Calling all Forum "departing contestants" with gifts

[JasonA1]

I was showing my wife Bob Harris' great video documenting all the parting gifts he received on Jeopardy!...



...and it made me wonder: who here had the honor/burden of such a haul? This all stemmed from a conversation of what today's contestants receive vs. yesteryear. I imagine some contestants ended up with some decent gifts, on top of the task of having to give out Dimetapp as a stocking stuffer.

-Jason

[TimK2003]

$25 worth of Bon Ami went a loong way back then...

[tomobrien]

from Jeopardy '84:

Coupons for a case of Shasta soft drinks and a Shasta beach towel.
Os-Cal calcium tablets, which went right to Mom.
Hanes Underalls: The "male" equivalent of that gift was a Kodak instant camera. Since Kodak lost a patent lawsuit to Polaroid and had to discontinue it, it was worth a share of Kodak stock.
Niagara Spray Starch and Mazola No-Stick: 50 coupons for free cans of both products.  I would hand them out to friends who came over as their "parting gifts."

There was probably more but now I'm too depressed upon realizing that I outlived most of these products.

[colonial]

WWTBAM: Everyone went home with a "million-dollar check" regardless of how you did. I still have my million-dollar checks from my two appearances, as well as the check with my actually winnings listed. That check is in my home office and my daughter has the million-dollar checks in her bedroom.

2-Minute Drill: Received a 2MD T-shirt and CD-ROM video game. Both are long gone.

1 Vs. 100: Only thing I got from that show was the slight stomach discomfort from the breakfast spread the show provided contestants (and it was quite the sizable spread). Some travel-size Pepto I got from the hotel did the trick there.


JD

[tvmitch]

WWTBAM: I have my million-dollar check from my appearance in 2000, which I framed and is hanging in my home office. Was also given a cash per-diem of $150 while there, and a t-shirt. And transportation to-from the show, I guess.

At-home contestant on PPoT: bupkis

[MikeK]

Like Mitch, Superfan on PPoT:  Bupkis.

I got a nice haul for taking part in the Hardball Hot Seat in 2002--a nice Hardball shirt which is 3 sizes too small, a Hardball baseball cap, an MSNBC satchel, and a signed copy of Chris Matthews' most recent book.  For making the (unaired) finals, besides a trip to DC with a guest, I got a $200 AmEx gift card and a fancy at the time digital camera/MP3 player hybrid.

[SuperMatch93]

from Jeopardy '84:

Coupons for a case of Shasta soft drinks and a Shasta beach towel.

Was this the towel?

[carlisle96]

WWTBAM: I have my million-dollar check from my appearance in 2000, which I framed and is hanging in my home office. Was also given a cash per-diem of $150 while there, and a t-shirt. And transportation to-from the show, I guess.

At-home contestant on PPoT: bupkis

I didn't get a million dollar check, but I did get free transportation to New York (Newark), a ride to the city, a hotel room, a T-shirt that I still wear, a pre-show green room meal, a handshake from Regis Philbin, and $100 spending money that I gave to my then wife while I got ready for the show.

[tomobrien]

from Jeopardy '84:

Coupons for a case of Shasta soft drinks and a Shasta beach towel.

Was this the towel?

That very well could be it...it sure looks familiar.

And WWTBAM 2000...all the other stuff that everyone mentioned.  But our per diem was $50 which, even in 2000, was pretty laughable for NYC.

[JasonA1]

from Jeopardy '84:

Coupons for a case of Shasta soft drinks and a Shasta beach towel.
Os-Cal calcium tablets, which went right to Mom.
Hanes Underalls: The "male" equivalent of that gift was a Kodak instant camera. Since Kodak lost a patent lawsuit to Polaroid and had to discontinue it, it was worth a share of Kodak stock.
Niagara Spray Starch and Mazola No-Stick: 50 coupons for free cans of both products.  I would hand them out to friends who came over as their "parting gifts."

Exactly what I was hoping for, thank you! Do I correctly conclude that the only gifts you personally used or enjoyed were the Shasta and stock?

-Jason

[colonial]

from Jeopardy '84:

Coupons for a case of Shasta soft drinks and a Shasta beach towel.

Was this the towel?

That very well could be it...it sure looks familiar.

And WWTBAM 2000...all the other stuff that everyone mentioned.  But our per diem was $50 which, even in 2000, was pretty laughable for NYC.

I recall using my per diem money at, of all places, WWF New York on Times Square. They had a clearance sale on XFL merchandise at the time and I bought two jerseys (Birmingham and NY/NJ) at 75% off. Gave them as prizes for an office Christmas party.

JD

[Matt Ottinger]

I'm sure I have told this story before.

One of my parting gifts on Sale of the Century in 1986 was a year's supply of Otter Pops, the frozen fruit-water treat.  A few weeks later I got a check in the mail from the Otter Pops people along with a lovely note hoping I would use the money to go out and buy Otter Pops.  I did not.

[joshg]

Lingo : a watch and baseball cap, both with the show logo on it. Plus, an autographed photo of Chuck after we went 10 for 10 in the bonus round

[SuperMatch93]

I'm sure I have told this story before.

One of my parting gifts on Sale of the Century in 1986 was a year's supply of Otter Pops, the frozen fruit-water treat.  A few weeks later I got a check in the mail from the Otter Pops people along with a lovely note hoping I would use the money to go out and buy Otter Pops.  I did not.

Of course, you were holding out for a bigger check to buy them, like your two grand from Jeopardy!

[Kevin Prather]

I didn't get parting gifts or a per diem for either of my appearances. I wonder how many shows still do that. My friends were all shocked to learn that most game shows don't cover your travel expenses anymore.