The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Timsterino on April 24, 2007, 08:56:14 PM
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The Wizard of Oz gave away a heart, a brain and a shot of courage.
Craig Ferguson can't give away stuff nearly that cool, but he can help!
It's Funny and You Can Win Stuff!!
THE WIZARD is an improv comedy game-show that is just as much about the comedy as the game. In The Wizard, two contestants compete against one another in hopes of winning a personal prize they pick for themselves by wagering on the outcome of improv games played by Craig and his cast of four comedians.
http://www.ocatv.com/shows/show/143/event/3677 (http://\"http://www.ocatv.com/shows/show/143/event/3677\")
Interesting and could work where Funny Money didn't. We shall see. Anyone know which network this is for? I assume CBS?
Tim :-)
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It's being taped at CBS, but I guess everything is these days.
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[quote name=\'Timsterino\' post=\'150903\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 08:56 PM\']
The Wizard of Oz gave away a heart, a brain and a shot of courage.
Craig Ferguson can't give away stuff nearly that cool, but he can help!
It's Funny and You Can Win Stuff!!
THE WIZARD is an improv comedy game-show that is just as much about the comedy as the game. In The Wizard, two contestants compete against one another in hopes of winning a personal prize they pick for themselves by wagering on the outcome of improv games played by Craig and his cast of four comedians.
http://www.ocatv.com/shows/show/143/event/3677 (http://\"http://www.ocatv.com/shows/show/143/event/3677\")
Interesting and could work where Funny Money didn't. We shall see. Anyone know which network this is for? I assume CBS?
Tim :-)
[/quote]
Sounds like a good idea (and it read even better the second time), and I think I'd like to see that...but what I'd like to see is an improv comedy game show where you get actual people playing...just to see what and/or how they'd do, of course.
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150906\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 06:14 PM\']
...but what I'd like to see is an improv comedy game show where you get actual people playing...just to see what and/or how they'd do, of course.
[/quote]
If you'd truly like to see that, I don't think you've thought that notion through at all.
The average Joe would be AWFUL at improv. I mean, HORRIBLE. It would be painfully bad television.
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Sounds like "Street Smarts" meets "Whose Line"...but it actually could be interesting.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'150908\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 09:49 PM\']
[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150906\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 06:14 PM\']
...but what I'd like to see is an improv comedy game show where you get actual people playing...just to see what and/or how they'd do, of course.
[/quote]
If you'd truly like to see that, I don't think you've thought that notion through at all.
The average Joe would be AWFUL at improv. I mean, HORRIBLE. It would be painfully bad television.
[/quote]
Sez you. You don't know for a fact that there aren't people out there in America that are good at improvisational comedy. I may not know either, but I'm more optimistic.
And it may shock you, but I have thought about what it might be like to see something like that for a while. Yes, you'd get some people who wouldn't know what the hell they were doing, but I'd think you might find more than a few who might be good at something like that. I'm sure the casting directors would weed out the dead weight if it ever came to that. (I may be giving them a little too much credit, considering the fine group of casting directors does for television today...but still.)
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150910\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 10:13 PM\']And it may shock you, but I have thought about what it might be like to see something like that for a while. Yes, you'd get some people who wouldn't know what the hell they were doing, but I'd think you might find more than a few who might be good at something like that.[/quote]
I have no doubt that a decent number of people "might be good" at improv comedy.
But unless they practice, practice, practice, and practice some more (at being funny, at acting, etc.), it's still going to be painful to watch. Hell, Whose Line had seasoned veterans up there all the time, and even those were "best ofs", edited down from longer taping sessions.
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This pilot is part of a development deal Craig has with Worldwide Pants.
I was asked just yesterday if I was at TVC for The Wizard. Now I know what that was about.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'150908\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 08:49 PM\']
The average Joe would be AWFUL at improv. I mean, HORRIBLE. It would be painfully bad television.
[/quote]
That's what would make it so much fun! Think about it!! :)
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[quote name=\'Robert Hutchinson\' post=\'150913\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 07:55 PM\']
But unless they practice, practice, practice, and practice some more (at being funny, at acting, etc.), it's still going to be painful to watch. Hell, Whose Line had seasoned veterans up there all the time, and even those were "best ofs", edited down from longer taping sessions.
[/quote]
Thank you, Robert. This is prezactly my point.
[quote name=\'TheLastResort\' post=\'150925\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 08:53 PM\']
That's what would make it so much fun! Think about it!! :)
[/quote]
No, I don't mean so-bad-it's-good television, I mean BAD TELEVISION. Like they-owe-me-an-hour-of-my-life-back bad. Rich List bad.
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150906\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 08:14 PM\']...but what I'd like to see is an improv comedy game show where you get actual people playing...just to see what and/or how they'd do, of course.[/quote]
As others have said, that would not go over well. You only have to look at "Thank God You're Here" -- it features actual actors who presumably at least have taken improv classes at some point in their lives, and that show is rarely laugh-out-loud funny.
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Scott Robinson
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[quote name=\'MSTieScott\' post=\'150951\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 12:51 PM\']
[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150906\' date=\'Apr 24 2007, 08:14 PM\']...but what I'd like to see is an improv comedy game show where you get actual people playing...just to see what and/or how they'd do, of course.[/quote]
As others have said, that would not go over well. You only have to look at "Thank God You're Here" -- it features actual actors who presumably at least have taken improv classes at some point in their lives, and that show is rarely laugh-out-loud funny.
--
Scott Robinson
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You guys can keep saying that all you want...I see your point, and I do agree that you would probably have a train wreck on your hands, but I'm more optimistic.
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150955\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 12:22 PM\']
You guys can keep saying that all you want...I see your point, and I do agree that you would probably have a train wreck on your hands, but I'm more optimistic.
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I'd like to see a game show, you could call it "Not Ready for Monday Night Football," where you get real people playing football, maybe with one pro on each team, maybe a linebacker. I see people running around the lake each weekend who look pretty fast. They might surprise you.
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[quote name=\'Neumms\' post=\'150957\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 01:32 PM\']
[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150955\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 12:22 PM\']
You guys can keep saying that all you want...I see your point, and I do agree that you would probably have a train wreck on your hands, but I'm more optimistic.
[/quote]
I'd like to see a game show, you could call it "Not Ready for Monday Night Football," where you get real people playing football, maybe with one pro on each team, maybe a linebacker. I see people running around the lake each weekend who look pretty fast. They might surprise you.
[/quote]
Alright already. I get it. You don't think my idea is good. Whatever.
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150955\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 01:22 PM\']
You guys can keep saying that all you want...I see your point, and I do agree that you would probably have a train wreck on your hands, but I'm more optimistic.
[/quote]
You've been pointed to a current example of trained actors doing improv and not pulling it off well, and you've been told that even the seasoned professionals on WLIIA? had to edit out a lot in order to come up with a half-hour suitable for broadcast. You're certainly welcome to your opinion; we're just not seeing the basis for it, other than "well there have to be people out there who can do it."
I'm reminded of one member here who demanded that GSN put reruns of Tic Tac Dough and The Joker's Wild back on the schedule, with the argument that it had to do better than what GSN was running at the time -- despite evidence that the shows hadn't done anything for GSN's ratings in the recent past. Your optimism in spite of the evidence seems very similar; it would help if you had something to back it up.
(And yes, I've been guilty of similar optimism in hoping that certain members of our group would reform, but Matt, Chris and I are running a 2000-member message board, not a nationally-distributed cable network. The economics involved are just a bit different. ;-)
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150955\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 10:22 AM\']
You guys can keep saying that all you want...
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Oh, and we will, but if you're going to dismiss us with stuff like this and "whatever", then you shouldn't expect any more respect for your opinion in return.
(I know, folks, talking to a wall.)
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I do agree that you would probably have a train wreck on your hands, but I'm more optimistic.
Obviously, you haven't seen the times on Drew's Line where a civilian is part of the bit (Sound Effects, etc.) and just dissolves into giggles. An all-civilian improv show could give karaoke a good name.
I'd like to see a game show, you could call it "Not Ready for Monday Night Football," where you get real people playing football, maybe with one pro on each team, maybe a linebacker. I see people running around the lake each weekend who look pretty fast. They might surprise you.
Already done - "Pros vs. Joes" on Spike.
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And in case it hasn't been mentioned, there's a reason for all this prime time game show activity at CBS--a Writers Guild strike is on the horizon for all of the broadcast networks and this is CBS' way of preparing for the possibility that the writers may walk off on Nov. 1.
I wonder if Alan Thicke could brush the dust off a possible theme song for Craig to sing? :)
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'150976\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 03:27 PM\'] I wonder if Alan Thicke could brush the dust off a possible theme song for Craig to sing? :) [/quote]
I don't think I'd want to hear Craig singing, much less see him hosting a game show.
/Michael Keaton sucks at singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"
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[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'150976\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 04:27 PM\']
And in case it hasn't been mentioned, there's a reason for all this prime time game show activity at CBS--a Writers Guild strike is on the horizon for all of the broadcast networks and this is CBS' way of preparing for the possibility that the writers may walk off on Nov. 1.
[/quote]
More the reason to see Concentration (NBC), new host TPiR (CBS), and...oh...I don't know...1v100 (NBC) in primetime. Yeah...screw ABC and Fox.
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I don't know how to break this to you, but game shows have writers too.
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[quote name=\'WhammyPower\' post=\'150980\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 05:32 PM\']
I don't think I'd want to hear Craig singing, much less see him hosting a game show.[/quote]
Then you must not watch his talk show.
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[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'150988\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 05:17 PM\']I don't know how to break this to you, but game shows have writers too.[/quote]
That's why I'm getting ready for Deal or No Deal ripoffs and bingo games! Hooray!
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Scott Robinson
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'150964\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 01:54 PM\']
[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150955\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 10:22 AM\']
You guys can keep saying that all you want...
[/quote]
Oh, and we will, but if you're going to dismiss us with stuff like this and "whatever", then you shouldn't expect any more respect for your opinion in return.
(I know, folks, talking to a wall.)
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Yes, but sometimes the wall talks back. (Of course, in that case, you should probably see a doctor, but that's...eh, never mind. Lame attempt at a joke. I will accept my stoning and hope it doesn't kill me.)
My last post (the one after the one you're quoting) I just wrote out of complete and utter frustration, and it really wasn't necessary. I'll strike it from the record.
And I'll reiterate, if you just throw a show like that together with a bunch of Average Joes and Janes, without any sort of glue to hold it together, you will get something that would make a show like The Will look like Gunsmoke.
I probably should have come at it this way from the beginning, but since I underestimated the reaction to my idea (severely, at that), it needs to come out now.
I'm not saying conduct it like Whose Line...maybe something along the lines of a reality show where they weed things down to a certain amount of people, have an all-star (or not) panel of judges who knows comedy when they see it, and go from there.
I don't know if that would change your mind, but at least I'm gonna give it a shot.
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150999\' date=\'Apr 25 2007, 10:00 PM\']
I'm not saying conduct it like Whose Line...maybe something along the lines of a reality show where they weed things down to a certain amount of people, have an all-star (or not) panel of judges who knows comedy when they see it, and go from there.
I don't know if that would change your mind, but at least I'm gonna give it a shot.
[/quote]
Well, and it's a valiant effort, but no. You'll notice they don't even try this on Last Comic Standing, because improv is hard. REALLY hard. Hard enough that a lot of bona-fide comedians shy away from it. You've already been told that to get a half-hour of material for Who's Line, they cull from a couple-three hours of tape. And those are SEASONED PROS.
The closest thing you have to a reasonable idea would be casting from local improv troupes. And then...well, you don't have average people anymore, now you have unknown improv actors.
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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'150999\' date=\'Apr 26 2007, 01:00 AM\']I'm not saying conduct it like Whose Line...maybe something along the lines of a reality show where they weed things down to a certain amount of people, have an all-star (or not) panel of judges who knows comedy when they see it, and go from there.[/quote]
I'm going to jump in to see if one more voice of reason will convince you to abandon this. ANYTHING that has as its starting point average people with no training trying to do improv comedy will be unfunny, unwatchable television. You could possibly build something around the humiliation of how bad they're doing, but that just sounds cruel, even by modern reality-show standards.
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I'm going to straddle the aisle a bit and mention Friday Night Improvs. It's an "all audience participation" show, but most of said participating audience are people who participate on a fairly regular basis. So yes, average (college) people could do it, but not without some amount of experience.
/Failure is "okay" at Friday Night Improvs
//Yes, I participate sometimes and not fail
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I've been taking improv classes for about a year now. Currently I'm in a class with four people who have been doing this for a lot longer than I have. I would say in a typical 2 hour class we could probably get a decent 6 minutes of TV out of it. And we know what we're doing.
--Mike
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[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'151053\' date=\'Apr 26 2007, 08:57 PM\']I'm going to straddle the aisle a bit and mention Friday Night Improvs. It's an "all audience participation" show, but most of said participating audience are people who participate on a fairly regular basis. So yes, average (college) people could do it, but not without some amount of experience.[/quote]
But that's still much different than watching a TV show. When you're in a live setting, even if you're not actively participating, the "feel" (and the expectation) is completely different than when you're at home passively enjoying a produced program. There are any number of things (karaoke, amateur stand-up nights, line dancing) that would be entertaining in a live situation regardless of quality but wouldn't work on television.