Comments on: Ken Ober: 1957-2009

By: nick

nick — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:23:48 +0000

when were these episodes shown? what time?

By: VmKid

VmKid — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:01:31 +0000

Wasn't Smush made by Jellyvision, the company that made the short-lived You Don't Know Jack, and the CD-Rom game series on which it's based?

By: VmKid

VmKid — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:01:31 +0000

Wasn't Smush made by Jellyvision, the company that made the short-lived You Don't Know Jack, and the CD-Rom game series on which it's based?

By: Doug Morris

Doug Morris — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:03:53 +0000

YouTube user Chris Iller has a great collection of behind the scenes footage of "Remote Control". He notes he held cue cards for the on air talent when the show taped a season in Florida. Just search "Remote Control" and "behind the scenes" and you'll be able to find it all. Definitely worth a look.

Thanks for the memories, Ken.

By: Doug Morris

Doug Morris — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:03:53 +0000

Thanks for the memories, Ken.

By: DeVares

DeVares — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:32:46 +0000

I just not thought about this: He hosted Comedy Central’s revival of Make Me Laugh, which was hosted in 1979 by Bobby Van, who, ironically, also died young. But, anyway, my thoughts and prayers goes out to his family.

By: Greg

Greg — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:57:28 +0000

I can't find it anywhere on my Tivo.

By: Concerned GSN Viewer

Concerned GSN Viewer — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:10:22 +0000

We got 2 episodes on MTV2 tonight (one from 1987, another from 1990)…these will show up on the main MTV channel in the wee hours of the morning on Thursday (2-3am ET)

By: @JackBauer112

@JackBauer112 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 02:51:53 +0000

This is indeed sad. My good friend D.C Lundberg is a big fan of Remote Contril being that ot was one of the shows in which he has a good chuck of a collection. I also think that it was sad to see that he had died too young. I will also see that his other show Make Me Laugh was also a great show he hoste don Comedy Central since I watched that as well after I came home from school. ____RIP Ken Ober__19957-2009

By: James Greek

James Greek — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:27:30 +0000

You know, it's ironic that he died because I was just thinking about him the other day. And how perfect he would be to host a game show for GSN or Hasbro/Discovery's new GSN. I also got to remembering when my mom's boyfriend gave me some matches advertising Smush in the spring of 2002. I will miss Ken and all his talents.

Another thing that is ironic was I was thinking about Peter Tomarken the day he died and how good he would have been as host of Whammy! and it would have marked his return to GSN.

By: James Greek

James Greek — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 21:27:30 +0000

Another thing that is ironic was I was thinking about Peter Tomarken the day he died and how good he would have been as host of Whammy! and it would have marked his return to GSN.

By: James D.

James D. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:44:38 +0000

Ken should also be remembered for his success as a stand-up comic, as well as a familiar voice on radio, both as a talk show host and commercial pitchman (he was "the voice" for a successful series of ads for the Mid-Atlantic based Jerry's Subs and Pizza for several years).

It's a shame that Ken never got a chance to showcase his hosting skills on a broadcast network level. Obviously, he specialized in games with a comedic flair, but it would have been interesting to see him take on one of the network efforts of the last decade.

But "Remote Control" was definitely the show he will best be remembered for. I was just waxing nostalgic with a friend about a quizbowl tournament our team ran 15 years ago – the finals were done as a tribute to Remote Control, complete with remotes, free snacks and cheap furniture for the teams to play on. We even did our own version of "Sing Along With Colin" — albeit it was a spoken word performance of famous works of poetry (it was an academic tourney, after all).

RIP, Ken

By: James D.

James D. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:44:38 +0000

RIP, Ken

By: Brian S.

Brian S. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:34:51 +0000

I can't even find the words to express my feelings right now. I'm just in a state of shock. The same kind of shock a contestant had when they were yanked off the air. I will never look at a pez dispenser or a craftmatic adjustable bed the same way again. RIP Ken Ober. You were taken from us way too soon.

By: Brian S.

Brian S. — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:34:51 +0000