The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Skynet74 on July 27, 2004, 01:35:54 PM
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I was very surprised to see that Ken Jennings made it to the end of the season. The reason that I say this is because all the articles that I read about him, made it sound like his championship had ended. I have to say that was some mighty fine trickery! :-)
Anyway...... My apologies if this has been answered before....... and additional apologies for just not looking it up on my own (I'm feeling lazy today), but when does the new season of Jeopardy start taping?
thanks,
John
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From what I've read, they start taping again August 9th.
However, it's been mentioned elsewhere that Ken was through with the show and at home now. We all thought that might have meant he would have lost before the season finale. He didn't.
It's been stated that a couple of weeks of shows for Season 21 have already been taped. If they're regular shows (and not special Tournament shows, or anything)I'm wondering if it's possible Ken could have lost during those two weeks...
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 02:49 PM\']
It's been stated that a couple of weeks of shows for Season 21 have already been taped. If they're regular shows (and not special Tournament shows, or anything)I'm wondering if it's possible Ken could have lost during those two weeks... [/quote]
Maybe, and Ken can tell us if he chooses to(but of course he isn't going to until after the shows air), in the wake of Ken's 38 game win, they decided to continue taping shows until Ken lost, so as not to break up the momentum.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 04:04 PM\'] Maybe, and Ken can tell us if he chooses to(but of course he isn't going to until after the shows air), in the wake of Ken's 38 game win, they decided to continue taping shows until Ken lost, so as not to break up the momentum. [/quote]
Yeah, and maybe not. Consider the two options:
Continue taping: inconvenience the entire staff of the show, inconvenience the crew who might have had other gigs lined up to fill in the taping break, inconvenience Alex, who may have a had a well-deserved vacation planned.
Follow original taping schedule: inconvenience Ken. Who I imagine isn't feeling all THAT inconvenienced at a million-three.
I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 06:11 PM\']
Yeah, and maybe not. Consider the two options:
Continue taping: inconvenience the entire staff of the show, inconvenience the crew who might have had other gigs lined up to fill in the taping break, inconvenience Alex, who may have a had a well-deserved vacation planned.
Follow original taping schedule: inconvenience Ken. Who I imagine isn't feeling all THAT inconvenienced at a million-three.
I could be wrong, but I doubt it. [/quote]
I forgot about Alex's pilgrimages to the heart of Africa.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 06:38 PM\']
I could be wrong, but I doubt it.
I forgot about Alex's pilgrimages to the heart of Africa. [/quote]
And ...... He's got horses to go take care of. Leave the guy alone. :-)
John
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[quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 04:50 PM\'][Trebek]'s got horses to go take care of. Leave the guy alone. :-)[/quote]
Yeah, and he's got good taste in places to live; those horses are just 25 miles from me on the Central Coast. :)
Right in the heart of wine country, too. Hmmm......
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And he's got a pickup truck to fall asleep behind the wheel of.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 08:02 PM\'] And he's got a pickup truck to fall asleep behind the wheel of. [/quote]
LOL! Chris gets the funny post of the day award. That one actually made me laugh.
John
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 09:02 PM\'] And he's got a pickup truck to fall asleep behind the wheel of. [/quote]
Alex Trebek meets treebark! Film at 11.
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I don't find Alex's accident that he had funny at all.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 04:11 PM\'] [quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 04:04 PM\'] Maybe, and Ken can tell us if he chooses to(but of course he isn't going to until after the shows air), in the wake of Ken's 38 game win, they decided to continue taping shows until Ken lost, so as not to break up the momentum. [/quote]
Yeah, and maybe not. Consider the two options:
Continue taping: inconvenience the entire staff of the show, inconvenience the crew who might have had other gigs lined up to fill in the taping break, inconvenience Alex, who may have a had a well-deserved vacation planned.
Follow original taping schedule: inconvenience Ken. Who I imagine isn't feeling all THAT inconvenienced at a million-three.
I could be wrong, but I doubt it. [/quote]
Although you and I both agree with the idea that it's improbable for them to alter their tape schedule, I seriously doubt that the powers that be at Sony would be skittish about rearranging the taping schedule because they're afraid of upsetting the show staff's vacation plans. Alex pitching a fit might hinder the process, since it's kinda tough to do a show like that without the talent, but it seems to me that if there was a compelling enough reason to rearrange the tape days, Alex would be a team player.
That said, what is a compelling enough reason to rearrange the tape schedule? The only one I could think of is if the folks at Sony thought it would be profitable to add six more weeks of episodes to keep the Ken-induced ratings momentum going - easily achieved in three extra weeks of production.
The only problem is that the ratings spike didn't happen until well after they ceased taping for the season - and it wouldn't have been a financially prudent move to approve the budget for 30 extra episodes on the hunch that the first batch of Ken episodes were going to do as well as they did.
So yes, it's definitely improbable that the Jeopardy production schedule would be altered because of Ken, but the motive is not merely respect for the show staff's vacation plans.
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There are other considerations, not the least of which is how far ahead the show is written, i.e. are there 30 shows' worth of material in the hopper? There's also Ken's availability.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 28 2004, 06:37 AM\'] There's also Ken's availability. [/quote]
Not really - if any returning champion can't make a scheduled taping, their announced winnings are subject to forfeiture.
It would be a PR disaster for the Jeopardy! folk to actually exercise this clause, but it also sets a very dangerous precedent for them to start moving around tape days at the behest of a contestant.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jul 27 2004, 03:49 PM\'] It's been stated that a couple of weeks of shows for Season 21 have already been taped. If they're regular shows (and not special Tournament shows, or anything)I'm wondering if it's possible Ken could have lost during those two weeks... [/quote]
Well, in the thread about the Malcolm jackpot, Ken asked for a picture of Malcolm with the implication that he would try to draw the ol' fellow if he could. (In the post, though, he only said he would be playing in season 21, though...)
But the betting man in me says he's still going back to tape for the long haul.
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[quote name=\'SplitSecond\' date=\'Jul 28 2004, 06:06 AM\'] So yes, it's definitely improbable that the Jeopardy production schedule would be altered because of Ken, but the motive is not merely respect for the show staff's vacation plans. [/quote]
Well, of course not. The bottom line is always money.
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[quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Jul 28 2004, 07:38 AM\'] I don't find Alex's accident that he had funny at all. [/quote]
It's not funny in as "We Are Glad it happened". Of course nobody is glad it happened. It's funny in the sense of how it happened. He walked away. He's O.K. No harm done. Alex did a stupid thing. It's the stupidity we are laughing at......just to clear it up for those with an impaired sense of humor.
John
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[quote name=\'SplitSecond\' date=\'Jul 28 2004, 06:59 AM\'][quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 28 2004, 06:37 AM\'] There's also Ken's availability. [/quote]
Not really - if any returning champion can't make a scheduled taping, their announced winnings are subject to forfeiture.[/quote]
Dash it all, I keep forgetting about that part!
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 28 2004, 01:47 PM\'] [quote name=\'SplitSecond\' date=\'Jul 28 2004, 06:59 AM\'][quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 28 2004, 06:37 AM\'] There's also Ken's availability. [/quote]
Not really - if any returning champion can't make a scheduled taping, their announced winnings are subject to forfeiture.[/quote]
Dash it all, I keep forgetting about that part! [/quote]
That's surprising. One would think you would have "forfeiture", "SplitSecond", and "ass" all linked by association. ;)
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One would think you would have "forfeiture", "SplitSecond", and "ass" all linked by association. ;)
SplitSecond forfeits his ass, film at 11 :-D
That smiley saved your tuchis, BTW. (Tuchis: another word for ASS.)
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Not really - if any returning champion can't make a scheduled taping, their announced winnings are subject to forfeiture.
That's surprising - I've never heard that before. Has this always been the rule on "Jeopardy"?
There have been cases on other game shows in the past where a returning champion was unable to make it for a tape date, and they just brought them back on a later show. I know this happened on "Press Your Luck", and I'm sure I remember it happening on either "$25,000" or "$100,000 Pyramid" as well.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jul 29 2004, 06:27 AM\']
Not really - if any returning champion can't make a scheduled taping, their announced winnings are subject to forfeiture.
That's surprising - I've never heard that before. Has this always been the rule on "Jeopardy"?
There have been cases on other game shows in the past where a returning champion was unable to make it for a tape date, and they just brought them back on a later show. I know this happened on "Press Your Luck", and I'm sure I remember it happening on either "$25,000" or "$100,000 Pyramid" as well.[/quote]
If you think about it for a minute, it's one thing if you have a limit of five appearances -- you're over and done in a span of two taping days maximum. I'm not sure Sony executives would like to wake up to the following HYPOTHETICAL story in USA Today:
JEOPARDY! CHAMP MUST FORFEIT MILLIONS
Culver City, CA
Producers of the popular TV game show Jeopardy! are requiring multimillionaire champ Ken Jennings to forfeit over $17 million in winnings because he was unable to attend his 101st taping session of the popular show. Jennings, who broke records with his 500 appearances said, "I won that money fair and square. Just because I had a personal emergency ... " Jeopardy! spokesperson [name withheld] said "We're not even going to cut him a check. As far as we're concerned he's won nothing, not even a case of Turtle Wax, even though his appearances nearly doubled our ratings during July sweeps."
Legal disclaimer: This is a HYPOTHETICAL story.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Jul 29 2004, 08:27 AM\']
There have been cases on other game shows in the past where a returning champion was unable to make it for a tape date, and they just brought them back on a later show. I know this happened on "Press Your Luck", and I'm sure I remember it happening on either "$25,000" or "$100,000 Pyramid" as well. [/quote]
This scenario also happened on Super Password and $otC.
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This scenario also happened on Super Password and $otC.
One SP contestant was wanted by the FBI and what does he do? He goes on a NATIONAL TV GAME SHOW!!! He was lured to the MGP offices for the ostensible purpose of picking up his check only to find FBI agents waiting for him when he got there. He tried to flee but was caught.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Jul 29 2004, 07:06 AM\'] If you think about it for a minute, it's one thing if you have a limit of five appearances -- you're over and done in a span of two taping days maximum. I'm not sure Sony executives would like to wake up to the following HYPOTHETICAL story in USA Today: [/quote]
I'm sure that the Jeopardy folks - like most other shows with similar rules - would accommodate Ken in the case of a death of the family, personal injury, etc. -- introduce three new players on the first show that day, briefly explain Ken's absence, and continue as normal. Ken would return and face the "interim champion" and a new player at the first possible opportunity.
It's when Ken starts saying "You know what, Suzanne, I think my signaling thumb needs a month of vacation" that they can wave (not waive) his release form in front of him and say, "Uh-uh-uh... be here Tuesday, 9am sharp."
This is all, indeed, very hypothetical, since I perceive Ken as a contestant who is very easy to work with.
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Did the Jeopardy! contract ever threaten to forfeit the winner's money if he or she doesn't show? The contestant coordinators have led me to believe that's not the case. The current agreement states,
"After my first appearance, I agree that I may continue to appear on the program as long as I am the winning contestant. I may choose to forfeit my right to continued apperances as returning champion upon notification prior to the taping of the new scheduled program to the Producer, which shall be confirmed in writing. I understand that my continued appearance as returning champion is subject to my availability for the next regularly scheduled tape date and/or for the taping of the next scheduled program, and that if I am unable to appear on that date and/or that time, I forfeit my right to any continued appearances on the show. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to any appearance(s) in the Tournament of Champions or other special tournaments."
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The agreement may very well have changed with the lifting of the five-appearance limit, for the reasons Chris stated earlier. It really looks like that language you quote was changed from " if I am unable to appear on that date and/or that time, I forfeit my right to any cash or prizes credited to me" to " if I am unable to appear on that date and/or that time, I forfeit my right to any continued appearances on the show."
One of the Skycastle (S&P) folks told me last season about an incident where they almost didn't have a returning champ show up and were about to go on with three new players and the guy would've lost his money. He made it just in time for the S&P (re-)briefing and disaster was averted.
Every show I've worked on (even in the King World family, although KW distributes J! without producing it) has had that clause... but then none of them have allowed unlimited appearances for a returning champion. I'm still mistaken for having assumed that the rule carried over to this season.
Never before have I felt so much like George W. Bush.
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I think it's more possible that Ken would just end his run at, say, $3,000,000 or whatever he chose if it became clear it might be the only way it could really end.
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[quote name=\'starcade\']I think it's more possible that Ken would just end his run at, say, $3,000,000 or whatever he chose if it became clear it might be the only way it could really end.[/quote]
You might be right, considering there is no one smarter than Ken on the face of the Earth. :)
WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHY would he quit?
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[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Jul 29 2004, 11:27 PM\']WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHY would he quit? [/quote]
CSS: Carpal Signal Syndrome
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Why would he quit?
I guess my question would be, after a certain point: Why would he continue?
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[quote name=\'starcade\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 03:12 AM\'] I guess my question would be, after a certain point: Why would he continue? [/quote]
Hmmm,
Money...history...money...pleasure...money...self-satisfaction...money?
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[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 04:01 AM\'] Money...history...money...pleasure...money...self-satisfaction...money? [/quote]
I think you forgot money. :)
Doug
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Let's face it. The guy has a new job that pays about $200,000 a Week. Not Bad... Not Bad at all!
John
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[quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 08:31 PM\'] Let's face it. The guy has a new job that pays about $200,000 a Week. Not Bad... Not Bad at all!
John [/quote]
At least it's a well earned 200k. Our "fearless leader" gets that for a whole year of doing,um, less work than that IMHO.
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[quote name=\'passwordplus\' date=\'Jul 31 2004, 02:26 PM\'] At least it's a well earned 200k. Our "fearless leader" gets that for a whole year of doing,um, less work than that IMHO. [/quote]
And Ken actually uses his brain to make his money...(rimshot)
I'll be here all week.
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[quote name=\'passwordplus\' date=\'Jul 31 2004, 02:26 PM\'] [quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 08:31 PM\'] Let's face it. The guy has a new job that pays about $200,000 a Week. Not Bad... Not Bad at all!
John [/quote]
At least it's a well earned 200k. Our "fearless leader" gets that for a whole year of doing,um, less work than that IMHO. [/quote]
Actually, it's $400,000 a year. (Congress passed the measure during the Clinton administration, and under the Constitution, it took effect with the next person to hold the office.)
Editorial comment: I think this raise was long overdue and not enough. I don't think a million a year would be excessive. That is not a commentary on how well any particular President has performed.
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[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' date=\'Aug 1 2004, 03:42 PM\'] Editorial comment: I think this raise was long overdue and not enough. I don't think a million a year would be excessive. That is not a commentary on how well any particular President has performed. [/quote]
Considering the obscene speaker's fees and book advances and what not former President's enjoy, I often wonder if they shouldn't do the job for NOTHING.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Aug 1 2004, 06:17 PM\']Considering the obscene speaker's fees and book advances and what not former President's enjoy, I often wonder if they shouldn't do the job for NOTHING.[/quote]
Better yet, they should pay us for putting up with them.
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[quote name=\'Skynet74\' date=\'Jul 30 2004, 07:31 PM\'] The guy has a new job that pays about $200,000 a Week. [/quote]
Not bad indeed, but does he get health coverage? And that probation period is tough: he can get fired every day.
Seriously, though: is KJ outearning Alex at this point?
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[quote name=\'Clay Zambo\' date=\'Aug 2 2004, 12:21 PM\'] Seriously, though: is KJ outearning Alex at this point? [/quote]
Good question. I'm sure that could irk Mr Trebek to no end!
I can see an SNL sketch about this though. Instead of being mad about Sean Connery being such an idiot, Alex could be so upset about KJ winning so handily that he starts to sabotage him. Hey, they've written in former cast members before for cameos like this and Will Ferrell has long since been rumored to be hosting sometime.
If I were a betting man, I'd say SNL will be doing a KJ sketch. I nominate Will Forte for Ken.
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The most generous salary figure I've seen for Alex is $12 million a year. That may sound outrageous, but it's not an impossible figure and not completely out of line when compared with other host types. Using that figure and 46 weeks of originals, Alex still makes a little more than Ken does, about $52,000 per show.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Aug 2 2004, 12:32 PM\']The most generous salary figure I've seen for Alex is $12 million a year. That may sound outrageous, but it's not an impossible figure and not completely out of line when compared with other host types. Using that figure and 46 weeks of originals, Alex still makes a little more than Ken does, about $52,000 per show.[/quote]
And if people complain about someone's salary on a game show, it isn't Trebek they complain about--it's that letter-toucher on "Wheel." I've seen more than one letter-to-the-editor get into the "why does Vanna White make so much money for turning letters when teachers are underpaid" rap.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Aug 2 2004, 10:32 AM\'] The most generous salary figure I've seen for Alex is $12 million a year. That may sound outrageous, but it's not an impossible figure and not completely out of line when compared with other host types. Using that figure and 46 weeks of originals, Alex still makes a little more than Ken does, about $52,000 per show. [/quote]
That's about $250,000 per week, or about a 50-fold increase over what I guess he was making emceeing High Rollers and Battlestars in the '80s. I imagine Goodson was paying him somewhere between $5,000 and $7,500 per week for Classic Concentration and even that might be a little generous. These are just guesses based on what I know about other emcees' salaries at the time.
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[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Aug 2 2004, 06:14 PM\'] That's about $250,000 per week, or about a 50-fold increase over what I guess he was making emceeing High Rollers and Battlestars in the '80s. I imagine Goodson was paying him somewhere between $5,000 and $7,500 per week for Classic Concentration and even that might be a little generous. These are just guesses based on what I know about other emcees' salaries at the time. [/quote]
I remember reading in a book (sorry, can't remember the name) that back in the 80's, hosts were paid around 200K a year (excluding Barker, Dawson, and Barry, who said "if host is making under 500K, something's wrong with him"), even Clark and Cullen were said to be making only 250K each for Pyramid and Child's Play. They also mentioned that the lowest paid host was only making $1250 a week.
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Aug 2 2004, 10:02 PM\'] They also mentioned that the lowest paid host was only making $1250 a week.
[/quote]
They're off by $1250 on the host with the lowest salary in the early 80s: Trebek on Pitfall.
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'Aug 2 2004, 10:02 PM\'] [quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Aug 2 2004, 06:14 PM\'] That's about $250,000 per week, or about a 50-fold increase over what I guess he was making emceeing High Rollers and Battlestars in the '80s. I imagine Goodson was paying him somewhere between $5,000 and $7,500 per week for Classic Concentration and even that might be a little generous. These are just guesses based on what I know about other emcees' salaries at the time. [/quote]
I remember reading in a book (sorry, can't remember the name) that back in the 80's, hosts were paid around 200K a year (excluding Barker, Dawson, and Barry, who said "if host is making under 500K, something's wrong with him"), even Clark and Cullen were said to be making only 250K each for Pyramid and Child's Play. They also mentioned that the lowest paid host was only making $1250 a week.
Tyshaun [/quote]
I believe I've read the same book, "Come On Down", which has also been cited here in the past.