Nifty newspaper article about game show hosting

[MSTieScott]

Julia Keller of the Chicago Tribune has written an article related to Bob Barker's retirement about how hosting a game show isn't as easy as game show hosts make it look. Here's a link.

--
Scott Robinson

[clemon79]

What a ridiculous article. No interviews, no research, just some columnist saying "Yeah, it's harder than it looks," and using five-dollar words to do it. Um, duh.

[PYLdude]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'139264\' date=\'Dec 1 2006, 04:17 PM\']
What a ridiculous article. No interviews, no research, just some columnist saying "Yeah, it's harder than it looks," and using five-dollar words to do it. Um, duh.
[/quote]

Regardless, I believe she raises a very valid point that some people on this board (namely one particular member who is enjoying a stay at Chez TTD90) would be wise to pay heed to:

You may criticize certain hosts (and some of them do deserve the criticism), but could you honestly do any better?

(and this goes for those that don't currently host a show, unlike a certain select few)

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'139265\' date=\'Dec 1 2006, 01:22 PM\']
You may criticize certain hosts (and some of them do deserve the criticism), but could you honestly do any better?
[/quote]
I don't disagree, but that's a) hardly a revelation, and b) really irrelevant, anyhow, as I think most of us don't have to step in shiat to know it stinks.

[PYLdude]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'139270\' date=\'Dec 1 2006, 04:46 PM\']
[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'139265\' date=\'Dec 1 2006, 01:22 PM\']
You may criticize certain hosts (and some of them do deserve the criticism), but could you honestly do any better?
[/quote]
I don't disagree, but that's a) hardly a revelation, and b) really irrelevant, anyhow, as I think most of us don't have to step in shiat to know it stinks.
[/quote]

You're right, but I would love to see some of these critics try it themselves and see how they would do.

[DrBear]

Does that mean that football fans can't criticize a player? Or voters a politician? Or readers a newspaper?

True, most of us don't have the skill set to do the job (I have a face made for newspapers) but I think I can tell the difference between a Bob Barker and a Louie Anderson.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'139265\' date=\'Dec 1 2006, 01:22 PM\']You may criticize certain hosts (and some of them do deserve the criticism), but could you honestly do any better?[/quote]That's an irrelevant point. People chosen for game show hosting jobs are supposed to be picked because they embody the various skills required for the job. Not having an inside position at a production company, I can confidently say that I would not be able to do any better.

And to back that up, I can point to a half-dozen games of Family Feud that I hosted for a local game night. Imagine hosting the show with no cue cards to work with, ad libbing your entire script. And then imagine doing it poorly. That's about how it went. It's easy to read questions from a card and say "Oh, sorry, the correct answer is Yemen," but when you have a place to stand, a camera to look into and a contestant who might be blinded by the experience of it all, things get tough.

(But, yeah. Chris and DrBear both hit on my salient points anyway. And if there's one thing I can't stand, it's using five dollar words. Apropos? Quotidian? You gotta be kidding me. And that's in the first sentence.)

[chris319]

Imagine hosting the show with no cue cards to work with, ad libbing your entire script. And then imagine doing it poorly.

Well, the reason you did it poorly is that you didn't memorize your language as if it were the lines of a play.

Here is the emcee's paradox: On your first air show, when you lay out the rules you have to make it seem as if you've done it 500 times before. Then, on your 500th air show, when you lay out those same rules you have to make it seem as fresh as if it were your first air show.

[TimK2003]

Here's a great little "Get Rich Quick" scheme I'll put on the table for anyone to use:

If you are familiar with the dozens of Radio Broadcasting Schools that are still in business, despite how the big evil radio conglomerates have pretty much decapitated the role of the "radio air talent" that existed 25 years ago...

...Someone oughtta open up the "Jack Clark School of Game Show Hosting & Announcing".

"For just $5000, the JCSoGSH&A, will teach you how to become a game show host -- from proper reading of cue cards and teleprompters, to interacting with contestants and celebrities, as well as voice inflection and projection techniques.  

And if you don't unseat Alex Trebek as the new host of 'Jeopardy!', you will at least have the confidence to wow and dazzle the two-dozen or so drunk people who come to watch you host Trivia Night at the Holiday Inn Airport every Wednesday Night."

And the great thing is, like the radio wannabes, you'll never run out of gullible people who will plunk down the money to do it.  Throw in some courses in game show production, direction and format creation and you're milkin' one helluva cash cow!!  Never mind the fact they'll never find work in the field!!!

Randy (Dean of Announcing)? Chris C. (Dean of Production)? Chris Lemon (Director of Sales & Marketing)?  Anyone else want to help bankroll this baby???  :-P

[Matt Ottinger]

For a modest fee, I will pose as a satisfied client.

[TimK2003]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'139313\' date=\'Dec 2 2006, 12:35 AM\']
For a modest fee, I will pose as a satisfied client.
[/quote]

You mean you don't want the extra cut of the profits as Dean of Hosts???

[Robert Hutchinson]

That part requires an immodest fee.

[alfonzos]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'139264\' date=\'Dec 1 2006, 05:17 PM\']
What a ridiculous article. No interviews, no research, just some columnist saying "Yeah, it's harder than it looks," and using five-dollar words to do it. Um, duh.
[/quote]
This article was reprinted in the Los Angeles Times. In all fairness, it was an OpEd piece and not a news story.

[tomobrien]

[quote name=\'alfonzos\' post=\'139535\' date=\'Dec 4 2006, 02:54 PM\']
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'139264\' date=\'Dec 1 2006, 05:17 PM\']
What a ridiculous article. No interviews, no research, just some columnist saying "Yeah, it's harder than it looks," and using five-dollar words to do it. Um, duh.
[/quote]
This article was reprinted in the Los Angeles Times. In all fairness, it was an OpEd piece and not a news story.
[/quote]
To Chris' point, one would/should expect more -- such as research, interviews or at least some depth of subject knowledge -- from someone who's bylined as a "cultural critic."  It's the difference between, say, a New York Times book review and a 3rd grade book report  ("I liked it because...").  Most of Keller's pieces unfortunately are closer to the latter category.