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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Mario on January 01, 2013, 02:02:37 AM

Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Mario on January 01, 2013, 02:02:37 AM
I've a question about $ale of the Century (1983 U.S. version): regarding any episodes in which a contestant successfully wins the big prize of the day (in which a confetti drop featuring balloons results), I'm wondering if, for those unlucky winners and crew members that are allergic to latex--which is the material that was used for the balloons you're seeing during the last few minutes of the show--for the outgoing winner, at his/her request, they could've opted to give him/her a bouquet of a dozen foil (often, and erroneously, called mylar) balloons colored silver and gold, usually of the 18" round circle type, with at least one gold and one silver dollar-sign foil balloon for great measure, all on (non-metallic) strings and with one weight per balloon, as per California law?

That kind of idea would mean a cleaner set (only the confetti paper will remain among the mess), and the # of people (esp. the crew members) that stayed home due to allergic reactions from latex would be reduced.

What do you think?

~Ben
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: chris319 on January 01, 2013, 02:53:18 AM
I'm sure if somebody had raised this as an issue the producers would have made accomodations, i.e. dropping paper confetti only.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Mr. Matté on January 01, 2013, 02:55:58 AM
I think you use too many parentheses (those curly things that have statements that could be a part of the prose (the "writing part") or deleted altogether (the preferred solution)).
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: TLEberle on January 01, 2013, 03:13:25 AM
I think you use too many parentheses (those curly things that have statements that could be a part of the prose (the "writing part") or deleted altogether (the preferred solution)).
you read his posts?
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Steve Gavazzi on January 01, 2013, 03:47:15 AM
This person's ability to simultaneously massively overthink something and put no thought into it whatsoever is nothing short of astounding.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: aaron sica on January 01, 2013, 03:56:36 AM
What do you think?

~Ben

I think that you are focusing too much on one specific thing about the show. There are other important factors, too:

1) What did they have in place in case, when turning the number for the cash jackpot, if it would have fallen out of alignment and dropped on a contestant's head?

2) What if, when they changed the Fame Game to stopping the light with the buzzer, it would have triggered a seizure in a contestant (and remember folks, fainting on a game show is *not* funny).

These are also factors you need to consider. Don't just concentrate on the balloon allergies. There are other issues, too!
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: PYLdude on January 01, 2013, 05:36:12 AM
What do you think?

~Ben

I think that you are focusing too much on one specific thing about the show. There are other important factors, too:

1) What did they have in place in case, when turning the number for the cash jackpot, if it would have fallen out of alignment and dropped on a contestant's head?

2) What if, when they changed the Fame Game to stopping the light with the buzzer, it would have triggered a seizure in a contestant (and remember folks, fainting on a game show is *not* funny).

These are also factors you need to consider. Don't just concentrate on the balloon allergies. There are other issues, too!

Don't encourage him.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: BrandonFG on January 01, 2013, 10:27:14 AM
California law?

There's a guy at my job who is actually allergic to quite a few foods. He jokes that it's easier to list the foods he's NOT allergic to, but he alerted HR of his allergies, and we're all careful to clean up thoroughly after eating any of those foods. I imagine the crew members could've easily done the same thing, although I don't know who's really going to go through the trouble of saying "Hey...will there be any balloons used on the set? Because, uh...I'm allergic."

Same for contestants...I really don't think they're going through all that work, but if need be, as Chris said, I'm sure it could be an easy fix.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Jimmy Owen on January 01, 2013, 10:52:44 AM
No one with balloon allergies ever made it to the end game.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: clemon79 on January 01, 2013, 01:44:37 PM
California law?
Obviously I don't care enough to actually check (if the full code is even available online; I figure it prolly is this being 2013 and all) but it wouldn't surprise me; it's the sort of thing a treehugger group would get ramrodded through as a rider on a balloon release ban. Keep little kids from losing their balloons, keep the remnants from eventually coming down in a forest where they can strangle an ocelot or some shiat.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Mario on January 01, 2013, 04:10:55 PM
I now want to ask: were there any contestants or crew members that ever got sick from the confetti drop?

~Ben
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: That Don Guy on January 01, 2013, 04:23:10 PM
California law?
Obviously I don't care enough to actually check (if the full code is even available online; I figure it prolly is this being 2013 and all) but it wouldn't surprise me
Right here (http://\"http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=civ&group=00001-01000&file=2-21\")
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: SuperMatch93 on January 01, 2013, 05:55:52 PM
I now want to ask: were there any contestants or crew members that ever got sick from the confetti drop?

~Ben

How would they have gotten sick?
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Mario on January 01, 2013, 06:39:35 PM
I now want to ask: were there any contestants or crew members that ever got sick from the confetti drop?

~Ben

How would they have gotten sick?
He or she could have been sneezing and/or coughing violently on the set. Watery/itchy (red) eyes, skin rashes, and shortness of breath (asthma) are other symptoms associated with allergic reactions.

~Ben
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Adam Nedeff on January 01, 2013, 06:44:30 PM
I now want to ask: were there any contestants or crew members that ever got sick from the confetti drop?
Oh, all the time! That's why USA only ran one year's worth of reruns from a six-year series. The rest of the episodes contained vomiting.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: clemon79 on January 01, 2013, 06:59:42 PM
Right here (http://\"http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=civ&group=00001-01000&file=2-21\")

Great! Let us know what you find.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: MSTieScott on January 01, 2013, 07:01:20 PM
Why not, I'll play the "what if" game...

The two times that I've seen a balloon drop on a TV set, the clean-up procedure was as follows: A few stagehands wander around the floor, each one holding a stick with a few nails embedded in one end. Pop, pop, pop. Another stagehand follows with a vacuum cleaner. Assuming that's the procedure that was used on "Sale of the Century," the stagehands would never come into direct contact with the balloons.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: PYLdude on January 01, 2013, 07:31:51 PM
Is señor Mario modded? I don't understand why this needed to be asked.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on January 01, 2013, 07:51:27 PM
I now want to ask: were there any contestants or crew members that ever got sick from the confetti drop?

~Ben

How would they have gotten sick?
He or she could have been sneezing and/or coughing violently on the set. Watery/itchy (red) eyes, skin rashes, and shortness of breath (asthma) are other symptoms associated with allergic reactions.
I didn't know people were allergic to paper.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Mario on January 01, 2013, 07:55:53 PM
Is señor Mario modded? I don't understand why this needed to be asked.
It's because I was curious about this part of the show.

~Ben
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: TLEberle on January 01, 2013, 08:37:57 PM
I wonder if our plumber realizes that lots of time during the show's run where you could have a victory dump every day.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: BrandonFG on January 01, 2013, 09:04:14 PM
There's quite a few game shows that have used balloons and/or confetti, and not once have I ever heard of contestants having issues. Not to say it's not possible, but I think it's a very, very, VERY low probability, mainly because of how far you'd have to go to even qualify for such a celebration.

In the meantime, there was this in New England:

(http://i1129.photobucket.com/albums/m517/KYLE-D1/Family%20Guy/Thin-White-Line-0066_zpsd01221af.jpg)

Speaking of which, I sure hope all those people in Times Square are okay with all that confetti. Although I'm sure some other forms of latex were used last ni........you know what, I'm just going to leave. :-P
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: TLEberle on January 01, 2013, 09:06:06 PM
Brandon, you didn't hear of that one winner on Name That Tune in 1984 who perished under an avalanche of balloons, did you. There was so much stuff on stage they couldn't get to her for two whole weeks. The worst bit is she never got to drive home in her new Pontiac Fiero.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: BrandonFG on January 01, 2013, 09:13:48 PM
Brandon, you didn't hear of that one winner on Name That Tune in 1984 who perished under an avalanche of balloons, did you. There was so much stuff on stage they couldn't get to her for two whole weeks. The worst bit is she never got to drive home in her new Pontiac Fiero.
Oh I did...I still can't bring myself to read about that tragedy, although the rock stars gathering to sing that song in her honor was indeed touching. I also gained a new respect for Jim Lange when I learned he decided to donate his week's salary to her family.

/Tommy Oliver and the band playing 99 Luftballoons was a bit inappropriate though...
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: trainman on January 01, 2013, 11:10:52 PM
Okay, I can't believe I actually bothered to look this up, but the California law regarding helium-filled mylar balloons is found in the state penal code, part 1, title 15, chapter 2:

Quote
   653.1.  

(a) No person shall sell or distribute any balloon that is constructed of electrically conductive material, and filled with a gas lighter than air without:

(1) Affixing an object of sufficient weight to the balloon or its appurtenance to counter the lift capability of the balloon.
[/size][/font][/color]
(2) Affixing a statement on the balloon, or ensuring that a statement is so affixed, that warns the consumer about the risk if the balloon comes in contact with electrical power lines.
[/size][/font][/color]
(3) A printed identification of the manufacturer of the balloon.
[/size][/font][/color]
(b) No person shall sell or distribute any balloon filled with a gas lighter than air that is attached to an electrically conductive string, tether, streamer, or other electrically conductive appurtenance.
[/size][/font][/color]
(c) No person shall sell or distribute any balloon that is constructed of electrically conductive material and filled with a gas lighter than air and that is attached to another balloon constructed of electrically conductive material and filled with a gas lighter than air.
[/size][/font][/color]
(d) No person or group shall release, outdoors, balloons made of electrically conductive material and filled with a gas lighter than air, as part of a public or civic event, promotional activity, or product advertisement.
[/size][/font][/color]
(e) Any person who violates subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100). Any person who violates subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) who has been previously convicted twice of violating subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d) shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
[/size][/font][/color]
(f) This section shall not apply to manned hot air balloons, or to balloons used in governmental or scientific research projects.
[/size][/font][/color]
(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 193, Sec. 141. Effective January 1, 2005.)
[/i]

Note the date, though -- this exact wording of the law wasn't in effect during the run of SOTC, and I definitely don't feel like trying to find old versions of the statutes.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: SuperMatch93 on January 02, 2013, 12:47:54 AM
Interesting stuff, but that mostly applies to trying to lessen the impact of helium balloon releases, not helium (Thanks, Jimmy) balloon drops on game shows. (Semi-interesting question, though: I wonder if any game show actually did have a helium balloon release when somebody won?)

Mostly trying to stop more events like this: http://www.synthetri...30BR/index.html (http://\"http://www.synthetrix.com/DL30BR/index.html\")
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: TLEberle on January 02, 2013, 12:50:28 AM
I wonder if any game show actually did have a helium balloon release when somebody won?)
Hollywood Squares from the mid 80s would do that when they did shows outdoors.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Jimmy Owen on January 02, 2013, 04:27:57 AM
Wouldn't helium balloons go up rather than drop?  The Gong Show had to deal with this on a daily basis, most likely.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on January 02, 2013, 10:43:05 AM
Okay, I can't believe I actually bothered to look this up, but the California law regarding helium-filled mylar balloons is found in the state penal code, part 1, title 15, chapter 2:

Quote
legal mumbo jumbo

Note the date, though -- this exact wording of the law wasn't in effect during the run of SOTC, and I definitely don't feel like trying to find old versions of the statutes.

Whoever had January 1 2013 as the day the well went dry at the GSF, please come to the door to collect your prize.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: tvwxman on January 02, 2013, 04:10:51 PM
I've a question about $ale of the Century (1983 U.S. version): regarding any episodes in which a contestant successfully wins the big prize of the day (in which a confetti drop featuring balloons results), I'm wondering if, for those unlucky winners and crew members that are allergic to latex--which is the material that was used for the balloons you're seeing during the last few minutes of the show--for the outgoing winner, at his/her request, they could've opted to give him/her a bouquet of a dozen foil (often, and erroneously, called mylar) balloons colored silver and gold, usually of the 18" round circle type, with at least one gold and one silver dollar-sign foil balloon for great measure, all on (non-metallic) strings and with one weight per balloon, as per California law?

That kind of idea would mean a cleaner set (only the confetti paper will remain among the mess), and the # of people (esp. the crew members) that stayed home due to allergic reactions from latex would be reduced.

What do you think?

~Ben

What do I think? I think your posts are weird. And I hope you're not serious about this - but I also think you are.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Mario on January 02, 2013, 07:18:12 PM
It seems that whenever I post anything new here, I feel I'm not long for this forum.

I do not mean any offense towards any of you here, and I sincerely apologize if ever I have offended you.

~Ben
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: MyronMMeyer on January 02, 2013, 07:33:03 PM
Does anyone know if the confetti they used was round or square? Like, did they have a large hole punch to make round confetti, or was it just the shredded square kind?

I've checked some YouTube videos, but they're too poor quality to make out.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: SuperMatch93 on January 02, 2013, 08:22:46 PM
From what I've seen, it looks round.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Jumpondees on January 03, 2013, 12:58:38 AM
Wow...Just wow.  Most days I come to the GSF to learn things I haven't previously known before, Some days I come to clarify previous knowledge, but some days I stay for the comic relief.  Thank you GSF!

All I have to say about this topic is this...

[media]http://youtu.be/ZpmIBJ_MKas[/media]
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: PYLdude on January 03, 2013, 01:28:26 AM
It seems that whenever I post anything new here, I feel I'm not long for this forum.

I do not mean any offense towards any of you here, and I sincerely apologize if ever I have offended you.

~Ben

Look, Ben, it's not the fact that you're offending people- what you're saying, honestly, is about as far from offensive.

The issue that some seem to have with what you actually are posting is that, for what it looks like, you apparently have an obsession with insignificant minutiae and it's not really something that everyone wants to read (if I'm to go by what I've seen and what I've said to you in the past). It just makes you seem a) overly obsessed and b) a know-it-all (in certain cases like your quirks post- which, BTW, I wouldn't consider Summer Bartholomew playing tennis a quirk. Now, if she enjoyed playing tennis in her birthday suit on a daily basis, that would apply. But it doesn't as you wrote it).

And besides, unless you do something incredibly stupid (i.e. whammy5000's post about substituting phallic euphemisms for words in GS titles or a certain user calling Matt O. a dried meat product), you're probably not going to be stopped from posting anytime soon. Just try going at it a different way and see what happens. And try and be a little more sane with some of your observations.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: clemon79 on January 03, 2013, 01:54:11 AM
Now, if she enjoyed playing tennis in her birthday suit on a daily basis, that would apply.

Come again? (http://\"http://imageshack.us/a/img266/7724/200pxquagmire3865ip3.jpg\")

/don't mind if I do
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Jimmy Owen on January 03, 2013, 04:51:48 AM
My take on it would be that someone with said allergy would try out for Jeopardy! where they don't drop balloons.  It's like fast food.  I react badly to those tiny onions McDonald's puts on their hamburgers.  Rather than upset their routine, I go to Burger King.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: TLEberle on January 03, 2013, 02:07:24 PM
It seems that whenever I post anything new here, I feel I'm not long for this forum.
In your daily life when you're talking to people or sending e-mails, do you stop to ponder how your words will be received, or do you just open up the tap and let fly? Because this isn't just your own private sandbox, you have to relate to people and have conversations with them and absorb what they tell you. (I guess you don't have to, but your stay will be unpleasant otherwise.)

The whole Ben/Mario deal doesn't help your cause either.
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Mario on January 03, 2013, 02:41:02 PM
It seems that whenever I post anything new here, I feel I'm not long for this forum.
In your daily life when you're talking to people or sending e-mails, do you stop to ponder how your words will be received, or do you just open up the tap and let fly? Because this isn't just your own private sandbox, you have to relate to people and have conversations with them and absorb what they tell you. (I guess you don't have to, but your stay will be unpleasant otherwise.)

The whole Ben/Mario deal doesn't help your cause either.
"Mario" is my childhood nickname, of course (from Super Mario Bros.)

I wish I could remain here, but I just can't seem to find anything to talk about here that's already been discussed at length.

~Ben "Mario" Edge
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: knagl on January 04, 2013, 03:33:05 AM
The two times that I've seen a balloon drop on a TV set, the clean-up procedure was as follows: A few stagehands wander around the floor, each one holding a stick with a few nails embedded in one end. Pop, pop, pop. Another stagehand follows with a vacuum cleaner.

What brand of vacuum?
Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: Mr. Brown on January 10, 2013, 11:10:02 PM

I\'m going to ask you a question that our associate circuit judge asks a lot of people:


 


Can you pass a drug test today? Did you study real hard?

 


/Actually, that\'s two questions...


Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: MTCesquire on January 13, 2013, 03:32:45 AM

Upon reading the initial post and noticing this thread went to six pages my first thought was \"way to feed the trolls, guys\".  Then I read through the responses and it seems that this guy really was serious about his question.  And to that I say...all the awesomeness that was the Jim Perry \"$ale of the Century\" and the only thing you have to ask about it was the balloons?  The balloons that only made an appearance whenever someone won the lot, which was...oh, just guessing here...nowhere NEAR often enough to warrant such a question?


 


Actually, screw the OP.  I just wanted the opportunity to express to the internet that I loved \"$ale\" but, besides the main theme and shopping music, it had THE worst music package on any game show I\'ve ever seen.  *sigh* There...I feel better.


Title: $ale of the Century - Confetti Question
Post by: SuperMatch93 on January 13, 2013, 10:51:15 AM
I feel that a lot of the instant bargain music added to the ambience of the show, like you were actually at a shopping mall. It\'s too bad that a lot of it is lost, though.