, movies or TV pilots. But this particular opportunity led me to a game show.

 

What was your most memorable moment of the show?

I was on stage on my final task and I knew that I was going to double the money. I did the impossible: I found a stranger to stand in for an ambassador of a made up country.

 

Who has inspired you in your life?

My parents and my grandparents. My grandma initially pushed my mother to get me a talent agent at the age of seven, and I booked my first audition for McDonald's. My family has supported me in my decisions ever since and kept me grounded.

 

What does your car say about who you are?

I've driven a minivan for most of my life, to haul around equipment. That will end this summer. Hopefully, my new car will say I am a trendy, hip, thirty-something.

 

What was the craziest prank you have ever pulled?

 

I was hired to host an event in Seattle. One of the families that I knew was at the event and had checked in a day or two prior to my check in. They had tons of stuff unpacked - much more stuff than the average traveler does - and they were all settled into their room. The "front desk" (which was me) called their room, telling them they were too short. In actuality, they were a little shorter than the average person was. The "front desk" told the family that they needed to move out of the room so the hotel could put taller people in the room because the family was wasting the vertical space available in the room. I also told them that they had to pay for incidentals, which was bogus. The family kept getting angrier and angrier. I told them if they had a problem to come down to the front desk to discuss it with the manager. So reluctantly and extremely frustrated, they went to the front desk and demanded to speak to the manager. The manager, of course, knew nothing about this. He asked everybody at the front desk, called housekeeping, checked with reservations, etc. Meanwhile, I couldn't contain myself when they told me the story at dinner. Come to find out the manager felt so bad they gave the family one night room comp and a free dinner. By the end of the trip, I think they had an idea that I was involved. We all had a good laugh.

 

What inspired you to move to L.A.?

I went to a workshop at the University at Buffalo with some top industry representatives teaching various classes in their profession. I had heard it all before: "if you want to be successful in this business, you've gotta be in L.A." For some reason it really set in when I was in one of the workshop classes with Richard Lawrence, who put Judge Judy on the air. He said, "You need to be in L.A." I listened. A couple of months later I moved to L.A. and spent three months testing the waters. I came back for the holidays, went back for two months, came back, got married and here we are.

Have you met any famous people?

I have literally bumped into Ashton Kutcher at an audition. I've also met Scott Grimes from ER a couple of times as well. My wife and I have also run into Amanda Bynes, John Stamos, Alice Cooper, Jessica Simpson, Heidi Montag and Spencer (Speidi), George Lopez, Matthew Perry, Ray Romano, Jessica Biel, Mark Wahlberg, Paris Hilton, Sharon Stone, and Hilary Duff to name a few. Everywhere you go, you have a good chance of seeing a celebrity.

 

Thinking back to when you were an Absolute Sound D.J. and a salesperson, what was it like juggling so many different things?

 

A personal life didn't come easy. In addition to deejaying and managing, I was on air with FOX, music director for the now-defunct Buffalo Blizzards and Wings, and a building manager for Medaille Campus Center. I sometimes didn't know if I was coming or going. I definitely bit off a little more than I could chew at times. I didn't know the word "no.” I also liked making money, and still do. Delegating, prioritizing, and making sacrifices were the key, or should I say goal. I didn't always make that goal. I missed a few important family events because of all that I took on.

 

 

The funniest task was being the news reporter. The unique thing about this task was we were actually showing one of the cameras and people knew they were going to be on TV. In that tourist area that we were in, I knew it wouldn't be hard to find someone to go on TV with me. I could have said anything and these people would have gone right along with it just for their 15 minutes.

 

What advice would you give to students who want to accomplish something big, but there many obstacles standing in their way of that objective?

Pretend I would pay you a million dollars for every obstacle you overcame to get to where you needed to be. I bet you would find a way around those obstacles. Whether it means calling a friend of a friend, using a friend as a referral, making an uncomfortable phone call, or even knocking on a door, you do what it takes to get to where you need to be without committing an illegal act. Get noticed, do things different than anybody else, swim upstream, hard work is rewarded, and never give up! As a Medaille graduate, what did you learn that got you to where you are today? I learned that some of the friends you make could be great business associates, as well as friends for life. I also learned that opportunities are all around us; it's up to us to realize that they are there and to take advantage of it. I learned how to market and advertise for my company, how to film a video, edit projects, and the basics for TV and radio in front and behind the camera.

Is anything else you would like to add?

My wife went to Medaille well after me, for her master’s degree. She never considered it until she met me and heard of my experiences there and how much the school meant to me and was such a part of my life. She also found Medaille to be an unbelievable experience. My cousin will be attending Medaille this fall and currently my wife's cousin is attending school there.