Jackson 5: Family bonds over Family Feud

When four cousins decided to audition for the game show Family Feud, they never expected to get very far. A few months later they were sitting in an Atlanta studio audience when producers tapped them to come on stage.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Jami Jackson, who with her sister Jodi Skocypec, cousins Sarah Starkey and Meaghan Ellwanger and aunt Pam Jackson, called themselves the Jackson 5.

The four cousins grew up in Dover and spent their early lives doing everything together.

“They would move furniture around my house and play 'American Gladiator,'” said Pam, mother of Meaghan and Sarah.

Pam, Jodi and Jami break into laughter when they remember all the Christmas and holiday plays they recreated as youngsters. “I'd end up being an angel or lamb or something where I wouldn't be able to move the whole time,” Jami said.

The three are relaxed and comfortable as they share stories in Jami's Lewes home, a hub of activity with toddlers and family buzzing in and out. Jodi lives about a mile away with her husband and son – a new family addition is on its way – and Pam still lives in the Dover area. Meaghan lives in Milford with her husband and two kids; Sarah in Felton with four children and husband.

So how did they come up with the Jackson 5 team name?

The Jackson connection comes from Pam's husband and Jodi and Jami's mother, who are brother and sister. Then, Jami married a Cape grad whose last name is also Jackson, the same as her mother's maiden name.

A long-time Family Feud fan, Sarah came up with the idea to try out for the game show and was team captain. “They needed a fifth, so I joined, reluctantly,” said Pam.

Any trace of reluctance, however, gave way to excitement as the team first put together a demo tape to submit for the audition. They passed that test and were invited to Philadelphia for a live audition. Weeks later, a postcard arrived inviting them to an all-expense-paid trip to Atlanta for a mock game show.

“I didn't think it would go this far,” Jodi said. “Even if we didn't get invited back after the Philly audition, it was so much fun.”

A second postcard confirmed that they made a live taping, but they still didn't know if they would be chosen to compete in the televised show.

“We got to sit in a special section to enjoy the experience, but we still had no idea we'd get selected,” said Pam, adding only half the families in attendance got picked to play.

A tap on the shoulder gave them the chance that they had been waiting for as the Jackson 5 made their way from the studio audience to a backstage room. Pam said she could hear audience members whispering in awe when they were the second family picked. “We felt special, like we were something,” she said.

Backstage, the women got name tags and a lot of encouragement from game show staff. “They were professional, but they made you feel like you were the most important family,” Jodi said.

The women still keep in touch with the limousine driver who carted them from their hotel room to the studio. Jodi said game show host Steve Harvey was hilarious, and he provided plenty of stand-up comedy during the one-hour taping.

What happened on stage is under wraps, even though the women are bursting to tell.

“All we can say is we went and played,” said Jodi. “Everybody has to watch Oct. 6.”

In the Cape Region, the show will air at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, on WMDT out of Salisbury. Viewers elsewhere can find out what station to watch by going to www.familyfeud.com.

The women are ready with their DVRs poised to record, and they will attend a viewing party at Calvary Wesleyan Church in Harrington.

“We feel like local celebrities,” Jami said.

The entire experience was so much fun, they're already thinking about trying out in 10 years – the minimum amount of time they must wait before auditioning again. “I'll get out my cane,” Pam joked.

“The best part of it was all of us got to fly together and spend time together,” said Jodi. “It built a bond that we didn't have before.”