GSN officially announced today news that we’ve known for some time due to their upfront announcement leaking out in the most obvious website name humanly possible. GSN will be paying tribute to the best of game shows, and their minutiae, in the 2009 Game Show Awards hosted by who knows! It’s a two and a half hour “star studded event” which will debut June 6th at 8:00PM ET. Various game shows will be awarded, including some filler categories screaming, “We just need to make up some crap since we’re running short.” In addition, Bob Barker, television producer Mark Goodson, and Let’s Make A Deal host Monty Hall will be given special tribute. It all looks to be pretty exciting for game show fans, doesn’t it?
“This will be a different kind of awards show—and the first-ever awards show dedicated exclusively to the world of game shows,” said Kelly Goode, GSN’s Senior Vice President of Programming. “THE GAME SHOW AWARDS will be a lighthearted, humorous homage to the talented people who make game shows a perennial favorite. We will also include exciting participatory elements that offer our at-home fans and in-studio audience the chance to play a role in the show.”
Categories and nominations are listed after the jump. Again, it runs from the gammot of, “We knew this had to be there,” to, “You really couldn’t think of anything else so we’re stuck with this?” which seems to make up around 40% of the nominations. It looks to be interesting, but there are some people and shows left off which just amaze me as to how a network devoted to game shows could completely overlook them. Some that just bewilder me completely. I’ll explain, again, after the break.
BEST GAME SHOW
• ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER?
• CASH CAB
• DEAL OR NO DEAL
• DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!
• FAMILY FEUD
• JEOPARDY!
• MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
• THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• WHEEL OF FORTUNE
• WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
(Comment: Did they leave off 1 VS 100 for any discernible reason? They are picking the show up. You’d figure they’d want to promote it.)
BEST GAME SHOW HOST
• BEN BAILEY, CASH CAB
• WAYNE BRADY, DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!
• DREW CAREY, THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• JEFF FOXWORTHY, ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER?
• RICHARD KARN, BINGO AMERICA
• HOWIE MANDEL, DEAL OR NO DEAL
• REGIS PHILBIN, MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
• PAT SAJAK & VANNA WHITE, WHEEL OF FORTUNE
• ALEX TREBEK, JEOPARDY!
• MEREDITH VIERA, WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
BEST REALITY COMPETITION SHOW
• THE AMAZING RACE
• AMERICAN IDOL
• AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL
• THE BACHELOR
• BIG BROTHER
• THE BIGGEST LOSER
• DANCING WITH THE STARS
• PROJECT RUNWAY
• SURVIVOR
• TOP CHEF
FAVORITE CLASSIC GAME SHOW
• CONCENTRATION
• THE JOKER’S WILD
• HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
• LET’S MAKE A DEAL
• MATCH GAME
• NAME THAT TUNE
• PRESS YOUR LUCK
• PYRAMID
• TIC-TAC-DOUGH
• WHAT’S MY LINE?
FAVORITE DATING OR RELATIONSHIP SHOW
• BLIND DATE
• THE DATING GAME
• LOVE CONNECTION
• THE NEWLYWED GAME
• SINGLED OUT
FAVORITE CELEBRITY PLAYER
• TOM BERGERON, CELEBRITY JEOPARDY!
• CRAIG FERGUSON, MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
• NEIL PATRICK HARRIS, MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
• LARRY THE CABLE GUY, ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER?
• ROSIE O’DONNELL, MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
• RACHAEL RAY, MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
• WILLIAM SHATNER, MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
• AISHA TYLER, CELEBRITY JEOPARDY!
• BETTY WHITE, MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
• SERENA WILLIAMS, MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD
(Comment: I don’t quite get the point of this since everyone’s from Password. Seems like time filler. And if Rachel Ray wins I’m going down to the awards and burning the building)
FAVORITE CELEBRITY TEAM
• THE CAST OF “THE OFFICE” (BRIAN BAUMGARTNER, PHYLLIS SMITH,
KATE FLANNERY, OSCAR NUNEZ & CREED BRATTON),
CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD
• CORBIN BERNSEN, AMANDA PAYS & FAMILY, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD
• THE BRADY KIDS (BARRY WILLIAMS, MIKE LOOKINLAND, EVE PLUMB &
SUSAN OLSON), TRIVIAL PURSUIT: AMERICA PLAYS
• MARGARET CHO & FAMILY, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD
• BILL ENGVALL & FAMILY, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD
• KATHIE LEE & FRANK GIFFORD & FAMILY, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD
• KIM KARDASHIAN, BRUCE JENNER, KRIS JENNER, KOURTNEY KARDASHIAN
AND KHLOE KARDASHIAN, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD
• LARRY THE CABLE GUY & FAMILY, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD
• PENN & TELLER WITH CARROT TOP, DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!
• JOAN & MELISSA RIVERS & FRIENDS, CELEBRITY FAMILY FEUD
(Same comments as previous)
BEST ANNOUNCER
• JOE CIPRIANO, DEAL OR NO DEAL
• RICH FIELDS, THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• JOHNNY GILBERT, JEOPARDY!
• CHARLIE O’DONNELL, WHEEL OF FORTUNE
• BURTON RICHARDSON, FAMILY FEUD
• MARK THOMPSON, DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!
FAVORITE GAME SHOW MODELS
• BRIEFCASE MODELS, DEAL OR NO DEAL
• THE PRICE IS RIGHT MODELS
• CHIP GIRLS, DUEL
SMARTEST GAME SHOW CONTESTANT
• KATHY COX, ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A FIFTH GRADER ($1 MILLION,
SEPTEMBER 5, 2008)
• LARISSA KELLY, JEOPARDY ($222,597, MAY 28, 2008)
• DAN PAWSON, JEOPARDY ($171,902, JANUARY 10, 2008)
• BRIANNE SHERMAN, WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
($250,000, NOVEMBER 10, 1998)
• JIM STEVENS, JEOPARDY ($140,600, DECEMBER 30, 2008)
(Comment: There have been a lot of other Millionaire big winners who played more impressively. Two people got to the $250,000 question only using one lifeline at absolute most. They have to be smarter than Kathy Cox. And where is Wheel of Fortune’s millionaire then? That’s almost a braindead one to skip over.
FAVORITE GAME SHOW CATCH PHRASE
• “CIRCLE GETS THE SQUARE!,” HOLLYWOOD SQUARES
• “COME ON DOWN!,” THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• “DEAL…OR NO DEAL?,” DEAL OR NO DEAL
• “I CAN NAME THAT TUNE IN ____ NOTES!,” NAME THAT TUNE
• “I’D LIKE TO BUY A VOWEL!,” WHEEL OF FORTUNE
• “IS THAT YOUR FINAL ANSWER?,” WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
• “BIG MONEY, NO WHAMMY!,” PRESS YOUR LUCK
• “SURVEY SAYS!,” FAMILY FEUD
• “YOU ARE…THE WEAKEST LINK! GOODBYE!,” THE WEAKEST LINK
• “WILL THE REAL _____ PLEASE STAND UP?,” TO TELL THE TRUTH
FAVORITE “PRICE IS RIGHT” PRICING GAME
• CLIFF HANGERS
• CLOCK GAME
• DICE GAME
• HOLE IN ONE
• IT’S IN THE BAG
• MONEY GAME
• PLINKO
• PUNCH A BUNCH
• RACE GAME
• RANGE GAME
(Comment: Thinking anything other than Plinko is going to win is amusing.)
FAVORITE GAME SHOW SOUND EFFECT
• BANKRUPT WHISTLE, WHEEL OF FORTUNE
• BOARD LOADING SOUND, JEOPARDY!
• GONG, THE GONG SHOW
• LOSING HORNS, THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• NEW PUZZLE, WHEEL OF FORTUNE
• SHOWCASE SHOWDOWN WHEEL BEEP, THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• ‘SURVEY SAYS’ BELL, FAMILY FEUD
• STRIKE BUZZER, FAMILY FEUD
• TICKING CLOCK, PYRAMID
• ‘TIME’S UP’ SOUND, JEOPARDY!
MOST OUTRAGEOUS GAME SHOW CONTESTANT
• BARKING CONTESTANT, LOVE CONNECTION
• CONTESTANT WINS, GOES BERSERK AND LIFTS UP HOST, TREASURE HUNT
• EXCITED CONTESTANT DANCES A JIG, THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• EXCITED CONTESTANT DOES A BACK FLIP, THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• EXCITED CONTESTANT TAKES OFF TOUPEE, DEBT
FUNNIEST GAME SHOW MOMENT
• BOB EUBANKS IS LIFTED UP BY WOMAN WRESTLER, CARD SHARKS
• CONTESTANT HAS A WARDROBE MALFUNCTION, THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• CONTESTANT FALLS, NAME THAT TUNE
• GENE RAYBURN’S AWKWARD COMPLIMENT, MATCH GAME
• “WEIRDEST PLACE THAT YOU’VE MADE WHOOPEE,” THE NEWLYWED GAME
FAVORITE GAME SHOW THEME SONG
• CARD SHARKS
• THE DATING GAME
• FAMILY FEUD
• JEOPARDY!
• MATCH GAME
• THE NEWLYWED GAME
• THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• THE $25,000 PYRAMID
• TIC-TAC-DOUGH
• WHEEL OF FORTUNE
FAVORITE PRIZE
• BOAT
• CASH JACKPOT
• EXOTIC TRIP
• MYSTERY PRIZE BEHIND DOOR #1
• NEW CAR
(Comment: Really? Not necessarily a bad really; just a really? Sounds funny at least.)
FAVORITE PARTING GIFT
• HOME VERSION OF GAME
• JIFFY POP POPCORN
• LEE PRESS-ON NAILS
• MR. COFFEE MACHINE
• RICE-A-RONI
• RONCO CHOP-O-MATIC
• SET OF GINSU KNIVES
• SUPPLY OF DENTYNE GUM
• TIMEX WATCH
• TURTLE WAX
(Comment: Really? A bit worse than the last really, but still. Kinda fun but really?)
FAVORITE BOARD/BOX GAME TURNED GAME SHOW
• MONOPOLY
• PICTIONARY
• SCRABBLE
• TABOO
• TRIVIAL PURSUIT
(Comment: A majority of the viewing audience won’t even realize that anything beyond Scrabble was made so this is almost moot.)
FAVORITE ONLINE GAME
• BEJEWELED
• DINER DASH
• SCRABBLE CUBES
• PEGGLE
• MYSTERY CASE FILES: RETURN TO RAVENHEARST
(Comment: Really?)
FAVORITE INTERACTIVE DVD VERSION OF GAME SHOW
• DEAL OR NO DEAL
• FAMILY FEUD
• JEOPARDY
• LINGO
• MATCH GAME
• THE NEWLYWED GAME
• PASSWORD
• PRESS YOUR LUCK
• THE PRICE IS RIGHT
• WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?
(Comment: Really?)
22 Responses
Ha! Looks like we had the same reaction to a lot of this. There are so many other nominees that I thought would be shoo-ins, but they’re not there. And a couple of the categories are a bit out there. I *love* the sound effect category though. Don’t know why.
I think the memorable contestant/moment categories are really barren – there are TONS of nominees that could have made it onto both of those lists.
Overall though, I’m cautiously optimistic that it’ll be a fun program.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
haha, imagine that! I mean it’s almost like the only two people who constantly promote the network who were for some reason completely left in the dark about this awards show, having to find about it from third party sources, could have helped and really filled in some of the obvious gaps!
The sound effect category is fun and funny. Just seems like a huge stretcher for time, though, to me. But counting the fun that half the people on the online game show community have with the sound effects, it works. It’s the stuff like the DVD game and online game category which stun me.
It does sound fun if done properly. We’ll have to see.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
What I don’t get is the “Favorite Online Game” category… How does this even tie in to the game show theme, aside from the fact that they’re games? For that matter, some of the entrants aren’t “online” games per se, but are only available as downloads, or have limited features online. That category is, in my mind, the biggest example of desperate time-filler.
When I was going down through the list, I was a bit confused by the “Favorite Prize” category. If nothing else, that seems more like a poll question to find out what (Upcoming Game Show X) should offer as its top prize to make it more appealing. But then I saw the next category, “Favorite Parting Gift,” and just laughed.
One thing that scares me about any awards show, especially on their first time out, is how they account for all previous potential entries. For example, something like the Oscars (nowadays) features just the films from the past year. I don’t know my Oscar history, but when the first Academy Award winners were selected, did they only pay attention to that year’s films, or did they consider all of the previous films before it? Here in the case of game shows, we have a few decades’ worth of shows to consider, how did they eliminate the hundreds of other possibilities to come up with the nominations here? I almost feel like there should be two separate categories added (or modifications of others) to account for this: “Favorite Current Game Show,” in which any show that’s aired at least one non-repeat episode within the last year is eligible (similar to UKGameShows.com’s Poll of the Year requirements), and “Favorite Game Show of All Time,” in which absolutely everything is fair game. A category like that would get really ugly really quickly, considering how many different game shows have aired over the years, and any show that holds the title one year (however it was determined) would likely hold it for the next few years until it gets dethroned by another brand new game, so it’s really not a practical category, but it’s more fair than labeling only ten shows as “classics” then forcing a decision between them. (An afterthought, would the entrants in the “classic” category ever change, since they’ve already been labeled as classics, and it’d be hard to overthrow one “classic” with another?)
Overall, it sounds interesting, and while I might not find a lot of the material very feasible in its first year, it sounds like it’d be something worth watching starting with its second or third go, once they’ve got their formats established and they know what categories might spark some actual dramatic competition.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Granted, this may sound as a rant, but…since I am a self-professed Pyramid fan…why didn’t they put “Here’s Your First Subject” in the Catch-Phrase category. Also, what happened to the “famous” cuckoo for the sound effects list?
Again, I know this may sound like a rant (seeing as how I talk about Pyramid a lot on this site). But, come on? If you’re going to have those categories, why not have what I mentioned above as nominees?
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
No Ken Jennings or Brad Rutter in the “Smartest Game Show Contestant” category?
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
I was thinking the same thing : no Ken Jennings ?
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
I hope they do an “In Memoriam” segment to honor all those involved in the world of game shows that we’ve lost over the past few years. That would be touching.
As for who’ll be hosting, my money’s on “two Z-list celebs who have little to do with game shows in the first place”. I hope I’m wrong, but if I’m right, GSN’s going to need to stop thinking outside the box… or better yet, just stop thinking altogether and let the TRUE game show fans run the network… into the ground! (HI-YO!)
Again, I hope I’m wrong, but something tells me this whole show will be like every other GSN special since 2007- some brilliant gems buried in mounds of nonsensical filler and overplayed clips you could find on Youtube on any given day. Prove me wrong, “Game Show Awards” producers… prove me wrong.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Thirding Steve and Winner’s comment. Major duh?…
Favorite prize and parting gift seem like the biggest stretches to be awards (really, is there nothing else more noteworthy you could think of?) for GSN, and the favorite online game isn’t GS related, but with GSN’s online work, it would be appropriate.
Bil Dwyer is my choice for host. Doubting it’ll happen though…
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 8:35 pm
Well, this show has potential. Hey…if the TV Land awards can be successful, why can’t these? With Michael Levin behind this, it should work out well. Plus, I think this could be a good replacement for the Game Show Congress that seems to have gone by the wayside in this economy. Could you see the game Show Congress participating in any way?
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 8:39 pm
I think I might need to start using a last initial or something… two S(s)teves running around this joint can get ugly quickly. For the record, this is lower-case steve talking, and I also echo Capital Steve’s thoughts about Rutter and Jennings, but I dismissed the thought saying, “Oh, they must have gone with contestants from just the last year or two.” And I looked at the list again. 2008, 2008, 2008, 199– 1998?! (*quick Wikipedia check) But American WWTBAM didn’t start until 1999! Either they’ve plucked a random UK contestant for the nomination, or that’s a typo…
But yeah, from the looks of it, I think Jennings and Rutter didn’t make the list because the nominations are (if I’m predicting that typo correctly) only from the last year.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
Alex: The only reason I see that 1 VS. 100 is not a nominee on the list as “Best Game Show” is that it’s not a current game show. Now I know you’ll say “Neither is Million Dollar Password.” Maybe, they put in Million Dollar Password thinking it would last and then it got cancelled, but they decided to leave it in. That’s the only way I could see that 1 VS. 100 was not considered.
As to the other categories, some are a bit odd. Favorite Prize? / Parting Gift? C’mon.
Posted on April 15th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
Why, oh why is the board sound (2nd or 3rd version) from PYL not in the SFX category? And in the same respect, they should SO put the 80s version of the Split Second theme in the Theme category.
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 12:00 am
Oh, P.S., the Bullseye sound. That should be there too.
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 12:15 am
When talking about parting gifts, how could they forget about the gift certificate to the Spiegel Catalog? It was the hallmark parting guft from the great days of game shows. “A Gift certificate to the Spiegel catalog, with over 50,000 quality items, providing value, selection and savings. Spiegel Chicago 60609″. They should add that to the best parting gift category in my opinion.
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 12:34 am
No Ogi? No watchie.
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 1:06 am
The primary reason we are seeing “Best Online Game” and “Best Interactive DVD Game” is because the tie-ins GSN has with WorldWinner and Imagination Entertainment. WorldWinner is the company that runs all the online games while Imagination Entertainment is responsible for the great, popular and very successful GSN Radio product, along with the leading game show DVD producer.
I’m excited about the awards. I think it’s great they want to bring Saturday night entertainment back. It’s been a long time since the good ol’ “Wide World of Games”.
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 3:35 am
This is an interesting blend of MTV Awards and the Emmys. Overall, these are interesting categories that will likely lead to some nice nostalgic sequences. I’ll be watching…. One question is, who if anyone will accept these awards? And who are they awarded to?
Other awards that would have been nice:
1. Favorite Game Show Music Composer (once they win, they retire from nominations)
2. Best Classic Game Show Host (once they win, they retire from nominations)
3. Favorite “Home Game” Version of a Game Show
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 8:56 am
Just to note, Brianne Sherman won $250,000 on WWTBAM this past November, not 10 or so years ago. Nothing more than a typo.
From the looks of it, it appears GSN may be trying to do too much with this award show. Twenty-one awards? Even for a three-hour show, that’s a lofty goal to have them all air. I’m guessing they will do a “the following was awarded before the broadcast” bit before that.
I’m also curious if the mix of serious awards with comedic ones (best sound effect, best parting gift) will gel. I actually don’t mind the comedic awards (it’s a tip of the hat to the superfans who’ve memorized the Rice-a-Roni jingle, etc.), but it may work better in one of those “I Love the…” style shows where celebs pay tribute and mock certain subjects.
I also hope GSN puts in the efforts to invite some of the legendary contestants and personalities for this event. For example, under “Most Outrageous” and “Funniest” game show contestants/moments, I hope GSN finds and invites Karen Lesco (the “dimples” woman from MG), the TPiR “tube top lady” and the like to attend the show. If they are not available, or if they have passed on, a family member or friend could represent them. As far as I know, in the years their moments have been seen on countless blooper shows, we’ve never heard from them since their moment of infamy. Perhaps GSN could ask its viewers and fans to help in finding those legendary contestants who happen to be MIA.
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 8:59 am
“This will be a different kind of awards show—and the first-ever awards show dedicated exclusively to the world of game shows,”
Apart from one on Challenge TV about 10 years ago. But other than that…
Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 11:51 am
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Posted on April 16th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
This is a long time coming. An awards show dedicated to game shows. How exciting. All BS aside, it would be successful. If TV Land, MTV, and BET can have an award show, why not GSN? The only thing I’m looking forward to is the E!’s Red Carpet Show. lol.
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Posted on August 19th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
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