The Game Show Forum

The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: SuperMatch93 on August 03, 2020, 10:29:49 AM

Title: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: SuperMatch93 on August 03, 2020, 10:29:49 AM
Although TPIR stopped offering them around '81 or so, several other shows continued offering them as prizes well into the 80s. Around when did that stop as a general practice, and what would have been the last show which anyone remembers giving them away?

Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: BrandonFG on August 03, 2020, 10:31:51 AM
I’ve seen quite a few on the mid-80s LMAD. Can’t think of anything after that. By the end of the decade, there was a lot of awareness and controversy regarding furs.
Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: colonial on August 03, 2020, 10:38:21 AM
I seem to recall the 80s version of "Split Second" offering furs as consolation prizes in the bonus game from time to time, so furs were offered as prizes as late as 1987.


JD
Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: Trisscope on August 03, 2020, 10:39:21 AM
I've seen episodes of Wheel as late as February 1990 offering furs; it wouldn't surprise me if that was the last show that gave them away.
Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: snowpeck on August 03, 2020, 03:44:42 PM
I've seen episodes of Wheel as late as February 1990 offering furs; it wouldn't surprise me if that was the last show that gave them away.

Correct, Wheel stopped offering furs after the 1989-90 season and it made entertainment news at the time. Wheel was under a lot of pressure from PETA to stop giving away furs. Even Paul and Linda McCartney got in on it. They finally gave in after sponsor John Paul Mitchell Systems threatened to pull their advertising. After Wheel made the announcement, USA Today quoted PETA as saying there are no more major game shows on the air giving away furs.
Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: JasonA1 on August 03, 2020, 03:51:33 PM
I think USA Today got it right there. Only other show that came to mind was Top Card, which had a fur as a bonus round prize in 1989 before the switch to all cars.

-Jason
Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: BrandonFG on August 03, 2020, 06:25:03 PM
I seem to recall the 80s version of "Split Second" offering furs as consolation prizes in the bonus game from time to time, so furs were offered as prizes as late as 1987.
Forgot about SS. Even though Wheel seems to be the right answer, I do believe Wink's HR offered them as well.
Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: PYLdude on August 03, 2020, 06:47:36 PM
I seem to recall the 80s version of "Split Second" offering furs as consolation prizes in the bonus game from time to time, so furs were offered as prizes as late as 1987.
Forgot about SS. Even though Wheel seems to be the right answer, I do believe Wink's HR offered them as well.

Didn’t they actually have one of those wacky mini games centered around whether or not one was a certain kind of fur?
Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: TLEberle on August 03, 2020, 07:05:36 PM
Yes, named Rabbit Test.
Title: Re: Last game show to offer a fur coat?
Post by: jlgarfield on August 04, 2020, 03:09:55 PM
I've seen episodes of Wheel as late as February 1990 offering furs; it wouldn't surprise me if that was the last show that gave them away.

Correct, Wheel stopped offering furs after the 1989-90 season and it made entertainment news at the time. Wheel was under a lot of pressure from PETA to stop giving away furs. Even Paul and Linda McCartney got in on it. They finally gave in after sponsor John Paul Mitchell Systems threatened to pull their advertising. After Wheel made the announcement, USA Today quoted PETA as saying there are no more major game shows on the air giving away furs.

John Paul Mitchell Systems being a very strong advocate of animal rights, of course, so it was only natural that the protest it.