Author Topic: The Pennsylvania Game (Read 11006 times)

inturnaround · « **on:** June 29, 2003, 08:13:36 PM »

I was watching an episode of \"The Pennsylvania Game\" on one of our local PBS stations and I was wondering if there are any other regional/state game shows out there (outside of lottery game shows)?

For those not familiar, \"The Pennsylvania Game\" is a production of Penn State and filmed in University Park, PA. It features multiple choice questions through most of the game about people, places and things that have something to do with Pennsylvania. Between questions, clues are given about the \"Mystery Pennsylvanian\". Supposedly the people who play the game are celebrities, but they're probably minor celebrities out of Central PA, because I've never heard of any of them.

The prizes are pretty much nonexistent, but they will give PA Scratch-Off lottery tickets to all the panelists if they all guess the same in the multiple choice.

All in all, it's a fun little game that really does educate and entertain at the same time. I'm not sure if anyone outside Pennsylvania would care, though.

The Pennsylvania Game

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #1 on:** June 29, 2003, 11:34:55 PM »

Well, speaking from experience, there are still a couple dozen or so high school quiz bowls with various formats scattered across the country. Actually, I'm just guessing as to the number, I really have no idea. I'm only personally aware of about a dozen, but I assume there are more in smaller markets.

Other than that, you have to go back a few years to when the people who gave New Orleans \"N.O.-It-Alls\" (one of whom was Brandon Tartikoff, I believe) decided to franchise their local trivia format to other markets. I know there was \"That's Atlanta!\" but I don't know how many other cities took the show on.

Fedya · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2003, 12:21:47 AM »

When our family vacationed in Quebec in the summer of 1986, there was a similar (I think -- I didn't speak much French at the time) show called \"Le Quebec a la carte\". My memories of it involved answering questions that seemed to be answering questions on Quebec's culture and history, with each of two teams trying to complete a path down the St. Lawrence River as shown by two sets of lights, one on either side of the river on a giant map of Quebec on one wall of the set. A Google search shows one page with a list of Canadian game shows listing it, but that's all.

If Charles Blaquière is on the new group, he could probably tell us more about it, as well as all of Quebec's other distinctive game shows. :-)

TonicBH · « **Reply #3 on:** June 30, 2003, 12:57:17 AM »

Some parts of Oregon/Washington get a High School/College quiz game called \"The High Five Challenge\". If I'm not mistaken when it originally aired a long time ago, it was hour-long.

clemon79 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 30, 2003, 01:28:01 AM »

[quote name=\'TonicBH\' date=\'Jun 29 2003, 09:57 PM\'] Some parts of Oregon/Washington get a High School/College quiz game called "The High Five Challenge". If I'm not mistaken when it originally aired a long time ago, it was hour-long. [/quote]
Still is, I think. I happened to come across that little gem only last weekend.

brianhenke · « **Reply #5 on:** June 30, 2003, 02:02:56 AM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Jun 29 2003, 10:34 PM\'] Well, speaking from experience, there are still a couple dozen or so high school quiz bowls with various formats scattered across the country. Actually, I'm just guessing as to the number, I really have no idea. I'm only personally aware of about a dozen, but I assume there are more in smaller markets.

Other than that, you have to go back a few years to when the people who gave New Orleans "N.O.-It-Alls" (one of whom was Brandon Tartikoff, I believe) decided to franchise their local trivia format to other markets. I know there was "That's Atlanta!" but I don't know how many other cities took the show on. [/quote]

There was a Cincinnati version called Know-It-Alls, hosted by Michael Flannery from 1997 to 2000 on WCPO.

The late Bob Braun hosted On the Money on WLWT in 1973-74.

Brian

Cincy43235@aol.com

The Jehovah's Witnesses distribute Mad magazine?

We want some more pro wrestling (STILL) and NASCAR questions!

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #6 on:** June 30, 2003, 03:33:28 AM »

Still on the topic of HS quizzers, Atlanta's High-Q is still running strong. I think it's been running about as long as another show out of Michigan or somewhere.

Oh, and I once saw a high school quiz show based out of Albany, GA. There were two incredibly large strikes against it in my eyes. One, the host couldn't read questions properly to save her life. After five minutes, you'd be ready to pay Regis to come in and read questions about Sacajawea.

Two, the final round had the following format: all toss-ups, 10 points if right, no penalty if wrong, players can signal at any time, and if the first team misses the question, it's discarded immediately. I was so glad not to be living in that area at the time, since I know my \"must win game show\" mentality would've overpowered my \"play nice\" mentality, and (assuming my team had the lead) I would've played that poor format to the hilt.

\"What--\" *buzz* \"Which--\" *buzz* \"Who--\" *buzz*

cyberjoek · « **Reply #7 on:** June 30, 2003, 05:47:50 AM »

That's why Quizbusters has a -10 penilty for a wrong answer during its last round :-)
-Joe Kavanagh

Steve Gavazzi · « **Reply #8 on:** June 30, 2003, 12:40:24 PM »

The folks on The Pennsylvania Game are local celebrities...although I'm not sure \"celebrities\" is necessarily the right word. As I recall, a few years back, two of the panelists were people from WTAJ's news department, neither of whom are particularly bright; one of them was a weathergirl who literally couldn't keep track from day to day how many Dakotas there are (frighteningly, she's now a meteorologist at WPXI). They also had Anne Grocer on once; she's this goofy woman who used to be the mayor of St. Marys and who is best known around my house for never wanting to spend any money on public schools (where both of my parents work).

Despite this, The Pennsylvania Game is a good little show that's pretty fun to watch if you're from around here.

ChuckNet · « **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2003, 12:44:43 PM »

Quote

Despite this, The Pennsylvania Game is a good little show that's pretty fun to watch if you're from around here.

I agree...in fact, when my fam vacationed at a condo in the Poconos the last coupla yrs, I'd record an ep for the collection while we were there.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")

zachhoran · « **Reply #10 on:** June 30, 2003, 12:47:54 PM »

I think the Pennsylvania Game did use at least one C-list celeb: Actress Nancy Kulp. I think I recall seeing Bill's daughter Lynn Cullen on an episode years back.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2003, 12:56:50 PM »

Quote

I think I recall seeing Bill's daughter Lynn Cullen on an episode years back.

You may have seen Pittsburgh radio personality Lynn Cullen on an episode, but you certainly did not see Bill's daughter Lynn Cullen (unless Lynn's father just coincidentally happens to be named Bill). Game show host Bill Cullen had no children.

Steve Gavazzi · « **Reply #12 on:** June 30, 2003, 01:00:11 PM »

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jun 30 2003, 11:47 AM\'] I think the Pennsylvania Game did use at least one C-list celeb: Actress Nancy Kulp. I think I recall seeing Bill's daughter Lynn Cullen on an episode years back. [/quote]
Actually, Lynn hosted the show for a few years when the revival first came on. (The current show is actually its second incarnation.) She used to be on WTAE, so I actually knew about her before I knew about Bill. I had no idea the two were related, though.

EDIT: Oh, so she isn't his daughter. Well, that certainly explains why I'd never heard about it before.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #13 on:** June 30, 2003, 01:21:04 PM »

Quote

I actually knew about her before I knew about Bill. I had no idea the two were related, though.

--sigh--

I move as fast as I can, but this is exactly how misinformation gets going.

Mike Tennant · « **Reply #14 on:** June 30, 2003, 01:40:08 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Jun 30 2003, 11:56 AM\']

Quote

I think I recall seeing Bill's daughter Lynn Cullen on an episode years back.

You may have seen Pittsburgh radio personality Lynn Cullen on an episode, but you certainly did not see Bill's daughter Lynn Cullen (unless Lynn's father just coincidentally happens to be named Bill). Game show host Bill Cullen had no children.[/quote]
Thank goodness! As pleasing of personality and soothing of voice as Bill was, Lynn is not. (This has nothing to do with her politics, by the way, even though most--though not all--of the time I disagree with her.) She's now on another radio station here during the morning. I recall her days as a PG panelist, though, and found her much easier to take (even somewhat likeable, in fact) in smaller doses there. At the time, Lynn Hinds (a man) was the host.