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Author Topic: Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a  (Read 8752 times)

whewfan

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We know hosts have opinions on certain aspects of the game they host. Sometimes they find ways to comment on it.

Drew Carey is certainly an example, openly complaining about how long Three Strikes is, looking at his watch when going through the "one of you 4 that bids closest...", how ugly the green and purple wheel was (okay so he was RIGHT about that) and giving absolutely no enthusiasm for the perfect showcase bid (along with other aspects of the game where some enthusiasm would be appreciated, but I digress)

Pat Sajak was obviously not a fan of the WOF category "Megaword". He'd feign enthusiasm introducing the category, and when he asked the player to form a sentence, he had a look as if he was thinking "why am I bothering to ask... the producers will accept ANY sentence"

When PW+ redid the puzzleboard to the blue checkerboard motif, Allen commented he thought it looked hideous. His disapproval of some of the rule changes also showed through his face. I don't think Allen liked the changes in Password All Stars either, with the option being decided by flashing arrows, as well as a complex new lightning round.

Richard Dawson certainly spoke up whenever a contestant said an answer that should've been accepted but wasn't on Family Feud, especially later in the run. In fact, in the show's later years he simply told the family "we're bringing you back" without consulting the producers.

Bill Cullen probably didn't like the judging on Pass the Buck, and he found some subtle, gentle ways of commenting on it.

While this may not count, as it was a pilot, David Letterman obviously was growing disinterested in The Riddlers. He made comments on how "exciting" the game was, and joked to go out and buy the home game. The panel wasn't enjoying the game much either, especially Michael Mc.Kean. However, David's trademark humor really showed through. He could've been a fine game show host in a Groucho mold, but with a more compelling format.

TLEberle

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2012, 09:32:40 PM »
We know hosts have opinions on certain aspects of the game they host. Sometimes they find ways to comment on it.
Really? They do?

That was day one at radio production. Even if you think the song is a dog, you surely don't represent that on the air or at a station gig.
Travis L. Eberle

Kevin Prather

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2012, 10:03:01 PM »
Really? They do?

That was day one at radio production. Even if you think the song is a dog, you surely don't represent that on the air or at a station gig.
Yes, they do. I agree with you that they shouldn't, but he gave some very good examples of them doing it anyway.

clemon79

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #3 on: January 05, 2012, 10:06:13 PM »
And among that, he cited utter crap examples like Drew's blown perfect Showcase reveal, without the slightest bit of acknowledgement as to how they got to that point.
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J.R.

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #4 on: January 05, 2012, 10:08:27 PM »
This has been another edition of "Whewfan Makes Stuff Up Off The Top of His Head". Next is "Proof or Not Real" on most of these GSF stations.
« Last Edit: January 05, 2012, 10:08:47 PM by J.R. »
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TLEberle

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #5 on: January 05, 2012, 10:18:41 PM »
Yes, they do. I agree with you that they shouldn't, but he gave some very good examples of them doing it anyway.
My reply was in response to his absolutely pointless lead in of "Sometimes people talk."
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Kevin Prather

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #6 on: January 05, 2012, 11:16:37 PM »
Yes, they do. I agree with you that they shouldn't, but he gave some very good examples of them doing it anyway.
My reply was in response to his absolutely pointless lead in of "Sometimes people talk."
Ok, mea culpa. I thought you were responding to the second sentence in the quote.

Twentington

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #7 on: January 06, 2012, 01:31:23 AM »
Sajak and Megaword was the first one I thought of. (Also, I'm told they rejected at least one sentence.)

And not really a "complaint", but whenever someone picked RSTLNE under the original Bonus Round rules, Pat's reaction was basically "yeah, whatever, let's just go through the motions here." I'm still surprised it took them 7 years to fix that.

On the flip side, has any host openly praised a certain part of a show, no matter how minor? I know Alex said that he likes the current Jeopardy! board chimes.
Bobby Peacock

Jay Temple

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #8 on: January 06, 2012, 10:54:30 AM »
When Dick Clark was hosting the $25KP, he said more than once that he liked it better now that losing one game didn't send you home. He was too nice to say "losing one game because your celebrity partner's an idiot."
Protecting idiots from themselves just leads to more idiots.

clemon79

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #9 on: January 06, 2012, 12:20:24 PM »
When Dick Clark was hosting the $25KP, he said more than once that he liked it better now that losing one game didn't send you home. He was too nice to say "losing one game because your celebrity partner's an idiot."
Except you are assuming that's the only reason someone could have to like that feature of the show, and that's a fallacy at its face. One bad round on the Pyramid is often enough to cost you the game, and it doesn't matter if you have Betty White on the other side of the desk, if you're new to the entire operation, it might take more than one round to hit the ground running
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Matt Ottinger

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #10 on: January 06, 2012, 01:01:25 PM »
I actually don't find this to be such a terrible discussion question at all.  There's definitely a difference, though, between "complaining" about the show that's giving you a paycheck and the sort of not-taking-it-seriously pokes that a Sajak or Woolery might make.

I can remmeber Ludden saying with great sarcasm something along the line of "that's how we're playing the game now" when he didn't like a Password Plus ruling early in the run.  More recently, I recall Jeff Probst, when he couldn't accept an almost-there response on Rock & Roll Jeopardy, telling the players "that's the kind of game this is".

Offhand, the only negative comment I can think of Cullen ever making about one of his own shows was after Winning Streak had been cancelled and he admitted in an interview that the format "just didn't work".
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Jeremy Nelson

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #11 on: January 06, 2012, 01:10:22 PM »
And not really a "complaint", but whenever someone picked RSTLNE under the original Bonus Round rules, Pat's reaction was basically "yeah, whatever, let's just go through the motions here." I'm still surprised it took them 7 years to fix that.
Yeah, after a couple of years, Sajak got sarcastic about that letter combination...even more so when it was being picked in that order.

Quote
I know Alex said that he likes the current Jeopardy! board chimes.
I'm surprised they didn't change the whole SFX package with the new chimes, but yes, they are very nice.
Fact To Make You Feel Old: Just about every contestant who appears in a Price is Right Teen Week episode from here on out has only known a world where Drew Carey has been the host.

DoorNumberFour

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #12 on: January 06, 2012, 02:18:10 PM »
Gene Rayburn as a panelist during the Hollywood Squares portion of an episode of the MG/HS Hour:

"I have no idea, so I'm going to have to take a wild guess...which really isn't supposed to be the point of this game. You're supposed to either know it or bluff, but..."

(He did get to be a bit curmudgeonly as the years passed, didn't he?)
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William_S.

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #13 on: January 06, 2012, 03:59:08 PM »
Gene Rayburn as a panelist during the Hollywood Squares portion of an episode of the MG/HS Hour:

"I have no idea, so I'm going to have to take a wild guess...which really isn't supposed to be the point of this game. You're supposed to either know it or bluff, but..."

(He did get to be a bit curmudgeonly as the years passed, didn't he?)
That's true, the same as Barker. But I don't think Bob had any complaints except for the contestants, certain models, other than that. That's all I can think of.

I think Regis complaining about the Millionaire change-over. But he's not hosting that now. If that counts...

DoorNumberFour

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Hosts that have complained about certain elements of the game on the a
« Reply #14 on: January 06, 2012, 04:19:01 PM »
That's true, the same as Barker. But I don't think Bob had any complaints except for the contestants, certain models, other than that. That's all I can think of.


True, but even Bob wore a smile 90% of the time (in public appearances, at least). It seemed to me that Gene just became very angry -- even in the waning days of the syndicated MG.
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