Author Topic: Underrated/Overrated hosts..... (Read 19577 times)

gsnstooge · « **Reply #60 on:** July 12, 2006, 07:37:59 PM »

My top 6 underrated:

1. Jon Bauman

2. Jim Lange

3. Wesley Eure (he tried to be personable with the kids and his jokes were not that bad at all!)

4. Pat Finn

5. Chuck Henry

6. Bill Rafferty

NickintheATL · « **Reply #61 on:** July 12, 2006, 08:18:07 PM »

[quote name=\'gsnstooge\' post=\'123994\' date=\'Jul 12 2006, 07:37 PM\']
My top 6 underrated:

1. Jon Bauman

2. Jim Lange

3. Wesley Eure (he tried to be personable with the kids and his jokes were not that bad at all!)

4. Pat Finn

5. Chuck Henry

6. Bill Rafferty
[/quote]

Earlier in this thread, I have already stated why #4 should not be on the underrated list, but Jon Bauman? JON BAUMAN!?!? I think that is all I have to say... the man was not game show host material, plain and simple. I got annoyed about the second or third time he said "Agree or Disagree" on MG/HS Hour.

clemon79 · « **Reply #62 on:** July 12, 2006, 08:43:05 PM »

[quote name=\'NicholasM79\' post=\'123999\' date=\'Jul 12 2006, 05:18 PM\']
Earlier in this thread, I have already stated why #4 should not be on the underrated list, but Jon Bauman? JON BAUMAN!?!? I think that is all I have to say... the man was not game show host material, plain and simple.
[/quote]
Well, that's great, but I happen to disagree. Always liked him. Might be because I was always a Bowzer fan, I thought it was neat to see someone "in-character" as a guest on a game show.

Jim Lange, that's the one that has me scratching my head. But then, consider the source.

NickintheATL · « **Reply #63 on:** July 12, 2006, 08:53:15 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'124002\' date=\'Jul 12 2006, 08:43 PM\']
Well, that's great, but I happen to disagree. Always liked him. Might be because I was always a Bowzer fan, I thought it was neat to see someone "in-character" as a guest on a game show.

Jim Lange, that's the one that has me scratching my head. But then, consider the source.
[/quote]

Agreed on the source. Jim Lange, he's kind of in the middle. He's not great, but he's not that bad. I'd rank several people below him.

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #64 on:** July 13, 2006, 09:21:32 AM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'124002\' date=\'Jul 12 2006, 08:43 PM\']
[quote name=\'NicholasM79\' post=\'123999\' date=\'Jul 12 2006, 05:18 PM\']
Earlier in this thread, I have already stated why #4 should not be on the underrated list, but Jon Bauman? JON BAUMAN!?!? I think that is all I have to say... the man was not game show host material, plain and simple.
[/quote]
Well, that's great, but I happen to disagree. Always liked him. Might be because I was always a Bowzer fan, I thought it was neat to see someone "in-character" as a guest on a game show.

Jim Lange, that's the one that has me scratching my head. But then, consider the source.
[/quote]

Your fandom is indeed clouding your perception, Mr. Lemon. Bauman's voice is akin to that of nails to a chalkboard, and he looked like he was just going through the motions in the hope that Gene wouldn't go off on him on camera.

clemon79 · « **Reply #65 on:** July 13, 2006, 09:28:20 AM »

[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'124051\' date=\'Jul 13 2006, 06:21 AM\']
Your fandom is indeed clouding your perception, Mr. Lemon. Bauman's voice is akin to that of nails to a chalkboard, and he looked like he was just going through the motions in the hope that Gene wouldn't go off on him on camera.
[/quote]
Not the vibe I got at all. Certainly not that bad, anyhow.

Jim, you're what, early-mid 20's? How many episodes of MGHSH have you seen?

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #66 on:** July 13, 2006, 09:41:30 AM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'124055\' date=\'Jul 13 2006, 09:28 AM\']
[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'124051\' date=\'Jul 13 2006, 06:21 AM\']
Your fandom is indeed clouding your perception, Mr. Lemon. Bauman's voice is akin to that of nails to a chalkboard, and he looked like he was just going through the motions in the hope that Gene wouldn't go off on him on camera.
[/quote]
Not the vibe I got at all. Certainly not that bad, anyhow.

Jim, you're what, early-mid 20's? How many episodes of MGHSH have you seen?
[/quote]

Early 20s actually. I've seen a handful of episodes...nowhere near as many episodes of Davidson's/Marshall's/Bergeron's runs, but enough to make the preliminary judgment above. He was thrown into the fire and it showed.

Here, Chris...get a kick and giggle out of this: Bauman is 4 New York

FOXSportsFan · « **Reply #67 on:** July 13, 2006, 09:58:00 AM »

I'll be darned I never gave my lists I just suggested a name or two here.
UNDERRATED
1) Jim Perry - No one, and I mean NO ONE could host Sale of the Century with better poise and sense than this fellow home stater.
2) Todd Newton - I mentioned it awhile back in this thread. He gets points off to many for his over the top hosting on Whammy, but the guy is a pro. He's got talent, unlike that Seacrest hack.
2a) Geoff Edwards - He never really had a great vehicle, and I don't count the cable run of Chain Reaction as a great vehicle. Starcade proved he could bridge the generation gap and make the game interesting without talking down to the kids playing the game.

OVERRATED
1) Peter Marshall - As good as he was, I deem Bergeron the true master of the Squares because he never got an ego with the gig, unlike Peter. To me, from what I've seen, it shows that as the run goes on he cares about getting his words in more and more. I know the explanation isn't exactly understandable, but I just don't like his style.

2) Dickie Dawson - Egocheck again. Yeah he took Feud to the top and such, but instead of being humble in victory, he clashed with staffers and tongued women of all descriptions.

clemon79 · « **Reply #68 on:** July 13, 2006, 11:54:21 AM »

[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'124064\' date=\'Jul 13 2006, 06:41 AM\']
Early 20s actually. I've seen a handful of episodes...nowhere near as many episodes of Davidson's/Marshall's/Bergeron's runs, but enough to make the preliminary judgment above. He was thrown into the fire and it showed.
[/quote]
Not saying you're wrong, or that he'll be giving Cullen a run for the title, no way. But I think the "nails on a chalkboard" thing is a little harsh. He sounded like....well, Bowzer. Except toned down, 'cuz it wasn't Bowzer. Like Bob Golthwait or Gottfried when they're not "in character". You were expecting Don Pardo?

ITSBRY · « **Reply #69 on:** July 13, 2006, 08:20:51 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'123469\' date=\'Jul 6 2006, 02:21 PM\']
I gotta say that gay, straight, or whatever, they're a really good panel, and they seem to meld together pretty well.
[/quote]
I agree with you. I don't have GSN anymore, but I caught several episodes of IGAS while I was in LA a few weeks ago. I was really surprised by how much I liked this show (and not just because I'm gay

).

I was never a huge fan of the panel shows like this in the first place, but I think it's cool how there are nods to the past mixed with some edgy humor that's not TOO over the top and tasteless.

It's a classy show and proof that old formats can work if they're done right.

ITSBRY · « **Reply #70 on:** July 13, 2006, 08:40:05 PM »

[quote name=\'NicholasM79\' post=\'123524\' date=\'Jul 7 2006, 09:40 AM\']

Excuse me? Pat Finn? Underrated? You must be joking.
[/quote]
I know it's probably a cardinal sin to say this, but I never had an issue with Finn or TJW 90. I liked this show. Granted, I was 16 when it was on and I didn't remember a whole lot about the original show at that time, but I always enjoyed it. The questions were much more challenging than the 70s/80s run as well.

Perhaps a fresh look at it would make me change my mind? I don't know, but I certainly don't think it was as horrible as everyone makes it out to be. I also thought TTD 90 would have been fine minus Patrick Wayne and the rapping dragon.

Wayne had NO redeeming qualities as a host. Finn could have been a bit better with a little more experience, but I think he did a respectable job.

[quote name=\'NicholasM79\' post=\'123524\']
I also say that Bert Convy tends to get underrated sometimes too, he was a great host on Tattletales, maybe not so much so on Super Password. If only we had gotten to see him on MG '90. :-\
[/quote]
I had the opportunity to see two of the Convy MG pilots and they were GOOOOOOD. It's really too bad that he didn't live long enough to host. This was a perfect show for Bert. Having said that, I think Shafer was the next best thing given that Gene was "out" because of his age. MG 90 was probably the closest we'll ever come to the "real deal".

Robert Hutchinson · « **Reply #71 on:** July 13, 2006, 11:34:21 PM »

[quote name=\'ITSBRY\' post=\'124147\' date=\'Jul 13 2006, 08:40 PM\']I know it's probably a cardinal sin to say this, but I never had an issue with Finn or TJW 90. I liked this show. Granted, I was 16 when it was on and I didn't remember a whole lot about the original show at that time, but I always enjoyed it. The questions were much more challenging than the 70s/80s run as well.

Perhaps a fresh look at it would make me change my mind? I don't know, but I certainly don't think it was as horrible as everyone makes it out to be.[/quote]
I always enjoyed the gameplay of TJW 90. I was a little irked that they had put the name "The Joker's Wild" on it, but give yourself a couple of minutes to get past that, and I think it's a solid game. I always liked that, unlike the pure bad luck of an insufficient spin (or spins) that could lose the game for you on Jack Barry's show, on the Finn "version", you almost always had a chance to come back and win--given that you knew enough about a particular subject. (EDIT: It probably wouldn't surprise anyone to learn that I always enjoyed "classic" TJW a lot more when there was a Fast Forward category in play.)

I always got the impression from Pat Finn that there was a pretty good host hiding under the cardboard. When he wasn't (figuratively) reading something off of a cue card, and especially when he would get into the game itself, he was pretty good, I thought. Not quite good enough to call him "good" overall, but okay.

megamanj1986 · « **Reply #72 on:** August 03, 2006, 08:56:37 PM »

TOP 3 Underrated:

1. Kevin O'Connell - This guy really knew how to keep a game moving fast!

2. a tie between: Jim Peck & Geoff Edwards

3. BILL RAFFERTY - Had an uncanny sense of humor to the show and had a lot of fun with his shows! It's a shame that he never got another show after BB '87 ended, b/c I really enjoyed this guy!

TOP 3 Overrated:

1. Peter Marshall - He wasn't really anyone special, b/c on HS IT WAS THE STARS THAT MADE THE SHOW. All Mr. Marshall really did was his tee-hee laugh, which grated my teeth. I also hated the way he took bogus crappy potshots at the 2 most recent versions of HS.

2. Pat Sajak - After seeing Chuck W. in action on Wheel, Pat just seems like one of those people that act like he's better than everyone else (esp. during that time period that he had his own talk show) and that can get on one's nerves!

A tie between Richard Dawson & Bob Eubanks!

cweaver · « **Reply #73 on:** August 04, 2006, 09:49:34 AM »

[quote name=\'megamanj1986\' post=\'126209\' date=\'Aug 3 2006, 07:56 PM\']
TOP 3 Overrated:

1. Peter Marshall - He wasn't really anyone special, b/c on HS IT WAS THE STARS THAT MADE THE SHOW. All Mr. Marshall really did was his tee-hee laugh, which grated my teeth. I also hated the way he took bogus crappy potshots at the 2 most recent versions of HS.
[/quote]

I have to step in and disagree here. I'm not saying Peter is perfect but I just haven't seen any of his shows where he came off acting like the show was about him. If anything he did an especially good job of making the contestants feel it was about them and not "in the way" (as Carl Reiner unfortunately acted on "The Celebrity Game"). One especially good example is when Marshall was hosting the hour-long week and he came to the defense of a contestant with an uncontrollable laugh, after Milton Berle had just insulted that laugh. (Peter's own "tee hee" laugh never got on my nerves, but I'm sure it would have if he'd done five or six times every show...and he didn't.) His criticism of the other versions of HS is a point well taken but I don't recall him ever doing that while actually hosting a game show, so that's obviously not a criticism of his hosting ability. (I do remember him taking potshots at NBC, the very thing that made David Letterman one of my heroes, and Peter was pretty good at it too.) Take a look at the Bert Parks pilot and you'll see it's not as easy as it looks to play straight man to nine egos and still make the contestants feel appreciated.

A whole lot of people who I think are overrated/underrated have already been mentioned in detail so here are a few more:

underrated:

1. Hugh Downs--who even remembers him as a game show host anymore? He did an especially good job on "Concentration." Very smooth and a comforting voice, no one could ever possibly accuse him of being obnoxious.
2. Johnny Carson--ditto, from what precious little I've seen.
3. Alan Thicke. (What, are you stoned? Dear God, get out the rocks and the tar!) In fact, I've seen Alan Thicke do exactly one thing I liked and it was to host "Animal Crackups." And I was reluctant to watch it when it came on because I was convinced he would suck. What can I say? He was funny and quick and nowhere near as obnoxious as I would think he would be. I was predisposed not to like him and I had to give in.

Honorable mention (so far): Danny Bonaduce, "Starface" (see #3).

Overrated:

Can't think of any that haven't been mentioned already, except maybe Wally Bruner of "What's My Line?" Much better on "Wally's Workshop," where he fit in with all the wood. (Or I might be unfair to Wally since he reminds me of a former TV boss of mine I never liked.)

I agree, Jack Narz and Bill Cullen really get shafted in discussions of legendary game show hosts. The fact that someone can do a lengthy documentary and never mention Cullen means something is horribly wrong in the universe.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #74 on:** August 04, 2006, 09:53:11 AM »

[quote name=\'cweaver\' post=\'126306\' date=\'Aug 4 2006, 09:49 AM\']I agree, Jack Narz and Bill Cullen really get shafted in discussions of legendary game show hosts. The fact that someone can do a lengthy documentary and never mention Cullen means something is horribly wrong in the universe.[/quote]
Just so we're clear, Bill Cullen rarely gets "shafted" in discussions of legendary game show hosts. That documentary was a freaky, odd exception, which is one of many reasons that most of us didn't think very much of that documentary.