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http://jkeith.net/show.html (http://\"http://jkeith.net/show.html\")
J. Keith Van Straaten's been hosting a stage version of the classic panel game show. Thought it might be interesting to some of the panel GS fans on the board...
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We discussed it here. (http://\"http://gameshow.ipbhost.com/index.php?showtopic=6048&hl=\")
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Oh right, didn't see it. My apologies.
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Worth mentioning again, though, since he's got a more complete website up than he had last time, one that pretty much confirms my hopes that he'd have a fondness for the original and a decent mix of celebrity guests. No one's expecting Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts, but he's had some very respectable names show up as Mystery Guests and panelists. He's even had a couple of reasonably well-known "civilian" players, including composer Richard Sherman and martial artist Cynthia Rothrock.
And to have had Sherman follow some chimney sweeps, on the 40th anniversary of Mary Poppins, is nothing short of inspired. I'm still vaguely concerned about intellectual property issues, but somewhere, I hope Gil Fates is smiling.
Surely somebody in this group has been to see it?
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I suppose the one good thing about the rights confusion over WML? is that no one is sure who has legal standing to sue.
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[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Dec 6 2004, 02:43 PM\']Surely somebody in this group has been to see it?
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(If this belongs in Show Summaries, my apologies.)
I finally got there last night. There were about 45-50 people willing to pay the $12 for a ticket on that occasion, so the theater was at about half capacity. To my surprise, median age of the crowd appeared to be around 30. I saw quite a few young people laughing very hard at the proceedings. (But of course, today's youth will only watch something if it's "edgy". Sigh.)
Panel was Patt Morrison, Paul Goebel, Jimmy Pardo, and Barry Saltzman (filling in for no-show Nikki Ziering). Show was three civilian guests, then a mystery guest, but extended to take up slightly over an hour. Not rushing it to fit into 30 minutes was a *major* plus.
The show started with J. Keith coming out and explaining the game (same WML? we know and love), introducing fine keyboardist Adam Chester, the model (who would be holding up the magnetic board stating each person's line), then the first member of the panel. (Each panelist then introduced the next.) After each panelist came out, J. Keith chatted with him/her for a couple of minutes, with in-context humor applied liberally.
J. Keith did a fine job as moderator, making the role his own, but still channeling John Charles Daly on several occasions, including a couple of Daly-esque answer explanations. :) For those concerned about him being smug and self-possessed, I certainly didn't see it.
First guest was a baseball card dealer (for whom J. Keith worked in his teenage years, and who Jimmy Pardo tried to convince that he sold dreidels). He stumped the panel, despite their reasonble questions.
And as luck would have it, the second guest... makes dreidels. Strangely enough, he got seven noes despite the crowd's laughter as his line was revealed. Afterward, the lovely assistant brought out some of his items, and dreidels were thrown to the crowd.
Next up, Joe Alaskey, voice of many Looney Tunes characters (among others), who signed in as Mr. X. Unfortunately, his questioning was cut short. While Goebel recognized him and recused himself, Saltzman didn't. Oh well, we still got to see what it *really* looks like when Bugs and Daffy talk. :)
Finally, the mystery guest, for which the panel donned their blindfolds (identical to the '70s version, down to the pearl border for the ladies'). When the blindfolds were all in place, out walked... Nanette Fabray. Even though she barely disguised her voice, she stumped the panel, including Paul "Everyone I'm thinking of is dead!" Goebel. She then talked about how she changed the spelling of her name (from Fabares) the day after Ed Sullivan introduced her as "Nanette Fa-bare-ass", and asked J. Keith how old he thought she was.
J. Keith: (hesitating) It would seem uncouth to guess.
Nanette: Why?
J. Keith: Oh, I don't know. 29? Is that safe?
Nanette: (gives incredulous look) Let me teach you some sign language. (Smiles and puts right index finger and pinky to cheek) That means bullshit.
All in all, everyone seemed to have a great time. Being just nine days removed from major abdominal surgery, I was laughing so hard throughout the show, I thought I was going to rupture something. I definitely want to go back next week; my only regret is that I missed the first four. :(
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Uh...think we could kidnap some network execs and take them to the next one?
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[quote name=\'DrBear\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 01:27 PM\']Uh...think we could kidnap some network execs and take them to the next one?
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If I were going to kidnap network execs they wouldn't suffer as pleasant a fate as seeing What's My Line?
I haven't been; I work at that time.
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The only problem I have with GSSteve's summary is that it makes me wish all the more that I could be there. Sounds like they're having fun without making fun, and that's the perfect way to do it.
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[quote name=\'gameshowsteve\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 03:57 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Dec 6 2004, 02:43 PM\']Surely somebody in this group has been to see it?
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Next up, Joe Alaskey, voice of many Looney Tunes characters (among others), who signed in as Mr. X. Unfortunately, his questioning was cut short. While Goebel recognized him and recused himself, Saltzman didn't. Oh well, we still got to see what it *really* looks like when Bugs and Daffy talk. :)
and puts right index finger and pinky to cheek) That means bullshit.
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Joe Alaskey of course was also the announcer/commercial intro man on Couch Potatoes for most of its run, and a celeb guest on WLOD, MG90, and a few others.
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 07:38 PM\'][quote name=\'gameshowsteve\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 03:57 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Dec 6 2004, 02:43 PM\']Surely somebody in this group has been to see it?
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Next up, Joe Alaskey, voice of many Looney Tunes characters (among others), who signed in as Mr. X. Unfortunately, his questioning was cut short. While Goebel recognized him and recused himself, Saltzman didn't. Oh well, we still got to see what it *really* looks like when Bugs and Daffy talk. :)
and puts right index finger and pinky to cheek) That means bullshit.
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*horan's ramblings mercifully snipped.*
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Zach, I knew that stuff too, but you didn't see me posting it, right?
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[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 05:38 PM\'][Classic Horan edited to keep egos from swelling]
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"Oh my GAWD! ANOTHER thread I'm not involved in! How can I be a buttinsky on this one? Oh! I know!"
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[quote name=\'gameshowsteve\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 03:57 PM\']Barry Saltzman (filling in for no-show Nikki Ziering)[/quote]
Somewhat does not suprise me.
Very friendly, but has a habit of not being reachable. (ie: returning calls, not updating website, etc...)