The winners of Britain’s Got Talent were voted for in Saturday’s final. Spelbound took the crown, rightly in my opinion, with the third spellbinding performance in a row. The winners are rewarded for the enormous amount of work they put into this. Knowing that they are preparing at the same time for the World Championship made their achievement even more impressive.

Spelbound is made up of 13 girls and boys from 12 to 25 years old. While the younger and smaller ones tend to be the light weight tops, the chunky and muscular seniors give them the solid pillars to show off their routines on. The tops are on a strict regimen as every pound they put on weighs a ton for the bottom carrying the weight on his head while keeping them in balance.

The members of Spelbound were slightly critical of Britain’s Got Talent, not for what it does or the show as such, but for the restrictions set upon them by the low ceiling and television’s health and safety rules. It prevented them from showing most of their spectacular jumps and routines. Though I for one found their basic skills they were allowed to show spectacular enough. Even those rate a ‘don’t try that at home’.

Parents who allow their children to enter that sport have to be of the old school. They have to put up with highly independent characters who ply their trade in a sport where serious injuries are a daily possibility. That such people still exist in Britain where health and safety has just about killed every kind of initiative and where social services expect parents to pack their offspring in cotton wool on threat of court proceedings is heartening and holds out hope that we might one day get rid of both ridiculous institutions.

The name Spelbound is written with one l, please keep that in mind. It derives from the Spelthorne Gymnastics Club where they train. Where they train a lot, it has to be added. Their training schedule is plain gruelling: four and a half hours of training, daily, seven days a week, 50 weeks of the year. They all take a two weeks holiday in August, but usually rue it when they restart their training felling sluggish and slow.

Acrobatic Gymnastic is a sport that is competed internationally with (for the UK) European and World Championships as highlights. The array of medals collected by Spelbound puts most other English sports to shame; I might name the tennis players as one of the worst examples. While hopeless British tennis guzzles up millions of pounds every year, the acro-gymnasts don’t get a penny, paying their trainings and their travels from their own and their parents’ pockets.

Only time will tell if they have accrued enough attention to their sport to make it Olympic. As the Olympic movement is bogged down in its own petty politics brewed up in Lausanne by members of the Olympic Committee only interested in their own little petty sports, I tend to doubt a fast resolution to this. But there would be ample scope to enter the sport into the Olympic circus by ditching some really superannuated and highly boring competitions. Some shooting competitions shown on TV are as interesting to the viewer as a sleeping pill.

If you were alive during the 1970s, you may remember Nipsey Russell as the ever smiling, game show panelist, with the ability to make up a rhyme on the spot. In the 1990s you may have seen his comedy sketches on The Late Show with Conan O’Brian. If you did not see any of these appearances by Nipsey, when they first aired, you may have seen one of them on a rerun, on The Game Show Network. You may have wondered who was this wacky man with that huge infectious smile. Then again you may have just taken his presence for granted. His presence on these game shows was a positive one, in more ways than just that infectious smile and bubbly personality. There was also more to Nipsey’s career than those appearances on game shows.

Nipsey, was born Julius Russell, September, 15th, 1918, in Atlanta, Georgia. He attended Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta, and in 1936, went to The University of Cincinnati, for one semester. In 1941, during World War II, Russell enlisted in the United States Army, as a private, served as a medic in Europe, and made his way to a rank of Second Lieutenant, before his return to The United States, in 1945. After, his return to Atlanta, he worked as a carhop at a drive-in restaurant, The Varsity, where his comic ability lead to increased tips from the customers. In The 1950, Russell began to preform at comedy clubs, which lead to “Party Albums” being produced, from recordings of his stand-up routines.

By the middle of the 1950s, Russell had teamed up with comedian, Mantan Morland, to replace his straight man Ben Carter. Their act, consisted of conversations between the two men, that were done in incomplete sentences, where each man anticipated what the other was going to say next. Examples of this act can be seen in the films, Rhythm and Blues Review, and Rock and Roll Revue. Also this act was dramatized in, Spike Lee’s 2000 film, Bamboozled, by Tommy Davidson and Savion Glover. In the later 1950s Russell went solo, and had an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Mantan Morland and Nipsey Russell in 1955

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVnYsgDjQ_8

In 1961, Russell landed a supporting role, as a New York City Policeman, Sargent Anderson, on the comedy series Car 54, Where Are You?. In 1964, Russell became the first African American, to become a regular panelist on a weekly game show. The show was ABC’s Missing Links. Also, because of Russell’s uncanny sense of rhyme, he became an essential part of another ABC game show called, Rhyme and Reason. In 1965, Russell, joined the Les Crane Show, on ABC, as co-host. In 1968, Nipsey became a panelist on the revived version of the game show, What’s My Line?. As the 60’s grew into the 70’s, Russell became a co-star, of a comedy series, Barefoot in The Park, which was also on ABC. During this period of time Russell, also made regular appearances on The Dean Martin Show, The Dean Martin Comedy World, and The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

A Poem by Nipsey on Password Plus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L82emKzMctg

In 1971, Nipsey became one of the featured panelists on the game show, To Tell The Truth, which was followed by the same status on The Match Game. He made regular appearances on Pyramid, during its run from the mid 70s into the 80s. In 1978, Russell, played The Tin Man, in The Wiz. Which allowed him to show off his talent as a dancer. He made another notable film appearance in the, 1994 film adaptation, of the series Car 54, Where Are You? His character of Sargent Anderson, was promoted to Captain, in the film version. In 1985, Nipsey, went from being a game show panelist to being the host of two game shows, Your Numbers Up, and a revived version of Juvenile Jury, both shows had brief runs. In The 1990s. Russell became regular on The Late Show with Conan O’Brian. Throughout the years Nipsey, also made several appearances on the beloved game show, Hollywood Squares. Russell’s final television appearance would be, as one of the panelists for the week, on Hollywood Squares. On October, 2nd, 2005, Nipsey lost a battle with stomach cancer. He was cremated and his ashes were scattered in The Atlantic Ocean.

Match Game 75: Nipsey’s Words of Wisdom

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHDEtSUGCuc

Nipsey Russell may not have been a politician, or activist, that we look at as being at the forefront of The Civil Rights Movement. Nipsey was, however one of the leaders of a velvet revolution that took place in the world of media,which had a great effect on The Civil Rights Movement. Nipsey was not in the media vocally demanding Civil Rights. That has its place. Nipsey simply did what he did best. He made people smile. He made people laugh. Nipsey’s contribution to The Civil Rights Movement, was that he put in himself in the publics view. He was where, some people at the time did not think he should be, on television. Nipsey just lived, laughed, made others laugh,and, rightfully, acted like he should be there. Nipsey’s talent and personality broke the color barrier on television game shows. You may think “these were only games shows, big deal”. I have a saying on my desk, that says “Everything Counts, Be Thankful!”. I am thankful that Nipsey Russell existed, and that as a child I saw him on television. As a white child, watching Nipsey on television in 70s, I did not think to myself “this man is black and he is making me laugh”, I only laughed. Nipsey’s appearances on these simple little game shows, played an important role in social transformation, by breaking down color barriers in the media. For that reason, they can not be ignored, also for this same reason, Nipsey was far more than just a panelist on a game show. Thank you Nipsey, your contribution to society, your wit, and your infectious smile are remembered.

Related Links

Nipsey Russell: A Very Short Musical Tribute ( A piece I wrote in 1997 to honor Nipsey)

The Real Failure of The Fitzpatricks

Nine Very Important Television Shows From The USA

Four Favorite Television Shows I Barely Remembered

Another Lost Television Series

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To all intents and purposes this is a Japanese sports show, just not your normal run of the mill sports. It pits amateur and professional ‘sports’ stars in games such as ‘muscle gym’, ‘hand walk’ and ‘bamboo derby’. It really needs to be seen to be believed. The beauty is, if you are in the UK you now can as it is regularly show on the Challenge channel.

Baribari Value

Similar in some respects to ‘The Price is Right’, although contestants don’t win the prizes. The celebrity panel are shown round a millionaires house and guess the price of what the contents of the house cost. It sounds really boring, it is really boring. And pointless, but the Japanese seem to love it.

Gaki no Tsukai

This show is the king of kings in Japan. The contestants face a series of humiliating challenges, some even lasting up to 24 hours. During a word-teaser game, contestants are often hit between the legs; torture devices are often used; during the ‘no laughing game’ darts are fired into the contestants buttocks. For the viewer it is hilarious, not so much for the participants.

Hyper

This Japanese game show is made by the same people that came up with the idea for the British show ‘Hole in the Wall’. It features a massive shove ha’penny styled board. The contestants are made to wear tight silver jumpsuits. The rules of the game are bizarre. Great watching mind.

Ninja Warrior

There are only four stages of this bizarre obstacle course. In the 11 years this show has been running only 2 people have ever had the fortune of completing it all. So hard it is, that anyone reaching the final stage is soon referred to as a Sasuke All-Star and becomes a type of celebrity in Japan.

Not An Errand Boy!

Every single week a famous comedian takes part in a challenge known as a ‘Batsu’ or a punishment game. One may have to dress up as a woman or have spaghetti thrown over them. The punishments include nipple clamping, spanking, that type of thing!

Slip And Slide Pinball

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Contestants don leggings and then get lubricated and are hurled round a giant pinball game. There are prizes to be won further up the board of course but most of the contestants fail to reach them and instead just get his by the bumpers.

Takeshi’s Castle

This game-show was huge in the 1980’s; no really it was. Well in Japan anyway! It was hosted by Kitano ‘Beat’ Takeshi. He played a count who set challenges for the contestants. As with other type game-shows, most of the contestants failed miserably and instead had to suffer painful mishaps or nasty falls.

The Apron of Love

Basically, a cooking show with a twist. Two female celebrities would have to cook a culinary delight every week. The twist was that none of the ingredients in the kitchen had any labels. Hilarity ensued!

You Knock On A Jumping Door

Bizarre, odd and bizarre. Female contestants with plastic boxes on their head. Meat is placed into the boxes and then a Komodo dragon is placed in. No idea why!

John Charles Daly (bottom) with Arlene Francis, Bennett Cerf and Dorothy Kilgallen in What’s My Line?, image courtesy CBS-TV

They are the unflappable charmers and cheerleaders, the greatest TV game show hosts in the history of the small screen. Gentlemen, come on down!

TV Game Show History: Uncle Jim’s Question Bee Debuts in 1941 

The venerable TV game show has been an entertainment staple since the earliest days of the tube. An offshoot of radio, TV game shows have come in many shapes and sizes, from the cerebral (G.E. College Bowl) to the moronic (The Gong Show).

The first game show in the United States was Uncle Jim’s Question Bee, debuting over NBC on July 1, 1941. The host, Bill Slater, would quiz audience members on a variety of subjects.

The innocent Uncle Jim’s Question Bee eventually spawned a vast multitude of TV game shows, some of whose hosts – or masters of ceremonies, as they were originally called – achieving their own small-screen immortality.

Although certainly open to debate, here are ten TV game show overachievers who take the top prize in their chosen field.

Bob Barker (1923-)

From 1972 to 2007 Barker hosted TV’s longest-running game show, The Price Is Right. Prior to that, Barker also anchored the iconic Truth or Consequences beginning in 1956. Prince Bob remains the stuff of legend, the easy-going emcee and winner of 19 Emmy awards whose legion of fans never wanted to see him retire. “This is Bob Barker reminding you, please help control the pet population. Have your pet spade or neutered. Goodbye, everybody!”

Groucho Marx (1890-1977)

A born comedian, “The One, the Only Groucho Marx!” hosted You Bet Your Life from 1950 to 1961. With handsome sidekick George Fenneman in support, the free-wheeling, cigar-smoking Groucho often had the audience in stitches as he humorously probed the lives of his contestants. During the Fabulous Fifties the “secret word” in entertainment was Groucho!

Garry Moore (1915-1993)

The diminutive, bow tie-wearing Moore hosted the popular I’ve Got a Secret from 1952 to 1964. None did it better than Moore, whose interplay with celebrity panelists Henry Morgan, Bill Cullen, Betsy Palmer, et al., make I’ve Got a Secret one of the great gems from the Golden Age of Television.

Pat Sajak (1946-)

The Chicago native began hosting Merv Griffin’s Wheel of Fortune in 1981, replacing Chuck Woolery. The winner of three Emmy awards, Sajak is fast, funny and able, with his post-game banter with letter-turner Vanna White a treat unto itself.

John Charles Daly (1914-1991)

Also an early ABC News anchor, Daly hosted the legendary What’s My Line? from 1950 to 1967. Daly did it with elegance and class, with celebrity panelists Bennett Cerf, Arlene Francis, Steve Allen and Dorothy Kilgallen in charming support.

Monty Hall (1921-)

Billed as “America’s top trader, TV’s big dealer,” the genial Hall hosted Let’s Make a Deal during its original run from 1963 to 1977. Surrounded by contestants clad in ridiculous costumes, the smiling, fast-talking Hall was always a crowd pleaser, even when a studio audience member got the dreaded “zonk.”

Alex Trebek (1940-)

The Canadian-born Trebek has hosted Jeopardy! since 1984. Although Art Fleming was the original emcee, it was Trebek who elevated the answer/question game show to the television institution it is today. Legendary game show hosts for $200, Alex.

Allen Ludden (1917-1981)

Blond, brainy and genial, Ludden is best remembered as the host of Password from 1961 to 1975. Ludden, who met his wife, Betty White, on the popular show, was also the emcee of G.E. College Bowl from 1959 to 1962.

Bud Collyer (1908-1969)

From 1956 to 1968 Collyer hosted To Tell the Truth, another one of those great Mark Goodson-Bill Todman Productions. His other game show stints included Winner Take All, Break the Bank and Beat the Clock. Will the real Bud Collyer please stand up, and take your rightful place as one of the genre’s greatest hosts.

Regis Philbin (1931-)

A longtime television fixture, Philbin took the TV game show to new heights, hosting the phenomenally popular Who Wants to Be a Millionaire from 1999 to 2002. “Reege Rage” ruled the airwaves, with Philbin coming back for Millionaire specials and also hosting a remake of the classic Password.

Honorable Mention

Other top TV game show hosts include Dick Clark, Hugh Downs, Bill Cullen, Bob Eubanks, Gene Rayburn, Tom Kennedy, Jack Barry, Ralph Edwards, Bert Parks, Chuck Woolery, Hal March, Robert Q. Lewis, Peter Marshall, Richard Dawson, Jim Lange, Meredith Vieira, Howie Mandel and Johnny Carson.

Recommended Reading

• Quiz Craze: America’s Infatuation with Game Shows, by Thomas A. DeLong (Praeger, 1991).

Game shows have been a part of American culture for over seventy years, even before television.  The quiz show was the first to come over the radio wave.  Uncle Jim’s Question Bee, hosted by Jim McWilliams, was one of the first.  Three other radio game shows that went over the radio waves in the 1930s and 1940s were Pot O’ Gold, hosted by Don Grauer, Take It or Leave It, hosted by Horace Heidt, and Truth or Consequences, hosted by Ralph Edwards. 

By the 1940’s a new medium was becoming of age:  television.  Now instead of being listeners, the American population was slowly becoming viewers.  NBC was the first radio network to transition to television.  On July 1, 1941 Channel 1 (WNBT) sent over its first broadcast.  The first game shows Channel 1 aired was Uncle Jim’s Question Bee and Truth or Consequences. 

The following day came another television station.  Wow!  Now television viewers had two stations to choose from.  The other television station was Channel 2.  Channel 2 CBS (WCBW) launched its station.  CBS also got into the quiz show craze with The CBS Television Quiz, hosted by Gil Fates.  Channel 2 also carried another game show entitled Miss Goes-A-Shopping from 1944 to 1946. 

Television viewers were probably getting bored with just two television stations to choose from. On June 20, 1946 DuMont Television Network came out with another game show.  This game show was entitled Cash or Carry, hosted by Dennis James.  This was not a quiz show.  The game show genre was branching out.  Cash or Carry was shot on location at a local grocery store, not in a television studio.

By the late 1940s more and more viewers were catching on to the medium of television.  On May 4, 1948 CBS aired what would become the first true game show that was aired entitled Winner Take All, hosted by Bill Cullen.  This was one of first of many games shows to follow produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman.   This led to a boost in game show history.  Out of all television genres game shows were very cheep to produce.  All game shows needed were a few podiums, microphones, and a selected few people (producers, host, cameramen, and the ever important contestants.)  Unfortunately by August 1949 quiz shows were banned on television because they were in violation of lottery laws.

Television was growing at a fast pace by 1950.  More appliances were making the lives of housewives easier. They were having more free time on their hands so during the daytime, when husband were at work and the children were in school.  The game show shifted to the daytime.  The daytime game shows were primetime counterparts.  The first daytime game show to premiere was a history quiz show entitled Remember This Date, hosted by Bill Stern.  Remember This Date aired Tuesdays and Thursdays mornings, on NBC.  Then on February 12, 1951 CBS came out with its own daytime game show entitled Winner Take All, Hosted by Barry Gray. 

By the 1950’s some of the game shows from radio people grew up listening to on the radio have transitioned their way to the television screen.  One famous radio classic was called Take It or Leave It. When this show came to television it changed it title to The $64,000 Question.  Back in the 1950s $64,000 was a lot of money. 

Also in the 1950s another aspect of the game show was starting to emerge.  The popular panel show had also transitioned its way from radio to television.  The most popular of these shows was entitled What’s My Line?, hosted by John Charles Daly.  What’s My Line? aired for tree decades on CBS.  The panel, consisting of publishers, poets, politicians, actors, and comedians, had to guess the occupations of the contestants.  Sometimes the panel was blind folded because some of the contestants were famous in the day.  The winnings on this game show, by today’s standards, were not very much.  The winner received $50 if he could stump the panel in a certain number of questions the panelists asked. 

The stunt show was also a popular type of game show.  The two most popular games shows were entitled Beat the Clock, hosted by Bud Collyer, and Truth or Consequences, hosted by a number of hosts throughout the decades, including Bob Barker.  The contestants had to also be physically fit to win these types of shows.  Many stunt oriented shows were soon to follow, especially in later years with children as contestants. 

Another type of a “game show” is the agony show.  This was more like a current talk show than a game show.  One of these shows was called Queen for a Day, hosted by Jack Bailey.  The contestant would spill a story about his or her difficult life.  At the end of the show the contestant who had the most believable story won the prize of the day.

As with many other genres of television the game show also had its scandals.   This was particularly true with the quiz show.  The game shows were also looking for the highest ratings possible.  If the contestant was popular with the studio audience, chances were that the contestants were popular with the television audience as well.  Game shows were also trying to win over sponsors.  These sponsors kept the game shows on the air by financing the shows themselves. 

For example, the most famous of these scandals were rumored about The $64,000 Question.  Hal March was the host at that time.  The show had to keep its sponsors as long as possible, because the sponsors were financing all the aspects of the show including the prize money.  Game shows were supposed to be unscripted, but there was a rumor going around that this particular show was being scripted, including the contestants.  This allowed the producers to keep the most popular contestant as champ as long as possible, because it was the contestant that was boosted the ratings.   Some of the winners became overnight celebrities. 

Another example of the game show scandal, was on another quiz show entitled Twenty-One.  Charles Van Doren was at the center of this controversy.  It was rumored that he was so popular with the viewing audience that he was given the answers to the questions prior to the show’s airing.  The Grand Jury wanted to charge him with perjury.  Luckily, the charges were dropped due to lack of evidence.  Networks denied any involvement with the scandals.  And none of them were ever implemented.  President Eisenhower stated it was “a terrible thing to do to the American people.” 

In May 1959 Congress passed a law making it illegal to cheat in any way on a game show, and the networks set standards and practices departments to enforce these laws.  Federal regulators stepped in to watch over future shows.

Most game shows were just played for fun and laughs.  You Bet Your Life, hosted by Groucho Marx, was on of these types of shows.  This game show was on the air from 1951 to 1960, one of the more successful game shows of that time.  The game show was more like a talk show with a twist.  At the beginning of the show Marz would reveal the “secret word” to the studio and viewing audiences.  The guest would appear without knowing the “secret word”.  If the guest said the “secret word” a loud sound effect would go off, usually startling the guest.  Other just-for-fun shows that aired throughout the years were:  Funny Boners, It Pays to be Ignorant, Pantomime Quiz, Make Me Laugh, and Who Do You Trust? 

By the summer of 1958 there were 23 different game shows on television.  Many of them only lasted a few months, but the television audience was always waiting for something new all the time.  Many of the game shows moved from primetime to daytime television to keep the audience fresh.  Also, the sponsors kept changing as well.  Also during this time the television set was evolving, so the game show evolved with it.  The color television created a more exciting game show with color.  The game show sets were more pleasing to eye which in turn brought even more viewers in to the game show genre. 

Since the beginning of game shows celebrities appeared on them.   It gave the celebrities more airtime.    The games shows that featured these celebrities were as follows:  Password; Hollywood Squares; You Don’t Say: Call my Bluff; The celebrity Game; The match Game; Missing Links; Name Droppers; PDQ; People Will Talk; Snap Judgment; What’s My Line? and countless others.   Some of the celebrities on game shows were as follows:  Don Adams; Pat Carroll; Michael Landon; June Lockhart; Lee Marvin; and Betty White. 

Another type of game show that aired was the dating or relationship show.  Some of these shows also had the talk show aspect rather than the competition aspect.   Chuck Barris produced two of these popular show that were entitled:  The Dating Game, Hosted by Jim Lange, and The Newlywed Game, hosted by Bob Eubanks. 

At the beginning of the 1970s a new generation was watching television and they wanted something new and exciting.  Color television was becoming cheaper to produce, so a lot of the game shows that were popular in the 1950’s and 1960’s were changing to meet the demands of this new audience.  The game show was now being syndicated.  According to the FCC “Any program sold, licensed, distributed or offered to television stations in more than on market for noninterconnected television broadcast exhibition.”  This gave local stations more control of what could be aired at a certain time slot.  For example, two of the most popular syndicated games shows that are being aired to this day are Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. 

Many syndicated game shows were Beat the Clock, Break the Bank, Concentration, The Dating Game, “I’ve Got a Secret, Let’s Make a Deal, Match Game PM, The Newlywed Game, Tic Tac Dough, To Tell the Truth, Truth or Consequences, and What’s My Line? to name a few.  Some of the popular syndicated hosts include Alex Trebek, Chuck Woolery, Richard Dawson, Chuck Barris, Bob Barker, Jack Benny, Dick Clark, Bill Cullen, Bob Eubanks, Art Fleming, Monty Hall, Art James, Dennis James, Tom Kennedy, Jim Lange, Allen Ludden, Peter Marshell, Wink Martindale, Gary Moore, Jack Narz, and Gene Reyburn. 

By the end of the 1970s game shows were losing their popularity due to more women entering the workforce, and another genre that took over the airways at the time called the soap opera or daytime drama.  There were still games shows on the air but they were placed at undesirable time slots later in the afternoon.  The viewership was wads next to nothing because the children were doing their homework and the housewives were starting dinner.  Was the era of the game show coming to an end?

At the beginning of the 1980s the game show was slowly disappearing.  The three most popular shows that survived the 1960s and 1970s were The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, and Jeopardy.  But as the 1980s came about there was just not broadcast television any longer.  The advent of cable gave game shows strength to carry on well into the future. 

In 1981 the pay-per-view network Playboy debuted a game show entitled Everything Goes, hosted by Kip Addotta.  This show’s premise was simple and strangely enough brought back one of game show’s disappearing viewer, the adult male.  Everything Goes was the typical television quiz show with a twist.  If the contestant gave an incorrect answer an article of clothing was removed.  The contestant to lose his or her clothing lost the game. 

In 1983 TNN (now Spike) introduced viewers with a game show of their own entitled Fandango, hosted by Bill Anderson.  Again, it was the typical quiz show, but since it was on TNN at the time the trivia was specifically made for the country music fan. 

By the mid-1980s most of the cable networks had similar game show tailored to that cable network’s genre.  Even the Disney Channel and Nickelodeon had game shows with the major audience composed of children.  For example, Contraption debuted on the Disney Channel, and Double Dare debuted on Nickelodeon. 

Not only the game shows themselves changing, but to keep up with the younger generation they also had to change the sets one more time.  This time a lot of the game boards were computer generated with television monitors, instead of the basic cardboard sets of earlier years.  Again, Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy are the best examples of game shows changing with the times.  Today, Vanna White no longer turns each letter in the puzzle.  Now all she taps a touch-screen monitor to reveal the letters in the puzzle. 

In 1987 USA network also premiered some original game shows as well as some repeats of some favorites from the 1960s and 1970s. Some of USA’s original Game shows included Bullseye and Chain Reaction.  Some old favorites that USA aired were The Gong Show, The Joker’s Wild, Let’s Make a Deal, and Press Your Luck.  

Also during this time game show emcees were changing as well.  It was no longer a man’s world when it came to hosting a game show.  Betty White followed in her husband’s footsteps and hosted Just Men.  Other women were soon to follow. For example, Vicky Lawrence hosted Win, Lose, or Draw, and the first woman to ever host a game show was back in 1949 with Arlene Francis Blind Date. 

By the 1990s the game show was still going strong.  Now we come to a new kind of game show.  There was a drastic change to the game show genre once again.  The viewers saw and played with a new type of game show.  Yes, that’s right, the viewer is now the contestant.  This was to be known as the ear of the interactive game show. The Interactive game show was first produced for the cable viewing audience.  The contestant (home viewer) had to do was call in (usually it was a 976 or 1-900 number) to play the game.  Some of these interactive game shows included classic board game titles like Trivial Pursuit, Boggle, Jumble, and Shuffle.  These shows only lasted for about a year or so, but soon fizzled out, because they were usually ran during the afternoon when most people were not watching television, or they were still caught up with their favorite soap opera.

The game show genre was slowly showing its age.  What happened to the viewership?  There may be a solution to this problem after all.  On December 1, 1994 there was a new cable network produced by Sony Pictures over the airways called The Game Show Network (toady the network shortened it to GSN.)  The Game Show Network aired many of the classic game shows from the 1960s to the 1980s.  Mark Goodson and Bill Todman produced most of the game shows.  Some of the more popular game shows that aired were Beat the Clock, Blockbusters, The Dating Game, “I’ve Got a Secret, Jeopardy, The Joker’s Wild, Match Game, The Newlywed Game, Password, Tic Tac Dough, To tell the Truth, What’s My Line? and Wheel of Fortune. 

By the end of the 1990s the Game Show Network had estimated over twelve million viewers nationwide.  New interactive game shows also premiered: Super Decades and Trivia Track.  Some of the interactive game show hosts included Larry Anderson, Marrianne Curan, Dave Nemeth, and Nancy Sullivan. 

The Game Show Network was always looking to broaden their viewership.  The network created two new children versions of two very successful game shows.  The two new children’s game shows were Jep  and Wheel 2000. 

Other cable networks also wanted to keep their ratings up as well.  Lifetime and The family Channel both came out with their own game shows to keep the viewrs watching.  Lifetime had Debt and Shop ‘til You Drop.  Even Comedy Central came out with a game show entitled Win Ben Stein’s Money.  In the 1990s there were only a select few networks that did not air a game show. 

It is now the 21st century and the game show is still going strong.  The stakes are a lot higher, and the excitement is still there.  Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, hosted by Regis Phillbin,  premiered on ABC in the Summer of 1999.  It was the first game show to offer a contestant $1 Million.  The contestant had to answer fifteen general knowledge questions to win.  If he or she missed one question the game was over.  Other million-dollar game shows soon followed during the past decade.  These game shows include Greed, an updated version of Twenty-One, Deal or No Deal, and others.   

Game shows are a fundamental part of American pop culture.  For over fifty years, they have been in our homes on both radio and television.  The major basic aspects that make a game show so popular are as follows:  surprise; tension; energy; excitement; riches (sometimes the home viewers won the prizes also); the educational values the media has to offer; and of course the nonsense and the unscripted chaos that a game show gives the viewer everyday.  The game show is here to stay.

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In 1956, the world was introduced to “The Price Is Right,” a new television game show that would become the longest-running show of its kind in English broadcasting history. At the time, the host of the show was Bill Cullen, and the program itself lasted for nearly 10 years until it ended in 1965. Ever since “The Price Is Right” was revived in 1972 under new host Bob Barker, it has been running continuously for almost 38 years, filming over 7,000 episodes. On November 3, 1975, the show was expanded from 30 minutes to 1 hour, and the “Showcase Showdown” made its grand debut. As of May 2007, the program had distributed over $800 million in cash and prizes (though it has been beaten by “Wheel of Fortune,” which has given away over $4 trillion in cash and prizes in only 5,000 episodes). Starting on October 15, 2007, the show began airing its 36th season. But after 35 seasons of airing on NBC, ABC and subsequently, CBS, the show was about to change forever…

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For 35 years, Bob Barker had hosted the program. Starting in 1988, Barker was made executive producer of “The Price Is Right,” and as such created several of the show’s pricing games. He was funny, charming, witty, and most importantly, one of the best game show hosts in television history. However, all good things must come to an end. And so it did. At the end of October 2006, Barker announced that he would be retiring at the end of the 35th season.

With that, the search began for a new host. Who would be the successor to Bob Barker? It took nearly an entire season, but CBS and FremantleMedia finally decided on their person. The new host of “The Price Is Right” would be none other than famous comedian Drew Carey, who had previously starred in “The Drew Carey Show” and was made host of the short-run game show known as “The Power of 10.”

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You would think that Drew Carey would be a perfect choice as host of the show. Combine a funny comedian with an exciting game show and BAM! You’ve got the best television program of all time! Well, no, actually not. In fact, after watching Drew Carey host “The Price Is Right” for almost a week, I stopped watching it altogether. The fact of the matter was, Drew Carey did not even compare to Bob Barker. In fact, he wasn’t even funny, which is ironic since he’s a comedian.

When Bob Barker was host, he spoke in a loud and clear voice. He would make various jokes and sarcastic remarks throughout the show. He would make you feel excited even if you were at home watching the whole event on television. And even if he was sick or exhausted, he would never show it. Barker brought his best enthusiastic attitude into every episode that was filmed. When he was excited, the contestants and the viewers were excited. And then, there was Drew Carey.

When Carey starred in “The Drew Carey Show,” he was funny. When Carey hosted the game show “The Power of 10,” he was funny. But when he began hosting “The Price Is Right,” something in him changed. Maybe it was the fact that Carey was tired of having to show up every single day of the week to host the show. But why didn’t he realize that before he signed a 5-year contract to host “The Price Is Right?”

I saw this one episode of “The Price Is Right” where the four contestants in “Contestants Row” were bidding on a prize, and one of them accidentally said something to the extent of, “$950, Bob!” even though Carey was hosting. Now, at that point in time, Carey could have made some funny remark, but he didn’t. Instead, he just chuckled a bit. And then a little later in the show when the four contestants were bidding against each other again, the same guy made the same mistake AGAIN, calling Drew as “Bob.” And again, Carey did not make a funny remark. You know, its times like these when you can truly see which hosts shine and which don’t.

If that wasn’t bad enough, for the rest of the show, as well as the other subsequent episodes I saw, Carey spoke with a very low-toned voice. For instance, on one episode, I was watching the Showcase Showdown, and the person won both showcases. In a very low voice, Carey just said “Congratulations. You’ve won both showcases.” There was no excitement in his voice, even in such a rare event such as this. After all, not many people win both showcase prizes.

Now, it’s important to note that Carey has reversed some of the choices Bob Barker has made while hosting the show. He removed Barker’s ban on leather goods being offered as prizes and he allowed vehicles manufactured in other countries to be showcased on the program. Carey has also now allowed the various models on the show to talk. When Bob Barker was asked about the changes, he simply replied “Well, he’s doing it his way and that’s what’s important.”

While I don’t disagree with the changes Carey has made, it’s just Carey himself that I don’t think should be hosting the show. To be completely honest, I think the only reason that CBS and FremantleMedia chose Carey as host was because they believed that Carey was “…the voice of today’s generation.” Well, I disagree, and I’m 18 years old, which means I’m part of that so-called “new generation.” I also think that part of the reason why Carey made those changes to the show was because those rules, as well as Bob Barker himself, were considered “old-fashioned” and “outdated” by both Carey and the network.

What really confuses me is that several sources have stated that Barker himself played a role in picking Carey as the new host. Why would he pick such a person to host such an amazing game show? If Barker did hold part of the final decision as to who would succeed him, he definitely picked the wrong choice.

From what I’ve seen so far, Drew Carey hasn’t lived up to his reputation of being a comedian. He used to be funny and entertaining, but not anymore. He’s dull, he’s boring, and he makes “The Price Is Right” both dull and boring as well. Personally, I think that many of the original fans of the show were turned off when Barker retired and Carey took over.

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On September 22, 2008, “The Price is Right” began airing its 37th season exclusively in high-definition. However, without Bob Barker hosting, even in high-definition, the show still has a big gaping void that has yet to be filled. If Drew Carey doesn’t change the way he hosts the program, then I sincerely hope that he does not renew his hosting contract once his 5 years are up. Even Regis Philbin and Chuck Woolery would be better hosts than Carey at this point in time.

I’ve seen many game shows that existed before I was born. There’s a clear difference between the hosts of then and the hosts of now. And with all of the good, exciting and funny hosts either retiring or passing away, it’s becoming harder and harder to find a good television host these days. Only a host filled with excitement, enthusiasm and laughter can instill those qualities among the viewing audience. One can only hope that as more good hosts retire, newer and better hosts will take their place. As for Drew Carey, he’s not one of them – at least not right now anyway. And combining Drew Carey with one of the greatest television game shows of all time is a perfect example of why 2 + 2 does not necessarily equal 4.

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I love this reaction. Who cares who’s watching? This is how my girlfriend reacts when I pay for dinner.

_HILI ____E

This is a great one. It is a final round moment of pure madness. The dude knows it immediately, and he’s pumped. This clip is pure energy.

I would like to solve the puzzle

This woman is amazing. I like the fact that she solved so fast. Take the money and run is a pretty good motto.

May I have an S?

This lady is going for 64+ thousand in a single round. It is a great puzzle. It is definitely filled with emotion.

ALL YOU CAN EAT TAC_ BAR

These ladies are doing a good job setting up the puzzle, but can they punch it home?

Probably Never Been to the Beach

This lady struggles closing out this puzzle, but her face in the beginning of the clip, when she knows she is just going to have to guess a letter is priceless.

Darth Vader on Wheel of Fortune

I am surprised they let him play

Weird AL on Wheel of Fortune (Bonus Round)

This is Weird AL on wheel of fortune, if you think Weird AL is funny then it’s funny, if not it’s annoying.

DR_FT___D

See what happens to this woman in the final round. I think she handles it well, or does she?

Andy

This is my favorite clip on the whole list. This is the story of Andy. Andy loves the camera, and Andy loves being Andy. There are too many perfect moments in this clip. One of my favorites is when he wins the pin, and as he is going down to pick it up he tries to gets his face on camera. The clip is solid all the way till the end. I love Andy, what can I say, but it is long at over 9 minutes.

People are starting to worry about me

The reason I think this clip is funny is because the dude put a clip on the internet of just his intro, and the only thing I can find value in is the fact that he is a totally weird dude. So if like to people watch here’s a good one.

This clip stars Ken Jennings and his amazing day, where he goes and sets the daily record. The clip starts at the answer to final jeopardy, you get to watch Alex mess with him a little bit.

First Three Way Tie in Jeopardy History

I love this clip. I truly respect the champion for making this bid. I think it’s like after a hard fought basketball game or any competitive event, whether you won or lost, at the end of it, you still say, “Run it again.” So to Scott Weiss, I thank you. Plus, Trebek’s reaction is hilarious.

Alex Trebek gets sent back to another Dimension (run time 1:02)

This contestant uses his answer to channel another dimension and try and send Alex Trebek back to the dimension he belongs, see if the message worked.

Max, No! Kevin, Right! (0:57)

The pacing to this clip is good. This a funny little clip staring “The Clicker” Max, and “Mr. Right Now” Kevin. I laughed.

Contest Faints

This clips is just plain ridiculous. After watching the question for final jeopardy keep your eye on the male contestant on the right side of your screen. The Pan shot is hilarious.

Great Final Jeopardy Round (2:09)

This is an exciting final jeopardy round. Something happened that I have never witnessed before. Check it out

1337 Jeopardy

I found this clip, and it had a lot of comments. I didn’t know what 1337 meant, before I watched this clip, but after doing a little research I found out what it meant. I won’t spoil that, but here’s the clip. Plus, there is a guy from Maryland in the beginning, go Terps.

Funny Jeopardy Clip

This clip features a questionable question, and an even more questionable answer. I am a loser.

Nice Final Jeopardy Wager, Smart Play (1 :29)

This woman is a returning champion, but only won about 4500 the day before. Check out her tactical strategy for day two.

Watch in amazement as the “Top Two” players from this family battle wits in the final fast money round. I am impressed that they could think this far out the box.

September

A great fast money round answer that gets a humorous reaction from Host Richard Dawson. This is a great clip.

Country Starting with “A”

This clip is a battle of the brains between two families who have to come up with a country starting with the Letter A other than America. World Geography, America favorite subject? Enjoy! P.s. who ever edited the clip did a horrible job, but it is still funny as hell.

The Closer

This clip has a good build as we enter in on the fast money round.. The team is back from yesterday, so we know the have ability to win it all, now they just need to put it all together.. The first round is okay,, but then we send in the closer..

Odd Answer – Short Clip

This gentlemen belts out an odd answer when trying to steal the round.

Great Thought Process of a Crazy Woman – Short Clip

Short but great character development.. I wish I could have seen if it made it up there or not…

I Will Not Give Up on this Question

Another good one, a pretty classic moment. This clip is a builder, quite a good moment.. Dawson is so good at handling and making these moments better.

Richard Dawson returns in 94, Sammy Davis Jr and other memorable clips

This is a good little collection. There’s a little more heart in this clip then the other. This is really worth watching.

Songs and odd clips

We have two songs on this compilation of clips. One is eerie as a white family from like Pleasantville sings a creepy song, but still fun. Then this chick kills this do-wop track. This clips is definitely worth watching. There is a lady at the end of the clip, but I didn’t; know what the hell was going on there

Many shows have come and gone over the years. Some disappear faster than a speed round, never to be seen again. Other, more popular shows come back every few years with a new, updated version, ready to catch the eye of the current viewing audience.

One thing I have noticed is that the shows that do stick around for decades, in one form or another, have something in common. They are all based on a simple, easy to follow premise. They aren’t hard to play, for the contestants as well as for the folks watching at home. Let’s take a look at a some classics here.

1. Password

   This classic show first appeared in 1961, hosted by Allen Ludden, and lasted until 1975 in daytime and nighttime versions. The premise of the show is simple: two teams, consisting of one celebrity and one contestant each, have to guess a word by using one word clues. The clues are then displayed on a board and all are clues to the main puzzle. Simple, easy to follow and fun. The show reappeared in 1979, again hosted by Ludden and then Tom Kennedy, and aired until 1982. The show came back a third time in 1984, this time with Bert Convy as host, lasting until 1989. And even now, CBS is working on yet a fourth version, to air sometime in 2008 and to be hosted by Regis Philbin. A timeless appeal.

2. Jeopardy!

   This show, created by Merv Griffin, first hit the air more than 40 years ago. Still a ratings champ today, the original host was Art Fleming, but the most popular incarnation is the current version, which has been hosted by Alex Trebek since 1984. Again, a simple premise. Each show has three contestants, each competing to answer questions in various categories displayed on a big board. The more questions you answer correctly, the higher your dollar amount rises. In Final Jeopardy, contestants have to wager a portion of their score against a single category. Once this is done, they are shown the question and have time to write their answer. Correct scores add the wager to their amount, incorrect scores deduct it. Highest score wins. Players at home love to watch and shout out the answers before the players on screen. A classic with intellectual appeal.

3. Wheel of Fortune

   Another Merv Griffin creation, “Wheel” has been around since 1975, with the most popular incarnation first appearing in 1983. Pat Sajak and Vanna White have been with the show since then, creating an American tradition in homes across the country.Another simple premise, this game is based on the concept of “hangman”. A number of blank spaces are shown with a category mentioned. Contestants than take turns spinning a wheel and choosing letters to fill in the blanks. When they know the word they can answer and win the amount they have accumulated. The contestant with the most money goes on to the final puzzle, a word or phrase they have to solve to win a prize such as a trip or a car. Another great game to play along with at home.

4. The Price is Right

   Long a daytime TV classic, this show has garnered a cult following as well as a loyal fan base. First premiering in 1956, the show is best known for it’s current version, which first aired in 1972 and is now in it’s 36 th season. Long-time host Bob Barker retired last year to quite a media frenzy, with his final show airing in daytime as well as primetime. New host Drew Carey has big shoes to fill, but so far seems to be a good fit and obviously cares about the contestants winning their games and prizes.The show is fun, with different games being presented throughout the hour broadcast. Some of these have become fan favorites, such as PLINKO and CLIFF HANGERS. The big wheel is spun at two intervals throughout the show, to narrow down the contestants from 6 to 2, to see which go on to play in the final Showcase round. Some games are trickier than others, but fun is had for all.

5. Family Feud

   Another classic, this show has been seen in no less than 3 versions since first debuting in 1976. The first, and most remembered, version was hosted by Richard Dawson. He was the suave host who kissed all the ladies. Dawson also truly hoped for the best for the families on the show, often being at odds with decisions rendered by the judges. The show reappeared in the 80s and again in the late 90s. This version is still on the air, currently hosted by John O’Hurley, known for his time on “Seinfeld”.Another fun, easy show, contestants from two families take turns attempting to come up with the answers that match surveys of 100 people. If a family matches all the answers for a given category, they win the money for that round. If not, the other family can attempt to steal the money. Winning family goes on to play Fast Money, which is the same premise, but down to only two contestants answering the same questions at different times. Fans at home shout out the answers that the players on TV just can’t seem to grasp, making it fun for viewers, too.

6. Deal or No Deal

   A more-current show, this is another fine example of a simple premise being the best. A contestant has to choose one case out of 26, each containing one amount ranging from 1 cent to $1,000,000. The player than has to remove cases from the 25 left, one at a time. Each time a case is called, it is opened and an amount is shown. After so many cases, the “banker” calls, offering the player a monetary amount. If the player takes it, the game ends with the player winning the offered amount. If the player says “No Deal”, play continues with more cases opened. The player has to hope the case they chose at the beginning has the $1,000,000 prize. Otherwise, they would do best to take one of the offers from the Banker. Hosted by Howie Mandel, it has proven to be a fan, and ratings, favorite.

7. Match Game

   One of the best-remembered and best-loved of all game shows, “Match Game” premiered in the 60s, but the version that premiered in 1973 was a disco-era sensation. Two contestants attempt to match answers to risqué questions with a panel of six celebrities. The player with the most matches wins. Simple enough, this game show was better known for it’s improvisation and interplay, with the celebrities being bawdy and fun. The game often took a backseat to the ad libs and innuendo bandied about. This show has attempted a couple of comebacks and is set for another go-round later this year. What would make this show a hit again is the right panel of celebrities. A group that consisted of, perhaps, Paula Poundstone in Brett Somers old spot, or Colin Mochrie in Charles Nelson Reilly’s place could make lightning strike twice for this much-missed classic.

That is my list of classic games shows. I know other viewers out there have their own list of favorites and may disagree with my choices. But one thing is for sure; as long as there is TV, there will be game shows to play along to.

Come on down! Top seven answers on the board, and the password is FUN!