Comments on: Lots of Celebrities Play “Fifth Grader”

By: Alex

Alex — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:07:41 +0000

Soooo many celebrities…it seems like overkill. It also seems like a move that they made because they were lagging behind in ratings and desperate not to get cancelled. But only time will tell how this turns out. ._.

By: Haterade

Haterade — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 23:29:50 +0000

It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Super Jumping Shark!

By: James D.

James D. — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:46:19 +0000

I believe all of the above celebs taped their appearances earlier this month or late last month. Ken Jennings confirmed on his Web site that the show contacted him to appear on 5th Grader, but he didn’t elaborate (he did say he would discuss the inner workings of the show once his episode airs).

One name not mentioned in the list — Georgia State School Superintendent Kathy Cox. She will be on the same episode as Kathy Ireland (host Jeff Foxworthy and his family reside just outside Atlanta).

Note that 5th Grader is airing this fall on Friday nights. Friday nights are not known as ratings winner, and the networks are increasingly turning to news shows and aging, low-budget game and reality shows to fill the time slots for that night. NBC will be airing DoND on Fridays, while ABC has Wife Swap and Supernanny.

It’s a low risk for Fox to air 5th Grader and Don’t Forget the Lyrics on Fridays, and perhaps celeb players will give the shows a ratings boost on a difficult night to begin with. Keep in mind as well that Fox will likely use both shows as utility players throughout the schedule if other shows flop. If it doesn’t go well, Fox can concentrate on turning the show toward syndication in 2009, as is being planned.

By: dropzone5

dropzone5 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:38:24 +0000

I was gonna say, Chad, “Ken Jennings? Well, someone’s finally gonna win the million…”

But if he (or Smoot III) doesn’t, I don’t know who can.

By: Chad

Chad — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:26:47 +0000

Is this just celebrities who want to play or is it celibrities that are confirmed to play?
Because if there is, there’s a free $1,000,000 going to Ken Jennings’ favorite charity.

By: angela

angela — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:21:45 +0000

Dean Cain is graduated from Princeton.

This is all for charity, so at the end of the day it’s just for fun with the viewers watching.

By: AYSTFGFan

AYSTFGFan — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:14:16 +0000

The show gets a bad rap for putting stupid people on. But they had a guy with 1600 (perfect) SATs, two people from Yale, a MENSA member, and others. Seven or eight people have won $500,000 — and most of them were not stupid. Yes, there are a huge number of idiots on the show. But one out of every five contestants is pretty darn smart.

By: Doug Morris

Doug Morris — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:08:50 +0000

If her performance in “The Daily Show” five questions segment, from the Craig Kilborn days, is any indication, Kathy Ireland’s game will be relatively short.

By: KBGUY09

KBGUY09 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:08:16 +0000

How Ken Jennings and an astrophysicist not win the million? I’m excited to see this even though I never watch the show because seriously, could u even fathom at the idea that someone could answer, what…5,000? Jeopardy questions correct and can’t answer ten or so 1st-5th grade questions? I will be disappointed if Ken Jennings can’t win the million, along with the others that has a job that isn’t a truck driver.

By: Travis P

Travis P — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:48:31 +0000

With all the stuff on celebrities on game shows. It seems the only show to have done it proper is Don’t Forget the Lyrics.

By: Travis P

Travis P — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:46:59 +0000

Smarter Than a 10 Year Old? Have also recorded quite a few celebrity specials here for an October airing. It could be something like 8-10 episodes. Saying that, it’s seems to be an opposite world here as the ratings proved they would watch celebrities than civillians. Which is probably why All Star Family Fortunes is returning for a twelve show run.

By: insaneben

insaneben — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:10:18 +0000

Celebrity overkill is what caused the premature demise of numerous game shows (Whew!, Hot Potato, Bullseye, Password All-Stars, and pretty much everything on Game Show Marathon come to mind). And yet, it’s worked (in small doses) for Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Though I don’t care much for 5th Grader, I’d love to see Smoot III and Jennings clobber those fake little brats to a pulp (which won’t happen, but would be awesome if it did).

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 17:07:24 +0000

Ken Jennings? An astronaut? Ivy League graduate Dean Cain? Seriously ?

By: Marc Power

Marc Power — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:13:08 +0000

I garee, that’s overkill with the celeb. shows, I’m guessing the producers are realizing the novelty that in general people are stupid is wearing off, so isntead they’re trying to play up; in general celebrities are stupid,

but then again, they did get some celebs. I do want to see on the show: Dean Cain, Gene Simmons and Ken Jennings.