News Flashes: Sherri Shepherd on “Millionaire”, Ratings, and Earth Day Specials

Before we get into some bigger news later today, lets start you off with a few smaller stories that are floating around.

*Who Wants to be a Millionaire has scheduled its first guest host of the season.  Actress, comedienne, and host of GSN’s The Newlywed Game, Sherri Shepherd, will substitute for regular host Meredith Vieira for one week only.  Shepherd will appear from March 14th through March 18th.

*Speaking of The Newlywed Game, the hit GSN game show is still looking for contestants.  Click here to email the casting producers for the show if you and your spouse want in.

*Ratings came out last week for syndicated and broadcast networks and it wasn’t great for most shows except Jeopardy!.  With the Watson episodes factored in, Jeopardy! averaged a 7.2 rating.  Nonetheless, the week ending February 20th, Wheel of Fortune was still number one with a 7.5 rating.  Millionaire clocked in at 2.2, Family Feud at 1.6, Fifth Grader at 0.9, and Don’t Forget The Lyrics at 0.7.  Minute to Win It still looks like it’s in serious trouble.  It could only muster a 2.0 rating at 8:00PM and a 2.1 at 9:00PM ET.  Millionaire does better.  Still no clear word if the show will be coming back next season or not.

*Let’s Make A Deal will be celebrating Earth Day on April 22nd with environmentally-friendly and green prizes.  The Price is Right celebrates Earth Day each year and I see no reason why this would be the exception, so be on the lookout for more information regarding that soon.  Last Earth Day the show offered what had to be one of the coolest prizes, if not the coolest prize ever, the all-electric Tesla convertible roadster, which sure beats the grandfather clocks the show used to do.  Let’s see what they do this year.

Photo courtesy Valleycrest Productions Ltd.