Author Topic: Greatest Hosts of All Time (Read 24597 times)

Matt Ottinger · « **on:** September 14, 2006, 03:25:59 PM »

Here we go again!

Send me your ballots for the TWENTY greatest game show hosts of all time. As we did for the first one, rank them in order starting at number one and continuing, without ties, to number twenty. If you can't (or won't) come up with twenty, I'll take a list with at least ten. Votes will be tallied on a 20-19-18...3-2-1 scale.

As with the Greatest Shows list, you use whatever criteria you want to rank the hosts, but keep in mind, the word is "greatest" not "personal favorite". Which is two words anyway. Obviously, any list is going to have some amount of personal bias, but try to be as objective as you can.

Also keep in mind that the genre has been around for sixty years. It's easy to remember the ones we all grew up with, but don't forget the ones that came before or, for that matter, the current hosts to whom the torch has been passed.

Send your list to ottinger@acd.net with the header Greatest Hosts. I'll take lists through the end of the month and start revealing our picks on Sunday, October 1.

For the sake of this exercise, I'll go sig-less for the next couple of weeks...

clemon79 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 14, 2006, 03:45:34 PM »

I think this list will produce some very surprising results.

(I also think this is a list I can assemble and submit without feeling like I've been in a war once it's over. And so I shall try.)

SRIV94 · « **Reply #2 on:** September 14, 2006, 04:06:14 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'131523\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 02:25 PM\']
Send me your ballots for the TWENTY greatest game show hosts of all time. As we did for the first one, rank them in order starting at number one and continuing, without ties, to number twenty. If you can't (or won't) come up with twenty, I'll take a list with at least ten. Votes will be tallied on a 20-19-18...3-2-1 scale.
[/quote]
Wow. This is tough.

Not coming up with 20, but whittling the list down to 20. I made a preliminary list and then realized I left a whole bunch of people off. This'll take a little more doing.

Can I give you more?

Doug

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #3 on:** September 14, 2006, 04:21:28 PM »

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' post=\'131530\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 04:06 PM\']
Can I give you more?

[/quote]
Sure, but they won't count!

Don Howard · « **Reply #4 on:** September 14, 2006, 05:20:56 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'131523\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 03:25 PM\']
For the sake of this exercise, I'll go sig-less for the next couple of weeks...
[/quote]
In the spirit of equal time, may we see a photo of Todd Russell in the upper left as the balloting period rolls along?

Jay Temple · « **Reply #5 on:** September 14, 2006, 05:23:40 PM »

It'll be interesting making these decisions. What makes it difficult is that there are three kinds of strong candidates:
1. those whose reputation is made on a single show (Ludden)
2. those who were the right host for a show that needed a certain type of host (Trebek)
3. those who could host anything well (Cullen)

ETA Disclaimer: These names are only intended as illustrations.

chad1m · « **Reply #6 on:** September 14, 2006, 05:27:35 PM »

My list is sent in. My list definitely contains varieties of all three types of candidates, at least I believe so.

Chuck Sutton · « **Reply #7 on:** September 14, 2006, 05:54:09 PM »

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'131535\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 05:23 PM\']
1. those whose reputation is made on a single show (Ludden)
[/quote]

College Bowl? Was it before Password?

I am making a guess you never saw Liar's Club

On your list in my opinion Ludden's a two if not a three.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #8 on:** September 14, 2006, 06:00:06 PM »

[quote name=\'Chuck Sutton\' post=\'131541\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 05:54 PM\']College Bowl? Was it before Password?
I am making a guess you never saw Liar's Club[/quote]
College Bowl was before and a little bit during Password. Still, the fact that Ludden hosted other shows (even a successful one like College Bowl) doesn't change the fact that his reputation is based on one program.

ChrisLambert! · « **Reply #9 on:** September 14, 2006, 08:26:48 PM »

Should we limit our consideration of a given host to their United States game show work only?

(Gee, wonder who I'm referring to. No, not her...)

clemon79 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2006, 08:29:32 PM »

[quote name=\'ChrisLambert!\' post=\'131557\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 05:26 PM\']
Should we limit our consideration of a given host to their United States game show work only?

(Gee, wonder who I'm referring to. No, not her...)
[/quote]
I would suggest that you're essentially throwing away a vote if you don't, since the chances of enough people here being knowledgeable enough about overseas shows is minimal at best.

Justin30519 · « **Reply #11 on:** September 14, 2006, 10:26:03 PM »

I'm going to go out on a limb and say nobody is going to put Patrick Wayne as #1.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #12 on:** September 14, 2006, 10:37:22 PM »

[quote name=\'Justin30519\' post=\'131568\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 10:26 PM\']
I'm going to go out on a limb and say nobody is going to put Patrick Wayne as #1.

[/quote]
Of course not. How else would I put Richard Karn in the top spot?

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #13 on:** September 14, 2006, 11:14:39 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'131558\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 08:29 PM\']
[quote name=\'ChrisLambert!\' post=\'131557\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 05:26 PM\']
Should we limit our consideration of a given host to their United States game show work only?[/quote]
I would suggest that you're essentially throwing away a vote if you don't, since the chances of enough people here being knowledgeable enough about overseas shows is minimal at best.[/quote]
That is almost precisely how I would put it. If you feel compelled to name a non-US host, go right ahead, but it probably won't mean anything to the overall rankings. Sort of like how a few of us named reality shows on the last go-round.

Just hours into it, and there are already 18 responses. I've also heard from someone who'll be publicizing the poll outside the forum, which is fine with me. This may easily turn out to be more popular than the first one. I wish I could tease you with some opening details, but since I haven't come up with my other 19 yet, I haven't looked at anybody else's list.

That's right, after Lee Bowman, I'm stumped.

clemon79 · « **Reply #14 on:** September 14, 2006, 11:22:51 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'131578\' date=\'Sep 14 2006, 08:14 PM\']
Just hours into it, and there are already 18 responses. I've also heard from someone who'll be publicizing the poll outside the forum, which is fine with me.
[/quote]
I'm curious to know why you're fine with that. Isn't the point to find out what *we*, our community, think? Do I want the morons on the GSN board to have any input on this?

I mean, whatever, but I'm interested in knowing what you think this brings to the table.