Game show folks that left a mark

[Winkfan]

First query: Hands down, Elaine (Gambit) Stewart. I've said many times over, she had the biggest influence on me as a 10-year-old.

Second query: While the Winkster was my biggest GS crush, I must admit my first one was Jim Lange.

Cordially,
Tammy

[jmangin]

Eubanks and Rafferty. Both had a hosting style that was easily relatable, and they genuinely rooted for contestants. I love Bob's bravado when he walks out during the opening on Card Sharks, intros himself and then brings out Lacey and Suzanna using language that showed they're all friends. Bill, with his New York accent, "come on over and win five thousand bucks" on Blockbusters was great. Both of them are people that made contestants feel at ease even in high tense moments where a lot of money was at stake. They have a "We're gonna do this together"-style hosting. Their pace while speaking is also important. They were deliberate and did not rush through rules or speak too fast, and came across as a human being you might just bump into somewhere in life and strike up a conversation.

[TLEberle]

Eubanks and Rafferty. Both had a hosting style that was easily relatable, and they genuinely rooted for contestants. I love Bob's bravado when he walks out during the opening on Card Sharks, intros himself and then brings out Lacey and Suzanna using language that showed they're all friends. Bill, with his New York accent, "come on over and win five thousand bucks" on Blockbusters was great. Both of them are people that made contestants feel at ease even in high tense moments where a lot of money was at stake. They have a "We're gonna do this together"-style hosting. Their pace while speaking is also important. They were deliberate and did not rush through rules or speak too fast, and came across as a human being you might just bump into somewhere in life and strike up a conversation.

While I will go to my reward saying Bob was miscast on Card Sharks, there's no misunderstanding that he wanted everyone to do well. I don't know if I would call his style bravado but bringing his personality from Newlywed Game over and it worked well enough to get three years out of the format.

That said I adored how Bill was so different in terms of presentation and temperament. There was nobody like him.

Over the last couple of years I have gotten to work with Reach for the Top reading packets for online tournaments featuring middle schoolers. Several times I have exhorted the youngsters to "give me volume! I want to hear those right answers!" or coaching up to not stress over misses--there's never a penalty for a wrong answer other than the other team getting to try. Getting to tell Matt O seriously and sincerely that I nicked some of his phrasing but all of his friendliness and love for seeing young people shine, and he loved that quiz bowl was being passed on to another generation.