Couple more Schedule notes

[Winkfan]

Returning to the real subject at hand, I think it wouldn't hurt GSN to air some Beat The Clock episodes for New Year's weekend; preferably, those Best Stunts Of The Year episodes. It would be appropriate for that time of year.

Oh wait just a sec, this is the current GSN we're discussing here.....

Cordially,
Tammy

[BrandonFG]

Which is terrible, awful and kills hundreds of thousands of people a year.

People choose to smoke, Travis, in case you didn't know.  Excuse the hell out of me for not liking the government sticking their nose in one more place it doesn't belong.

I gotta disagree on that one. I am totally for the (state) government deciding whether someone should or shouldn't be allowed to smoke. Lung cancer can and does affect people who don't smoke as well, and I, for one would rather not have to put up with someone else's smoke while I'm trying to enjoy my dinner.

I'm a pretty liberal guy and not too many things get me to complaining, but that's one that most certainly does. And it shouldn't come down to "If you don't like it, don't eat there." You want to smoke in public, fine, but not to the point of being indignant and infringing upon others' right to enjoy themselves. It goes both ways.

Keeping this on-topic, I don't mind the cigarette ads being kept on the shows; they're not telling kids it's okay to smoke, not that a kid should be up when the shows air.

[TLEberle]

I'm a pretty liberal guy and not too many things get me to complaining, but that's one that most certainly does. And it shouldn't come down to "If you don't like it, don't eat there." You want to smoke in public, fine, but not to the point of being indignant and infringing upon others' right to enjoy themselves. It goes both ways.

And I'm rather staunchly Libertarian: as long as you're not up in my business, I say do what you want with who you want. But man alive, tobacco is that wild card of "Why is that allowed to exist?" for me. The idea that a product exists that will eventually kill you when you use it in the way you're supposed to just seems wrong.

Keeping this on-topic, I don't mind the cigarette ads being kept on the shows; they're not telling kids it's okay to smoke, not that a kid should be up when the shows air.

Here's the thing of it for me: we're in a different time. It has been forty-some years since cigarette ads were off TV entirely. We're not watching something from after 197x, it is from the fifties or sixties. To judge something from a bygone era by todays mores and norms is silly.

/This from the proud son of three ex-smokers.
//Roll that around in your head a while.
///But don't put it in your pipe and smoke it.

[Matt Ottinger]

Keeping this on-topic, I don't mind the cigarette ads being kept on the shows; they're not telling kids it's okay to smoke, not that a kid should be up when the shows air.

Here's the thing of it for me: we're in a different time. It has been forty-some years since cigarette ads were off TV entirely. We're not watching something from after 197x, it is from the fifties or sixties. To judge something from a bygone era by todays mores and norms is silly.

We're not going to solve America's twisted history with tobacco on a game show forum, but let's do be clear on a couple of things.  GSN wasn't ever going to run the cigarette ads, just like they don't run the ads for Dream Whip, Clairol, Hertz, Polaroid or any other IGAS sponsor.  The issue was merely that the Winston logo appeared on the desks, and that cartons of the stuff were given away as prizes.  Still, the way the FCC works is that they won't issue you a ruling and tell you whether or not something is OK (THAT would be censorship!), they just respond to complaints and potentially fine you after you've done the bad thing.  Sony's lawyers have many much more important things to worry about, so the easiest thing for them to do is not run them anymore and move on to the next burning issue.  So while logically, we can see these episodes as being almost totally harmless, there's no reason for Sony to risk even the slightest potential of getting in trouble for it, so they're out.

[BrandonFG]

Just to be clear, I am, of course, aware of the FCC's cigarette ads ban (after all, Words Have Meanings). I was referring to the mere logos for cigarette companies.

/Again, Words. Meanings. They have them.

[Jimmy Owen]

Agreed that cigarette advertising (or even the mere mention of brands) violates the rules.  I just thought that with the ease that sports broadcasts can make a superimposed scrimmage line look natural, they might be able to apply that to old game shows and monitize it by selling new sponsors on the show.  Only hope for these shows is if they fall into public domain and the boutique DVD pressers can get their hands on them.  No real incentive for the Sony's and Fremantles of the world to put them out.

[clemon79]

I just thought that with the ease that sports broadcasts can make a superimposed scrimmage line look natural, they might be able to apply that to old game shows and monitize it by selling new sponsors on the show.

The difference is that those lines and markings and such are largely dependent upon static shots and electronics on the field of play telling the equipment where they need to go. We can't go back in time and put sensors in the IGAS desk.

[jjman920]

This is absolutely wonderful. I'm so happy they're bringing this back. What's My Line and I've Got A Secret were the last remaining programs left on my DVR list from GSN.

It's funny that GSN is so iffy with non-cigarette IGAS sponsors and not WML's. During the last daily run of WML, GSN only resorted to editing for a few episodes (cutting to commercial and then cutting back), and those episodes were from Line's last two seasons IIRC.

I wonder why What's My Line didn't have that many cigarette sponsors once Stopette was gone?

One of the best "lost episodes" of IGAS in my opinion would be the episode that featured the last surviving witness of Lincoln's Assassination and Philo T. Farnsworth. There are so many others that I miss from that era, but that one by far has stood out to me since I first saw it some ten years ago.

/Now if GSN could only bring back Password Plus and Super Password, they'll be back on my real good side.

[MikeK]

One of the best "lost episodes" of IGAS in my opinion would be the episode that featured the last surviving witness of Lincoln's Assassination and Philo T. Farnsworth. There are so many others that I miss from that era, but that one by far has stood out to me since I first saw it some ten years ago.

If you want that episode and don't have the Lincoln witness ep., a DVD which I have seen at Half Price Books contains that episode, another IGaS ep., and 2 Beat the Clock eps.  The Lincoln's assassination witness ep. is the most fascinating IGaS IMO, and I'm not much of a fan of panel shows.

[Matt Ottinger]

One of the best "lost episodes" of IGAS in my opinion would be the episode that featured the last surviving witness of Lincoln's Assassination and Philo T. Farnsworth.

Those are actually two different episodes, about a year and a half apart.  You're right, those are wonderful episodes, and fortunately, both historic segments are available for viewing on YouTube.  As long as we're making wishes, there are still dozens of IGAS epiosdes that GSN has never run.  Some may truly be lost or unwatchable, but I'm guessing others are cigarette-sponsored shows they just never got around to showing.  Those would be the ones I'd like to see unlocked.

[Matt Ottinger]

On the subject of personal favorite episodes, mine is probably a Winston show from 10/24/56, which GSN has run and segments of which are on YouTube.  Guest Don Ameche plays the IGAS home game with the panel, and although the segment itself isn't very good, it's fascinating that they devoted that much time to a home game plug.  Later in the show, Professor Clyde Tombaugh's secret was that he discovered the planet Pluto.  And if you're lucky enough to have the episode with original ads (it's widely available), one of the Winston spots was done by a young, pre-Jeopardy Art Fleming.

[toddyo]

By the way, FCC programming rules don't apply to cable channels, only over the air broadcasters. Secondly, IIRC, the Lawrence Welk Show repeats on PBS has had a couple of broadcasts where the cigarette company's logo was prominent. From a 50's or early 60's broadcast. It's television history, not first run. If it's treated as such, big whoop. Run the show as is.

[clemon79]

It's television history, not first run. If it's treated as such, big whoop. Run the show as is.

Spoken like a man who doesn't have to answer to advertisers.

[toddyo]

It's television history, not first run. If it's treated as such, big whoop. Run the show as is.

Spoken like a man who doesn't have to answer to advertisers.

At 3 or 4am, what advertisers? Those spots are filler. If they result in any revenue, GSN gets a commission.

[BillCullen1]

Do we know yet if this B&W hour is lasting more than one week on GSN?