The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Twentington on May 15, 2010, 02:46:03 PM
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When I first got GSN about seven years ago, I remember seeing an episode of either the $25,000 or $100,000 Pyramid. It involved a Winner's Circle round where, at first, the team looked like they were about to pull a Billy Crystal... but then got to the top box and spent over 30 seconds failing to get "Things You Plan." Does anyone know when this happened?
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I might remember this one. Would Twentington be referring to a $25,000 Pyramid from about 1987 in which Stuart Pankin and his teammate were playing for $10,000 in the first Winner's Circle round? As they were working the last category, "Things You Plan" and time was running out....
Stuart's clue: "the day ahead"
Contestant: "Things you plan"
They celebrate thinking they have won, but the box turned around back to the Pyramid shape and the buzzer rings repeatedly while they were celebrating. Dick Clark then explains that Stuart's "day ahead" clue was ruled too descriptive, thus forfeiting the $10,000 win.
Professional wrestling in the 1980's has been known for its "Dusty finishes" in which a wrestler thinks he won only to have the win thrown out on a vague technicality. Would it be apples-and-oranges to call this particular Pyramid incident a "Stewart finish" along the lines of Didi Conn's "Famous Losers", Jay Johnson's newspaper clue, or a similar incident, prob. from the $100,000 Pyramid involving Jackée Harry of 227 fame? [Never mind that these "Stewart finishes", as inherently bad as they all were, were within the rules of the game.]
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Could you explain the Jay Johnson and Jackee Harry incidents? I know about the "Famous Losers" one, but I don't recall the other two.
EDIT: Twentington and I are editors on TV Tropes. The incident he describes is listed on the the show's main page (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Pyramid), under "Epic Fail".
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[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'240920\' date=\'May 15 2010, 05:56 PM\'][quote name=\'byrd62\' post=\'240917\' date=\'May 15 2010, 08:11 PM\']Would it be apples-and-oranges to call this particular Pyramid incident a "Stewart finish" along the lines of Didi Conn's "Famous Losers", Jay Johnson's newspaper clue, or a similar incident, prob. from the $100,000 Pyramid involving Jackée Harry of 227 fame? [Never mind that these "Stewart finishes", as inherently bad as they all were, were within the rules of the game.][/quote]
Could you explain the Jay Johnson and Jackee Harry incidents, for those of us keeping score at home? I know about the "Famous Losers" incident, but I don't recall the other two.
[/quote]
I believe the Jay Johnson incident was giving the clue "Something from a newspaper" for "Things you clip".
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The only Jackée Harry incident I am aware of was the three-strikes Winners' Circle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtF_B7JU9sY (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtF_B7JU9sY\")
And, for the record, the Famous Losers is .... ACK! The video link has been pulled down.
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[quote name=\'byrd62\' post=\'240917\' date=\'May 15 2010, 08:11 PM\']I might remember this one. Would Twentington be referring to a $25,000 Pyramid from about 1987 in which Stuart Pankin and his teammate were playing for $10,000 in the first Winner's Circle round? As they were working the last category, "Things You Plan" and time was running out....
Stuart's clue: "the day ahead"
Contestant: "Things you plan"
They celebrate thinking they have won, but the box turned around back to the Pyramid shape and the buzzer rings repeatedly while they were celebrating. Dick Clark then explains that Stuart's "day ahead" clue was ruled too descriptive, thus forfeiting the $10,000 win.[/quote]
Huh. Maybe I have two incidents mixed up. I remember the "day ahead" clue getting buzzed, but I could've sworn that "Things You Plan" was the top box in the incident I described.
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First a slight correction and then what I think is the answer to the original question.
The "your day ahead" incident actually happened with Harry Waters Jr., not Stuart Pankin. I can see where the confusion came from, though, because Stuart was a guest the very next week.
I did see a team spend 30 seconds or so on THINGS YOU PLAN as the top box and not get it. That was David Graf and his partner Pom on the very first episode of "The $25,000 Pyramid's" 13-week return to CBS in 1988.
Brendan
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[quote name=\'pyrfan\' post=\'240928\' date=\'May 16 2010, 01:34 AM\']I did see a team spend 30 seconds or so on THINGS YOU PLAN as the top box and not get it. That was David Graf and his partner Pom on the very first episode of "The $25,000 Pyramid's" 13-week return to CBS in 1988.[/quote]
Thanks! That second one is the one I was thinking of.
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[quote name=\'Otm Shank\' post=\'240922\' date=\'May 15 2010, 06:15 PM\']The only Jackée Harry incident I am aware of was the three-strikes Winners' Circle...[/quote]
I also remember Jackée costing a contestant the money in the top box giving the clue "A wolf on a mountain." Can't remember the category, but I do remember it causing some confusion.
Not to threadjack, but while we're on the subject of obscure Pyramid happenings, and rather than starting a whole new thread about it, I have a question.
I seem to remember on one of the 80's Pyramid eps (Don't remember if it was $25K or $100K) a category in the $100 box something along the lines of "What a Kid Might Say". After the contestant repeatedly said the words "Child" and "Children" without receiving credit, the pair made it to the top save for that one category. After time ran out, Dick came out and asked the judge if "child" and "kid" were synonymous, after which a series of bells and the win music were played, and the contestant won, IIRC, $25K.
Did I dream this up, or did it actually happen, and if so, does anyone know when?
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[quote name=\'CJBojangles\' post=\'240945\' date=\'May 16 2010, 02:20 PM\']I seem to remember on one of the 80's Pyramid eps (Don't remember if it was $25K or $100K) a category in the $100 box something along the lines of "What a Kid Might Say". After the contestant repeatedly said the words "Child" and "Children" without receiving credit, the pair made it to the top save for that one category. After time ran out, Dick came out and asked the judge if "child" and "kid" were synonymous, after which a series of bells and the win music were played, and the contestant won, IIRC, $25K.
Did I dream this up, or did it actually happen, and if so, does anyone know when?[/quote]
This happened the second week of Dick Clark's "$100,000 Pyramid," with none other than future star Mel Harris as the contestant. The box read "WHAT YOUR CHILD SAYS," and Mel kept saying "kid" in response to Markie Post's clues. There was an obvious edit where Dick made the aforementioned plea, and the judge did indeed consider "child" and "kid" synonymous and awarded Mel the $25K.
With all the hubbub surrounding that category, I was surprised to see it surface again on the daytime show in 1986 without "kid" in parentheses. This time, though, when the contestant said "kid," she was quickly credited with a correct answer.
Brendan
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This happened the second week of Dick Clark's "$100,000 Pyramid," with none other than future star Mel Harris as the contestant. The box read "WHAT YOUR CHILD SAYS," and Mel kept saying "kid" in response to Markie Post's clues. There was an obvious edit where Dick made the aforementioned plea, and the judge did indeed consider "child" and "kid" synonymous and awarded Mel the $25K.
Until you mentioned the pleading and the ruling, this could have just as easily happened on Donnymid. Osmond, IIRC, never tried to plead with the judge -- hell, I think he was scared of the judge. Of course, if he pleaded then the judge would have to explain why he was so freakin' strict.
I'd love to get the official line on why obscure/impossible categories were used and why the judge was so anal regarding what was accepted. And here I thought Fremantle was the only one who screws up classic formats...
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[quote name=\'Otm Shank\' post=\'240922\' date=\'May 15 2010, 09:15 PM\']The only Jackée Harry incident I am aware of was the three-strikes Winners' Circle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtF_B7JU9sY (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtF_B7JU9sY\")
And, for the record, the Famous Losers is .... ACK! The video link has been pulled down.[/quote]
Speaking of three buzzes...I don't know if this is on Youtube or not (haven't been able to find it)...maybe Brendan or someone else can help me out here.
I'm sure there was another incident where there were three buzzes in the winner's circle. It involved Dick Cavett, and he was so pissed that he gave a clue which had to be bleeped on the top category (which he was credited for).
Anyone remember any details about this?
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[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'240920\' date=\'May 15 2010, 07:56 PM\']EDIT: Twentington and I are editors on TV Tropes.[/quote]
Does this bother anyone else as much as it bothers me?
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I believe Colin Mochrie on Donnymid also had a three strikes winner circle.
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[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' post=\'240961\' date=\'May 17 2010, 08:02 AM\']I'm sure there was another incident where there were three buzzes in the winner's circle. It involved Dick Cavett, and he was so pissed that he gave a clue which had to be bleeped on the top category (which he was credited for).[/quote]
I sure don't remember it, but someone else sure has. (http://\"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Zv3ApKk9Z0\")
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Thanks - that was it! I remember watching this on GSN but didn't have the VCR on that day.
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[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'240958\' date=\'May 17 2010, 12:39 AM\'](which I can probably tell you -- they were cheap morons who wanted to keep the number of tournament entrants low)[/quote]
Unsurprisingly, you'd be wrong.
(Well, maybe you'd be right, but that wasn't the impetus behind the game changes. The producer made it painfully obvious from the outset (especially based on his first two pilots) that he wanted to make Pyramid his own. It was also painfully obvious that he had absolutely no understanding as to what made Pyramid work in the first place. No nefarious schemes, no tinfoil hats: this was simply raw incompetence. )
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Wasn't it the case that the producer in question sought out our opinion (in the form of posts to ATGS) about the new series, we said "You're Doing It Wrong," and he said "Don't care, I'm doing it my way," and we blew him off after that?
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[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'241001\' date=\'May 17 2010, 08:42 PM\']Wasn't it the case that the producer in question sought out our opinion (in the form of posts to ATGS) about the new series, we said "You're Doing It Wrong," and he said "Don't care, I'm doing it my way," and we blew him off after that?[/quote]
I don't remember him seeking our opinion as much as he was justifying the many production decisions that were made. I remember there being a few questions about Winners Circle judging, and he responded to a few comments on the board.
One that stood out was "Disco Songs", and a few wondered why "Disco Music" wasn't accepted. I think the reasoning was "YMCA" is a song...The Village People would be an example of (Types of) Disco Music. Thinking about it now, the judging was extremely anal, even though there were a ton of $10,000 winners the first few weeks.
/Not accepting "Tools" for "Things in a Toolbox" was ridiculous IMO
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[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'241002\' date=\'May 17 2010, 05:59 PM\']/Not accepting "Tools" for "Things in a Toolbox" was ridiculous IMO[/quote]
It was the other way around. Not accepting "Things in a toolbox" for "Tools," making it even more ridiculous.
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[quote name=\'Kevin Prather\' post=\'241004\' date=\'May 17 2010, 06:16 PM\']It was the other way around. Not accepting "Things in a toolbox" for "Tools," making it even more ridiculous.[/quote]
"Um, a hammer, a wrench..."
"Things in a toolbox!"
"Erm. a screwdriver....oh! Pyramid producer Stephen Brown."
"OHHHHHHH."
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[quote name=\'pyrfan\' post=\'240956\' date=\'May 16 2010, 10:01 PM\']This happened the second week of Dick Clark's "$100,000 Pyramid," with none other than future star Mel Harris as the contestant. The box read "WHAT YOUR CHILD SAYS," and Mel kept saying "kid" in response to Markie Post's clues. There was an obvious edit where Dick made the aforementioned plea, and the judge did indeed consider "child" and "kid" synonymous and awarded Mel the $25K.[/quote]
Thanks for the info! Wouldn't you know it, there are actually two eps on YouTube with Mel Harris, but neither is the episode in question.
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I am hoping that the judging for the Embassy Row-produced Pyramid does not follow that path. I auditioned last summer, and at least the audition format followed the judging of the last decade. The casting person told me that I had to match exactly what was on the card. I played a mock game with a production assistant, and she asked the casting producer if my answer "Things in the kitchen" was acceptable for "Things found in the kitchen."
Some of them I did not know what the exact answer was because I rattled off four different answer constructions to make sure I got it right.
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[quote name=\'Otm Shank\' post=\'241011\' date=\'May 18 2010, 12:38 AM\']I am hoping that the judging for the Embassy Row-produced Pyramid does not follow that path. I auditioned last summer, and at least the audition format followed the judging of the last decade. The casting person told me that I had to match exactly what was on the card. I played a mock game with a production assistant, and she asked the casting producer if my answer "Things in the kitchen" was acceptable for "Things found in the kitchen."
Some of them I did not know what the exact answer was because I rattled off four different answer constructions to make sure I got it right.[/quote]
I am reminded of what Preston Jones said last year in this forum, about being told in 1973 by contestant coordinator Edythe Chan that the final category had to be exact, and then he ends up in the "Things You Wrap" conundrum.
http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?show...c=18296&hl= (http://\"http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=18296&hl=\")
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The producer made it painfully obvious from the outset (especially based on his first two pilots) that he wanted to make Pyramid his own. It was also painfully obvious that he had absolutely no understanding as to what made Pyramid work in the first place. No nefarious schemes, no tinfoil hats: this was simply raw incompetence.)
Are you saying that Stephen Brown came up with the "Pyramid Players"? And the bastardized format/strict judging of the 1996 Pilot? Yeah, I can see why this guy wouldn't be too favored by this site...
Wasn't it the case that the producer in question sought out our opinion (in the form of posts to ATGS) about the new series, we said "You're Doing It Wrong," and he said "Don't care, I'm doing it my way," and we blew him off after that?
That...'s about the same level of dumb as George Gray calling ATGS "losers" on Extreme Gong. (...Lemme guess, George Gray was the warm-up guy "George" from the '96 pilot, wasn't he? "If you don't like it, then to hell with you!")
I'd like to see Stephen's posts, just to laugh at his weaksauce "defense" for changing a show that didn't really need changing.
I auditioned last summer, and at least the audition format followed the judging of the last decade. The casting person told me that I had to match exactly what was on the card. I played a mock game with a production assistant, and she asked the casting producer if my answer "Things in the kitchen" was acceptable for "Things found in the kitchen."
Some of them I did not know what the exact answer was because I rattled off four different answer constructions to make sure I got it right.
That...does not particularly give me good hopes for the new version. Which reminds me -- CBS' upfront presentation is tomorrow.
/please no Julie Chen talk-show crap
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[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'241025\' date=\'May 18 2010, 12:05 PM\']Which reminds me -- CBS' upfront presentation is tomorrow.[/quote]And CBS didn't announce Let's Make a Deal (http://\"http://gameshows.about.com/b/2009/08/03/cbs-confirms-hour-long-lets-make-a-deal-for-daytime.htm\") until August. Don't get your hopes too high.
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[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'241025\' date=\'May 18 2010, 09:05 AM\']Are you saying that Stephen Brown came up with the "Pyramid Players"? And the bastardized format/strict judging of the 1996 Pilot?[/quote]
That's what I'm saying, yes.
That...is about the same level of dumb as George Gray calling ATGS "losers" on Extreme Gong
...getting the show free pub on a niche newsgroup that thought (correctly) that the show was crap and was for the most part ignoring it.
Yep, George Gray's a moron, all right.
I'd like to see Mr. Brown's posts, just to laugh at his horrid "defense" for changing a show that didn't need changing.
Nothing is stopping you. They are but a search away.
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For those who are interested, here is the link to all his ATGS posts:
http://groups.google.com/groups/search?hl=...4oC7QPhW2NJ6Qjl (http://\"http://groups.google.com/groups/search?hl=en&scoring=d&filter=0&enc_author=wo-xmw8AAACvI93Lh4oC7QPhW2NJ6Qjl\")