Author Topic: I might be doing another game show production (Read 4016 times)

whewfan · « **on:** October 27, 2007, 06:17:37 PM »

It's been about 4 years and 130 pounds since I last did a game show production, which was Whew!

As some of you may know, I've become a comedy buff, and I am currently doing improv and stand up whereever I can. Recently, I was thinking about how I can combine my comedy skills and do another game show, while I'm still in relatively good shape.

This time, I hope to have a REAL audience (Whew! had a very small 12 person audience). In any case, I will propose a revival of Pass the Buck. It'll be similar in format to the Cullen version, but with one twist. The topics will be similar to what you might see on Whose Line. For example "World's worst toothpaste ad" Since it might be a little more difficult to come up with answers on the spot, I might devise a buzzer system where players can ring in when they have an answer. Whomever doesn't faces elimination. I also will have an onstage judge to exchange banter with, a la the judge from The Challengers.

What do you think?

clemon79 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 27, 2007, 07:10:07 PM »

If you're suggesting a game where non-comedically-trained contestants are doing improv, I don't think you're gonna like how it comes out.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #2 on:** October 27, 2007, 07:17:23 PM »

I think doing your own "Pass the Buck" could work, but the feel you're going for seems a bit off, unless you want a comedic game show done strictly for laughs, and not offering prizes.

Since "Pass" used a set list of answers, wouldn't an improv setting almost defeat the purpose, since you never know what each contestant might say?

I like the idea, but I just suggest using a straight-forward format...but keep improv for a looser, celeb-dependent show, i.e. WML or MG

parliboy · « **Reply #3 on:** October 27, 2007, 07:53:28 PM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'168053\' date=\'Oct 27 2007, 06:17 PM\'] Since "Pass" used a set list of answers, wouldn't an improv setting almost defeat the purpose, since you never know what each contestant might say? [/quote]

Pass didn't strictly use a set of answers (or do you think "Fran moves her can" actually entered the minds of the staff?) That said, yeah, I don't see where this is going as a strong format. Having people play out of turn is inherently not Pass the Buck, anyway.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #4 on:** October 27, 2007, 07:55:56 PM »

[quote name=\'parliboy\' post=\'168060\' date=\'Oct 27 2007, 07:53 PM\']
[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'168053\' date=\'Oct 27 2007, 06:17 PM\'] Since "Pass" used a set list of answers, wouldn't an improv setting almost defeat the purpose, since you never know what each contestant might say? [/quote]

Pass didn't strictly use a set of answers (or do you think "Fran moves her can" actually entered the minds of the staff?)
[/quote]
For some reason, I was thinking of the bonus game, and forgot the main game was a lot looser with judging...carry on.

dzinkin · « **Reply #5 on:** October 27, 2007, 09:05:26 PM »

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'168050\' date=\'Oct 27 2007, 06:17 PM\']
What do you think?
[/quote]
Helpful hint: check the first pic here, and don't wear that again. :-)

whewfan · « **Reply #6 on:** October 27, 2007, 11:45:20 PM »

In response to that, David... don't worry, I won't be wearing that suit anytime soon. If you go to my myspace page "http://www.myspace.com/whewfan", you'll see a more recent picture of me wearing that same suit, only note that it's WAAAAAY too big for me. I've kept that suit for a while as a reminder to NEVER get that heavy again.

As for contestants, I was thinking of having my friends from my comedy class, whom I know are EXCELLENT at thinking on their feet.

I had a lot of problems with Thank God You're Here. There are rules of improv, and they broke some of those rules. For example, there was a bit where Mo'Nique was playing a game show hostess on a set that greatly resembled TPIR from last season. She was making up rules to the game, and the host said "that's not really how we play our game, we're going to do this". In real improvisation, you NEVER totally deny or disagree with what your partner says. It KILLS the improv. It's far better, and funnier, to AGREE with what your partner is saying and go from there.

And some news about Whose Line. I hate to break it to you, but what you see on Whose Line isn't "on the spot" improvisation. They improvise bits BEFORE the show, and recall them for later infront of the audience.

dzinkin · « **Reply #7 on:** October 27, 2007, 11:52:30 PM »

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'168073\' date=\'Oct 27 2007, 11:45 PM\']
In response to that, David... don't worry, I won't be wearing that suit anytime soon. If you go to my myspace page "http://www.myspace.com/whewfan", you'll see a more recent picture of me wearing that same suit, only note that it's WAAAAAY too big for me. I've kept that suit for a while as a reminder to NEVER get that heavy again.
[/quote]
Good to know, but FWIW, my comment had nothing to do with your weight. That suit would be a crime against nature even if it fit you perfectly. :-)

Quote

And some news about Whose Line. I hate to break it to you, but what you see on Whose Line isn't "on the spot" improvisation. They improvise bits BEFORE the show, and recall them for later infront of the audience.

Where do you get that? Every other source I've read says that the cast taped hours of material from which the producers would pick enough good bits to fill a half hour. If they were simply recalling bits they'd done before, why would that be necessary?

PYLdude · « **Reply #8 on:** October 28, 2007, 02:18:43 AM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'168052\' date=\'Oct 27 2007, 07:10 PM\']
If you're suggesting a game where non-comedically-trained contestants are doing improv, I don't think you're gonna like how it comes out.
[/quote]

*rolls eyes*

Don't know when to let something die, do you?

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #9 on:** October 28, 2007, 02:26:39 AM »

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' post=\'168074\' date=\'Oct 27 2007, 11:52 PM\']Every other source I've read says that the cast taped hours of material from which the producers would pick enough good bits to fill a half hour. If they were simply recalling bits they'd done before, why would that be necessary?[/quote]
Didn't they occasionally get two shows out of a taping, as well? I'm sure I recall seeing two different shows with George Wendt, with entirely different material except for George's one (rather weak) Hoedown verse used on both.

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'168078\' date=\'Oct 28 2007, 02:18 AM\']Don't know when to let something die, do you?[/quote]
Your thoughts on PAST DISCUSSION RELEVANT TO THE CURRENT TOPIC, please.

clemon79 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 28, 2007, 03:18:03 AM »

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'168078\' date=\'Oct 27 2007, 11:18 PM\']
Don't know when to let something die, do you?
[/quote]
All I was pointing out was that we've already gone down this let's-have-civilians-do-improv-wouldn't-that-be-great path before. Sorry if it dredged up a memory you didn't particularly like.

whewfan · « **Reply #11 on:** October 28, 2007, 07:01:07 AM »

[And some news about Whose Line. I hate to break it to you, but what you see on Whose Line isn't "on the spot" improvisation. They improvise bits BEFORE the show, and recall them for later infront of the audience.
[/quote]
Where do you get that? Every other source I've read says that the cast taped hours of material from which the producers would pick enough good bits to fill a half hour. If they were simply recalling bits they'd done before, why would that be necessary?

Read the book Truth in Comedy. In it, there's a mention of Whose Line not being on the spot improvisation. These people have YEARS of improv experience and aren't necessarily coming up with brand new material. This isn't to say that they come up on stage knowing exactly what will happen and what to say and do. They do sometimes come up with fresh material, but often they just do what they did before.

DrBear · « **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2007, 09:41:48 AM »

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'168091\' date=\'Oct 28 2007, 06:01 AM\'] Read the book Truth in Comedy. In it, there's a mention of Whose Line not being on the spot improvisation. These people have YEARS of improv experience and aren't necessarily coming up with brand new material. This isn't to say that they come up on stage knowing exactly what will happen and what to say and do. They do sometimes come up with fresh material, but often they just do what they did before.

[/quote]
Which is true enough - just look at the "Hats" sequences and see how many times Lincoln/I haven't four-scored... and anything Australian/"How'd ya like to go down under" show up.

The only one I know for sure was pre-planned was the movie dialogue - they did get to see the clip before the show and plan for what's going on.

Besides, there's enough freshness - accidents such as Ryan breaking the light with his head, revealing an audience member's underwear, building on running jokes - that overshadows some of the parts that may be pre-planned.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #13 on:** October 28, 2007, 10:03:29 AM »

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'168091\' date=\'Oct 28 2007, 07:01 AM\']Read the book Truth in Comedy. In it, there's a mention of Whose Line not being on the spot improvisation. These people have YEARS of improv experience and aren't necessarily coming up with brand new material. This isn't to say that they come up on stage knowing exactly what will happen and what to say and do. They do sometimes come up with fresh material, but often they just do what they did before.[/quote]
That's still quite a bit different than what you said at first, which at least suggested that on camera, the Whose Liners were just repeating stuff they'd already done. There's a difference between preparing material and simply being prepared. And yes, of course, years of experience means you're going to go back to the same well more than once. That's not exactly a revelation, or at least it shouldn't be.

I completely agree with you about some of the flaws with Thank God You're Here, especially that business about disagreeing with the star in order to get the skit back in the direction they'd planned.

As for doing Pass the Buck, I think you actually might have something (and remember, I loathe Pass the Buck), but probably not what you're thinking. I don't think it make a lot of sense to go around and around with an idea until one of your people just can't think of something. Instead, how about a game where you give them a situation, each of them comes up with their best idea, and the judge (or a vote of the audience) eliminates the worst one? Certainly, that's more Survivor than Pass the Buck, but your audience would identify more with that anyway.

whewfan · « **Reply #14 on:** October 28, 2007, 02:57:40 PM »

I did see one bit from Thank God You're Here that I liked, and that was a bit with Tom Green. He may have never done improvisation, but he was definitely following the rules more closely than anyone else. He LISTENED to his scene partner, and that's another important element of improv. What I liked about Tom was that he was playing a "game" of progressively destroying props on the set. He was supposed to be a handyman, so he made himself a clumsy handyman. I always thought Tom Green was funny when he wasn't being "Tom Green".

Okay, as you can tell I am a fanatic of improvisation, so I'll steer this back into game shows. Another idea I mulled over was another Match Game, and again, I know some people that would be VERY funny, and not steer MG into the direction that MG 98 was going. I'd need a new suit though :-)