Ben Bailey Wins Emmy; “Jeopardy!” and “Wheel of Fortune” Tie
Last night CBS presented the 38th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, hosted by Let’s Make A Deal host Wayne Brady. I didn’t watch (not a fan of award shows) so someone can clue us in as to how Wayne did, but regardless many other game shows were represented well. As previously established Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak and Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek were honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Trebek told CBS News backstage, “We’re part of Americana. People, when they hear the themes to ‘Wheel’ and ‘Jeopardy!’, they know immediately what the reference is. Part of that is because we’ve been on for so long. We hope it will continue for as long as we want to do it.”
It’s not the only award they got. Both Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! tied for Best Game Show. Someone finally took Cash Cab, which inexplicably wins year after year, away from that award. Congratulations to them. Especially after the impressive Watson display earlier this year I think Jeopardy! was a lock to win, and it was very deserved.
The “Best Game Show Host” award went, yet again, to Ben Bailey of Cash Cab and NBC’s upcoming Who’s Still Standing?, which only helps them out. And I may get some people angry here but I just have to know. Can someone please explain to me why he keeps winning? Are they just giving him and the show the award because it’s a very scaled back game show in this day of over the top and dramatic shows? Nothing against Ben. He does great at the show. But I don’t see how he keeps winning.
I especially don’t see how after this year. I’m sorry, but Meredith Vieira, far and away, had the best season she’s ever had on Millionaire. The new format gave her new life on the show and I’ve never seen her with this level of energy and enthusiasm. There was always word that Meredith was feeling bored with the old format after time because it was the same thing over and over. It showed this year, as she embraced the new format and randomness with outstanding hosting. Better than any of the others in the running. I don’t know. Just my opinion.
Image courtesy Getty
It was amazing how both shows won for Outstanding Game Show in addition to Alex and Pat receiving the Lifetime Achievement Awards and I missed it!
This is just my opinion, but I think it might’ve been fixed. After all, Alex and Pat both got their Lifetime Achievement Awards. It would be awfully easy just to give the awards to their respective shows.
I don’t think a lot of people would recognize the current Wheel theme.
Should’ve used the 2007 closing theme or something. If they really wanted to pay tribute to the show, they should’ve used “Changing Keys”.
I would have liked to have heard the “Big Wheels” theme by Alan Thicke myself!
Wayne did pretty well…he didn’t have much material to work with, but he certainly lightened things up with all the drama queens and kings in the room.
Alex, this is a little off-topic, but I have a question. WOF’s wiki page has the supposed season 29 logo, but I look it up and it seems like it’s just a Photoshop job. Is their any merit to the logo floating around?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wheel28.jpg
It looks a little strange… it kinda does look like a Photoshop job. Could you imagine having a rainbow wheel like the British version or the German version had. YUCK!!!
“Can someone please explain to me why he keeps winning? Are they just giving him and the show the award because it’s a very scaled back game show in this day of over the top and dramatic shows?”
I think you’ve actually hit the nail square on the head – Cash Cab is one of very few US game shows that won’t drag out reveals for several minutes of worthless and hideously boring padding, and it’s also one of even fewer shows that actually tries to get relatively normal contestants as opposed to idiots who love to scream at the top of their lungs and aren’t good at much else. Even though I think Jeopardy! is a better show, it’s been around forever and won its share of awards, so I figure the novelty factor also has something to do with it. Plus I suspect those who will vote for Jeopardy! would also vote for Wheel and vice versa, which splits the vote.
Oops, I messed up trying to post this. Could you please delete the above duplicate? Thanks.
“Can someone please explain to me why he keeps winning? Are they just giving him and the show the award because it’s a very scaled back game show in this day of over the top and dramatic shows?”
I think you’ve actually hit the nail square on the head – Cash Cab is one of very few US game shows that won’t drag out reveals for several minutes of worthless and hideously boring padding, and it’s also one of even fewer shows that actually tries to get relatively normal contestants as opposed to idiots who love to scream at the top of their lungs and aren’t good at much else. Even though I think Jeopardy! is a better show, it’s been around forever and won its share of awards, so I figure the novelty factor also has something to do with it. Plus I suspect those who will vote for Jeopardy! would also vote for Wheel and vice versa, which splits the vote.
This is just me, but personally, I think all award shows are “fixed” in one manner or another. Maybe someone or some network is paying off the judges to vote Ben Bailey as the best game show host year after year. I’m not saying he doesn’t deserve it, because he’s a good person, but his game show Cash Cab is relatively on the “down-low” compared to other shows like Wheel, Jeopardy, Millionaire and Family Feud.
When I want to watch a game show, I don’t tune into the Discovery Channel, or SpikeTV either for that matter. I tend to tune into GSN or one of the major networks like ABC, NBC and CBS.
I’m shocked that Meredith or Millionaire didn’t win anything. And here’s another thing: how on earth did Steve Harvey not get recognized or put up for a nomination of Best Host??? I mean come on, Meredith Vieira and Steve Harvey don’t get a thing, but Ben Bailey does?? What’s up with that? I’m glad Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek got their awards. They of course deserve it especially after so many years. I agree with you though Alex, Ben is good, but he wins it year after year, while Meredith (who in my opinion is much better) is left out and she deserves it. And with Steve, even though it was only his first season hosting Feud, he should’ve gotten something. I think next year at the Daytime Emmy’s, some people should form a peaceful riot if Meredith and Steve don’t get a thing or even recognized.
Actually, there’s probably some truth that Meredith was getting bored with the format. With the new clock format introduced in Season 7, she was given new life, but then after the Tournament of Ten in Season 8, she seemed to have dropped off a bit. She was still okay, but she wasn’t at her best. And I noticed towards the end of Season 8 of last year, she either seemed annoyed at the contestants for being so dumb, annoyed at the monotony of the show, and she also never smiled that much. I loved the clock format, but I think it was one of the best moves the show made to change it to this format. Not only is Meredith at the top of her hosting, but the show has a new freshness to it without being over the top. Remember how we all thought it was doomsday for Millionaire? Well, not anymore (this better not turn out to be a jinx!!).
Haha Mike, that’s so true. The WOF theme doesn’t even sound like the old one now. The one now is okay, but they should change it again. It’s getting old.
I personally don’t think Ben Bailey should get any of the awards he’s gotten. I never really liked him as a host and they say his show is not over the top but I feel like sometimes he takes the show over the top. I really feel like best game show host really does deserve to go to any one of the few veteran hosts out there like Pat and/or Alex. Meredith and Wayne would definitely be good picks as well. I don’t see Drew ever getting award for his work on TPiR and I really don’t think Steve Harvey will ever get one for FF. The problem with Feud now is that it relies too much on toilet humour to keep its ratings a float. Don’t get me wrong I love toilet humour but there’s a time and a place and it does not belong on the Feud. I feel like a lot of the toilet humour on the show is forced instead of it coming naturally because I feel that a lof of the questions that they ask the families now are created in such a way that it allows for those moments. Anyway, what’s the point in the game show category anyway it’s the same shows and people up for nomination year after year so why even have it?
You forgot the best part… when it was time for Ben Bailey to get his award, he was in the bathroom. The first line he says when he finally gets to the podium is priceless!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UL7K2nyVPBc
WOF actually won its first best GS Emmy? Interesting. I suspect Pat and Alex getting the lifetime achievement awards caused J! and WOF to tie for best game show. But one of the soap categories and one of the talk show categories had co-winners this year, too.
I thought Wayne did a great job but didn’t need to dance with the Jabbawockees (despite him keeping up with them) & he didn’t have to get everyone on camera with his phone between awards. I think Ben Bailey won because Pat Sajak and Alex Trebek got their lifetime awards. Surprised that Todd Newton, Meredith Vieira, Steve Harvey, or Drew Carey didn’t get nominated.
George, you’re right too about Drew. I completely forgot about Drew Carey, but he should’ve been nominated! I’ve been watching him on The Price is Right (especially lately) and he owns the show very well now. He’s very comfortable in his position and funny too. And I also see where you’re coming from with your Family Feud opinion as well.
Drew specifically asks not to be nominated. I forget his reasoning, but it was something along the lines of him feeling that he would be taking it away from someone more deserving.
The fact that a novelty like Cash Cab is repeatedly (and, I’m sorry, but undeservedly) lauded is a sign of how starved we are for some originality in U.S. game shows.
Thanks Todd for clearing that up. I see now. That’s nice of Drew.