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What were they talking about, anyway?
Adam Nedeff:
--- Quote from: carlisle96 on October 27, 2024, 12:12:58 PM ---
--- Quote from: TLEberle on October 18, 2024, 12:14:03 PM ---
--- Quote from: SamJ93 on October 18, 2024, 12:11:24 PM ---Well I'll be. 12-year-old me wasn't right about very much, but I'll take it.
/and it somehow makes complete sense that Jack Barry was the type to do this...
--- End quote ---
I think he explained it during a special or interview and said "This is what it looks like when I'm talking to you" while the contestants would smile and nod and keep up the ruse. Of course you can't hear them over the applause and theme tune.
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I don't get it. Why not have a real chat, even if it's about the weather or the food in the green room before the show? Why is it to anyone's advantage to make it phony? The mill-arounds on To Tell the Truth were genuine. A friend was an imposter and recalled talking to Peggy Cass about one thing or another while the credits rolled.
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Genuine but...perfunctory. I don't know that this particular game has ever been rerun, but Dick DeBartolo once came up with a game for To Tell the Truth that had to do with the mill-around. For a five-episode session, the show sent out one extra person for each of the first four shows, and tasked him with having a conversation with each of the four panelists. For episode #5, that extra person was the central character, and they established at the start that all four panelists had had a conversation with him within the past few hours. None of the four panelists recognized him.
carlisle96:
--- Quote from: PYLdude on October 27, 2024, 09:04:34 PM ---
--- Quote --- I don't get it. Why not have a real chat, even if it's about the weather or the food in the green room before the show? Why is it to anyone's advantage to make it phony?
--- End quote ---
You also have to remember that there’s multiple episodes taking place at the same session, so everyone involved has had their attitude adjusted as the day’s worn on. You might have started out fine, but it’s getting to be 5:00 and you’ve been there all morning and afternoon and you just want it to be over. And this is on both sides.
I know that doesn’t really excuse it, but that’s how I came to see it. (Ten hours in a green room is not ideal.)
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Still, these guys are broadcasters and having worked in the business, the ability to ad-lib is a requirement. But it doesn't take great skill or such a big intellect for Jack Barry or whoever to say "So tell me about your son... or "How did you find your job?"... or anything for two minutes. It certainly would be simpler than standing there doing a Marcel Marceau routine.
carlisle96:
--- Quote from: chris319 on October 27, 2024, 09:36:40 PM ---
--- Quote from: geno57 on October 27, 2024, 05:03:37 AM ---For some reason, I never felt quite comfortable watching Jack Barry. He just never seemed the least bit friendly or approachable.
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He was neither of those things. I met him when NATPE was in San Francisco in 1976. I asked him about Break the Bank which they were trying to sell into syndication. He was cold and brusque. One walked away with a creepy feeling.
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I can believe it. Remember TV critic's (Jack O'Brien?) review of Jack Barry hosting The Big Surprise? He said (paraphrasing) that Barry had all the warmth of a headwaiter who someone forgot to tip.
PYLdude:
--- Quote from: carlisle96 on October 28, 2024, 01:49:10 PM ---
--- Quote from: PYLdude on October 27, 2024, 09:04:34 PM ---
--- Quote --- I don't get it. Why not have a real chat, even if it's about the weather or the food in the green room before the show? Why is it to anyone's advantage to make it phony?
--- End quote ---
You also have to remember that there’s multiple episodes taking place at the same session, so everyone involved has had their attitude adjusted as the day’s worn on. You might have started out fine, but it’s getting to be 5:00 and you’ve been there all morning and afternoon and you just want it to be over. And this is on both sides.
I know that doesn’t really excuse it, but that’s how I came to see it. (Ten hours in a green room is not ideal.)
--- End quote ---
Still, these guys are broadcasters and having worked in the business, the ability to ad-lib is a requirement. But it doesn't take great skill or such a big intellect for Jack Barry or whoever to say "So tell me about your son... or "How did you find your job?"... or anything for two minutes. It certainly would be simpler than standing there doing a Marcel Marceau routine.
--- End quote ---
I can say in the only experience I have with this, there was a conversation. Like about thirty seconds as whatever needed to roll rolled.
But really, in the grand scheme of things, is it so big a deal?
Matt Ottinger:
I wish I could remember the specifics of the anecdote. I think it was a guest (whose name I can't remember) telling about an appearance on Dick Cavett, but I could be wrong.
At the end of the program as the credits rolled, the guest said, "I always wondered what people are talking about when the mikes are off." And Cavett responded, "Mostly, this."
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