19Apr2007
“Deal or No Deal” Episode 100 to Air on May 6th
It's amusing to me that a primetime show that's only been on the air for about a year and a half can have 100 episodes done already. Regardless, the show that started a new craze in game shows today, Deal or No Deal, will celebrate it's 100th episode on Sunday, May 6th, at 9PM ET. The set will be covered in party decorations, plus there will be a few surprises. Want a sneak peak at one of the surprises? Look under the break to see who or what's coming back. UPDATE: OK, NBC did confirm that Brooks Leach will be invited back to play. He will also receive a special message from Ozzy Osbourne. Former contestants are also invited back to be in the audience. All of this is on Sunday, May 6th at 9PM ET. Following that is a "film" about the 90s edition of Saturday Night Live featuring all the good old cast members like Dana Carvey, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, Mike Myers, and Chris Rock. The 90s with Tina Fey was the last time that the show was good, so be sure to check that out. (more...)
Read MoreView Comments (9)19Apr2007
Early Look at the Rules of “Camouflage”
GSN's new game show Camouflage has been looking for contestants. One of our readers recently auditioned and he gave us a look into the rules. Here they are: Letters are dropping out of a string of words, with the answer word hidden within. The clues are mostly clever play-on-words crossword clues. The show will have three players, and there will be three rounds. The only thing changing from round to round is the number of words in the answer (one, two, or three+) and the possible points for answering correctly (100*round number max, with points falling away as more letters disappear). There is also sometimes a double camouflage, where the answer to a puzzle contains an answer to a bonus puzzle, which only the person who answers the first one correctly can try (they have 10 seconds, and can make as many guesses in the time limit). For the bonus, you try to get as many one-word puzzles in 45 seconds (and, again, you are allowed to give answers as many times as you like). The number correct is the number of letters that are removed from a final puzzle worth $5000. So, what are we thinking, readers? My early opinion is that it seems relatively interesting, but reminds me of That's the Question far too much, which I think is a bit better than this show. Also, this seems just a tiny bit boring, but I'm sure the actual show will be more entertaining
Read MoreView Comments (2)18Apr2007
GSN Schedules Kitty Carlisle Tribute
GSN has just scheduled a tribute to the late Kitty Carlisle who died on Tuesday at the age of 96 from pneumonia. On Monday morning at 3AM, GSN will air her first appearance on "To Tell The Truth" from March 5th, 1957. Other panelists joining Carlisle included Polly Bergen, Ralph Bellamy and Hy Gardner. Guests on this particular episode featured the personal barber to the president, a female blackjack dealer/mineral prospector and disc jockey Alan Freed, who is often credited as the radio father of rock ‘n’ roll. At 3:30 AM ET, GSN is airing a very special “To Tell The Truth” which featured Carlisle’s son as one of the guest imposters. This color episode originally aired in 1973 and featured host Garry Moore. Panelists included Bill Cullen, Joe Garagiola and Peggy Cass. Guests were a New York City police detective who uses disguises and an executive who studies the impact of viewing television in addition to Carlisle’s own son in disguise.
Read MoreView Comments (1)18Apr2007
Actress & Panelist Kitty Carlisle Passes
Kittie Carlisle Hart, who had a long career in movies, broadway, opera, and television, has passed at the age of 96. Her son, Christopher Hart, said she passed away peacefully on Tuesday night at her Manhattan apartment. For our group, she was most known as a celebrity panelist on "To Tell The Truth" from 1956 to 1967 as well as various other runs of the show. Kittie Carlisle Hart starred in movies such as "A Night at the Opera", "She Loves Me Not", "Here is my Heart", "Radio Days", and "Six Degrees of Separation".
Read MoreView Comments (6)17Apr2007
GSN Tweaks “Playmania” Entry Rules
Very quick post right now. The executive producers of Playmania sent this item out in a much longer email. That said, we are enacting a new rule that a player can only be brought on air to answer a question once per show regardless of whether their answer is right or wrong. We think this will benefit the show and our players as a whole.
Read MoreView Comments (5)17Apr2007
TMZ Says John O’Hurley is “Price” Host Front Runner
What the hell. What the hell. TMZ, who previously said George Hamilton was the front runner to host The Price is Right when Bob Barker retires soon. Now they are saying our pick John O'Hurley is in first place. I have nothing else to say about that issue. I've given up care. This is going to be going on for a long time I have a feeling. This is TMZ, so take it as bullshit. We at BuzzerBlog would like to be the first to report that Frankenberry is now the front runner to host The Price is Right. Fremantle sources have said that while he was a long-shot, contestants and staff really connected with him a short period of time. Plus he is delicious.
Read MoreView Comments (36)17Apr2007
BREAKING NEWS: GSN REVEALS UPDATED LOGO AND BRANDING
Be prepared for some pretty major changes on GSN starting April 22nd. GSN will be refreshing their look and brand as they unveil new graphics, music, look, and feel. The updated logo featured to the right, developed by CA Square, will be used along with GSN's new motto "Get in the Game". The campaign includes the addition of lively bold new colors to its core palette, a new call-to-action tagline “Get In The Game” and a diverse group of real “contestants” as well as GSN hosts, personifying the various emotions evoked by GSN’s programming.Dena Kaplan, GSN’s Senior Vice President of Marketing, spearheaded the company’s re-fresh efforts to illustrate the network’s continuing expansion into all types of competition programming and the breadth of emotions people feel about games and competition. “We’re taking a very fresh approach with the new network packaging and promotion,” said Kaplan. We will feature real people and their emotional journeys when playing various games and competitions. We believe this breakout creative will help deepen viewer’s emotional connection with the brand.” Along with "Get in the Game", GSN will be using several different phrases, hosts, and color schemes, which can be seen after the jump. Different phrases will include “Get in the Drama,” “Get in the Action,” “Get in the Challenge,” “Get in the Fun” and “Get in the Thrills”. Each will have its own color scheme and will be used for appropriate shows. As part of its “humanizing” approach, Kaplan cast “real” contestants from GSN’s original game shows as well as using GSN’s on-air hosts. The hosts, including LINGO’s Chuck Woolery and Shandi Finnessey, played a lively game of charades with CHAIN REACTION host giving the clues for a series of network ID promos. Additionally, to complement GSN’s rich library of classic game shows, as well as original contemporary shows, actors in all of the new network menus wore wardrobe and hair styles from the era that the show was originally produced. (more...)
Read MoreView Comments (15)17Apr2007
“Anyone Can Play” Needs Contestants
Just a quick alert on this Tuesday morning: Shokus Radio's new game show Anyone Can Play is looking for some contestants. Hosted by Ron Greenberg, it follows an extremely traditional format with contestants receiving a question and just answering them in a line. No frills. You can win some money, though. Some of our own writers like Mike Klauss and Nick Todor have been contestants and won money. All you need to do is register at this page and be around on Tuesdays at 6PM ET to listen and play along.
Read MoreView Comments (3)16Apr2007
EA Partners with Endemol for Virtual Me
Today, EA announced a new partnership with television developer Endemol to bring their television shows to an online market via EA's coming-soon service Virtual Me. One of the first offerings with be Big Brother. Soon to come will be Deal or No Deal and 1 VS 100. Virtual me will allow users to create their own avatars and interact with each other in various different areas and games. The home page, VirtualMe.com, will be launched in a few months. Gerhard Florin, Executive Vice President and General Manager, EA International said, "With Virtual Me we are at the forefront of a new, hybrid form of entertainment that takes gaming beyond the console. Endemol is a great partner to help us bring together the best of TV and video games or an offering that can appeal to mass market audiences and change the face of entertainment."
Read MoreView Comments (1)16Apr2007
Yet Another Dutch Import
Good grief, will this Dutch import madness stop? Fremantle has acquired the rights to a show called "The Phone." This actually sounds like a ripoff of the UK version of "Treasure Hunt": two players use cell phones and five clues to find a stash of money hidden somewhere in a major city. Now, "Treasure Hunt" was successful for six seasons in England, but will it work here?
Read MoreView Comments (1)16Apr2007
FOX Doing a Singing Game Show
What? FOX ripping off other network's ideas? Why that's unheard of! According to Cynopsis, FOX is planning to unveil a new singing competition show this week, and we're hearing it's going to be called Off the Charts. Other than that, we have no idea what is going on with it. So let's mark off all the game show ripoffs they have done: *It's Your Chance of a Lifetime *The Chamber *So You Think You Can Dance? *Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? I know I have to be missing a few. CBS also seems to be still developing Name That Tune although attached host Donny Osmond is incredibly busy hosting various game shows in England, so we'll see how that one goes. One more tiny thing, Cynopsis is reporting that Who Do You Trust? is actually named Do You Trust Me?. I am now completely confused. This has been a busy month for game shows.
Read MoreView Comments (12)16Apr2007
Another Three “Price” Host Front Runners?
I'm getting a bit sick of all of these The Price is Right front-runner-for-host stories. However, could this one be true? Hollywood Reporter is saying that Mark Steines of Entertainment Tonight, George Hamilton, and Todd Newton are the top three candidates right now. It is being said that all the other candidates, including my pick of John O'Hurley (Yes, he can do both Family Feud and Price at the same time), had their options as host expire on Friday with the aforementioned three being picked up. Don't expect an answer anytime soon, because quite frankly we don't know when we'll hear either. Of the choices, I'd go with Mark Steines. I don't think he'd do a bad job to be honest. It's going to be a sad day for me if Todd Newton gets the job. I really have no opinion one way or the other about George Hamilton. OK, another time to ask you all yet again: Steines, Hamilton, or Newton: Who gets the job and who deserves it? Thanks to David Sorrell for the heads up on the article.
Read MoreView Comments (20)13Apr2007
More Info on GSN’s “Grand Slam”
Monkey Business's Grand Slam has officially been picked up by GSN for eight 60 minute episodes. No idea on the host yet, but the UK version was hosted by Countdown hostess Carol Vorderman. The show will pit 16 of the best game show contestants against each other for something I'm sure. The show, with producer Michael Davies and Embassy Row, will debut in June. Thanks to reader Mickey Stevens for pointing me to the info.
Read MoreView Comments (7)13Apr2007
Assload of CBS Game Show News
Lots of CBS game show news to go over: Life as a Song by the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy production team sees people play out some key moments in their life as a musical. Not really a game show, but it's making me scratch my head regardless. Craig Ferguson, host of the Late Late Show is creating and hosting The Wizard which will have a combination of improv moments like Whose Line is it Anyway and scripted moments. Kinda sounds like Thank God You're Here, doesn't it? Craig Ferguson's friend Drew Carey is hosting the show The Power of 10, which sees contestants answer five questions based on national surveys and winning cash starting at $1,000 and multiplying it each time to win up to $10,000,000. We already know about Game Show in My Head with Chris Kattan and Who Do You Trust? with Tucker Carlson. And that's it. Now I'm going to go pass out.
Read MoreView Comments (6)13Apr2007
“Win My Wage” Replaces “Deal or No Deal” This UK Summer
Remember the show Paycheck we discussed a while ago? Apparently the UK run is coming true. The show will replace Deal or No Deal on Channel4 when the season is over in the summer. Win My Wage is a 45-minute show which gives a contestant the opportunity to win the salary of one of eight panel members, ranging from a maggot farmer to an internet millionaire with incomes of between £3,500 and £100,000. No word on the Bravo US run, but it wasn't announced during the upfronts so I wouldn't be expecting it soon.
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