Like so many others, I was an unapolgetic Uncle Bill fan. What really made me more so was the story a neighbor related when she met him while a contestant on Joe Garagiola's $otC.  Bill came out to promote the then-new 3OAM, and she was taken aback by how thin and unhealthy he looked.  He had recently recovered from pancreatic surgery, and that day his skin was clearly blotchy and pot-marked to someone who was seeing him from mere feet away.  Making small talk during a stopdown, she remarked to Garagiola that her husband was a huge Yankees fan and had loved watching Joe call their games, always dreaming about being a baseball announcer himself.  Bill quickly joined their conversation and confessed that was one of his dreams as well.  When she confessed that instead he had become a hairdresser, Bill broke into genuine laughter and said, "And I thought I went a different route!".

When she told us the story, she confessed "I always wondered how someone so unattractive could be so popular.  What he showed me at that moment was just how much of a regular guy he is.  It was the highlight of my day". (I should add she lost her only game and didn't buy a single Instant Bargain). 

As for crushes, I always did have a thing for Paola Diva, if for no other reason how she was able to make Bob Clayton blush when she'd dance for him on Mexico Day.

The show was pre-empted on April 6 and May 4 for the monthly CBS Sharon Lovejoy hosted program which also happened once in June and is why there were #62 episodes only total.

That would be on Thursday, June 1st to be specific.

Just curious why you thought it was at the Smithsonian. I don't recall ever hearing it had been donated there.

Got it mixed up with the original Wheel puzzleboard, perhaps?

Eubanks and Rafferty. Both had a hosting style that was easily relatable, and they genuinely rooted for contestants. I love Bob's bravado when he walks out during the opening on Card Sharks, intros himself and then brings out Lacey and Suzanna using language that showed they're all friends. Bill, with his New York accent, "come on over and win five thousand bucks" on Blockbusters was great. Both of them are people that made contestants feel at ease even in high tense moments where a lot of money was at stake. They have a "We're gonna do this together"-style hosting. Their pace while speaking is also important. They were deliberate and did not rush through rules or speak too fast, and came across as a human being you might just bump into somewhere in life and strike up a conversation.

While I will go to my reward saying Bob was miscast on Card Sharks, there's no misunderstanding that he wanted everyone to do well. I don't know if I would call his style bravado but bringing his personality from Newlywed Game over and it worked well enough to get three years out of the format.

That said I adored how Bill was so different in terms of presentation and temperament. There was nobody like him.

Over the last couple of years I have gotten to work with Reach for the Top reading packets for online tournaments featuring middle schoolers. Several times I have exhorted the youngsters to "give me volume! I want to hear those right answers!" or coaching up to not stress over misses--there's never a penalty for a wrong answer other than the other team getting to try. Getting to tell Matt O seriously and sincerely that I nicked some of his phrasing but all of his friendliness and love for seeing young people shine, and he loved that quiz bowl was being passed on to another generation.

Ok, thank you. I did look there first before I posted.