Brace yourself -- it's Dave

[chris319]

[quote name=\'whewfan\' post=\'140646\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 01:32 PM\']
Well, maybe to make Dave feel more at home, all the TPIR pricing games will be played on a green screen :-)
[/quote]
There's your line of the day.

I am told that at last weekend's tapings, Dave Price was still struggling to master the format of a small number of stage games. In discussing this with a fellow member of this board, we concluded that if the format isn't second nature to Mr. Price, he won't be able to milk for laughs the way-out contestant or unexpected situation as Barker is able to do.

[tpirfan28]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'140680\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 06:41 PM\']
...was still struggling to master the format of a small number of stage games...
[/quote]
Maybe it's just because I know the general rules of all the games, what games could he possbily have difficulty with?  I can understand "Triple Play", "Check Out", and maybe "Pocket Change".

[Robert Hutchinson]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'140660\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 05:19 PM\']At the tryout last week, it was said they did three shows in one day.  If they did two more shows on Saturday, Dave could fly back on Sat. Eve, enjoy Sunday in NY and be ready for the Early Show on Monday morn.[/quote]
At a tryout, you can keep audience members from show to show, not have to worry about stopdowns and retaping errors, and so forth. (People who actually work in teevee, correct this with extreme prejudice.)

I can think of lots of games that a host unsuited for TPIR could have trouble with. The pricing part of Plinko needs a particular explanation each time. You have to remind contestants about stopping at $1,000 on Grand Game. Check Game . . . well, just imagine the average Check Game contestant's explanation of the game.

[TimK2003]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'140665\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 06:39 PM\']
Simple Q test:  Say "Al Roker", and people know who that is.  Say "Dave Price" and people don't know who that is.  Outside of a little publicity mileage out of the cute name coincidence, this would be a big shoulder-shrug for most folks.  Even if he's good (and if he was even good, wouldn't someone have come forward and told us?) this doesn't register as a morning TV story the way the hirings of Meredith Viera and Rosie O'Donnell did.
[/quote]

Agreed.  If hired, Dave Price will be to TPIR as Rolf Binerschke was to Wheel Of Fortune.  Unless you lived in San Diego or were a fan of the Chargers, Rolf was a nobody to 80% of the country.

Given The Early Show's 'stellar' ratings (sarcasm meter calibration check is now complete), and how he was known by only a select few in the Big Apple area (based on WCBS's news ratings), he is running on the same level of familiarity as Rolf with a large majority of the country.

That being said, even if CBS tries to force Dave Price down our throats for Season 36, and he Rolf's out in the ratings, TPiR will survive...somehwere, if not on CBS -- someone will make that cash cow work with a good emcee!

[chris319]

what games could he possbily have difficulty with?

Any of them. Things have to be presented in a specific way for all (INSERT NUMBER) of games because you're working with the director who has to get the right pictures on at the right time. This requires that cameras be in the right places, etc.

[SamPrainito]

I still say the show and CBS would benefit from going with an unknown.  

Someone with a strong background in broadcasting that could interact with the contestants the way Barker does, and is familiar enough with the show that the rules of the games aren't a big problem for them.  The mechanics of the production, staging, etc. can be learned.

Also, if they go with an unknown there is the huge upside of postive PR.  CBS could position it in such a way that Barker would appear to be "paying it forward" by giving a break to an unknown the same way Ralph Edwards did for him fifty years ago.

[pianogeek]

[quote name=\'chris319\' post=\'140688\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 08:44 PM\']

what games could he possbily have difficulty with?

Any of them. Things have to be presented in a specific way for all (INSERT NUMBER) of games because you're working with the director who has to get the right pictures on at the right time. This requires that cameras be in the right places, etc.
[/quote]

Agreed!  Tell that same comment to R. Brian DiPirro or to the post-production editors and the "sweeteners" of Deal or No Deal.

[calliaume]

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' post=\'140602\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 02:25 PM\']
Fair warning to any member considering doing harm to himself/himself over this: if you kill yourself, we will revoke your posting privileges immediately.
[/quote]
I've always advocated the death penalty for those who commit suicide, myself.

I have no idea who Dave Price is.  Would TPTB consider Todd Newton... not that he's a household name either.

[whewfan]

The TV Guide Channel also mentioned that Dave's got the gig. Ok Dave, you have about 6 months to learn EVERY game and nuance that made TPIR work for 35 years. Good luck!

[ClockGameJohn]

I have remained very neutral with this transition period for a number of reasons.

The Staff of the Production Company have not been given ANY official word of the hiring of a new host.

I will definately not dispute that Dave Price is not being highly considered, but as far as the folks that work in the bungalow know, no decision has been made.

CBS making their own "premature" decisions is a completely different story, I'm sure.

[TimK2003]

Depending on who is hired to fill Bob's shoes, might there be a possibility that some of those important staffers (some who have been there since or close to Day One and are now in their 50's or 60's) take an early retirement (like Bob) so they can leave on a high note as well, or are they under contract with Fremantle and pretty much have to fufill their terms?

[johnnya2k3]

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'140684\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 03:33 PM\']
Agreed.  If hired, Dave Price will be to TPIR as Rolf Binerschke was to Wheel Of Fortune.
[/quote]
Or of course, Patrick Wayne was to Tic Tac Dough '90.

Jonathan Allen

[PYLdude]

[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' post=\'140711\' date=\'Dec 16 2006, 02:23 AM\']
[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'140684\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 03:33 PM\']
Agreed.  If hired, Dave Price will be to TPIR as Rolf Binerschke was to Wheel Of Fortune.
[/quote]
Or of course, Patrick Wayne was to Tic Tac Dough '90.

Jonathan Allen
[/quote]

That really doesn't count, in my opinion, because Wayne's show was a revival/rework of the format, and Wayne wasn't a direct successor to Wink, like Rolf was.

Of course, replace "Patrick Wayne" with "Jim Caldwell" and take the '90 out, and you're fine.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' post=\'140711\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 11:23 PM\']
[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'140684\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 03:33 PM\']
Agreed.  If hired, Dave Price will be to TPIR as Rolf Binerschke was to Wheel Of Fortune.
[/quote]
Or of course, Patrick Wayne was to Tic Tac Dough '90.
[/quote]
Or Pat O'Brien was to....no, wait, that's wrong. Pat O'Brien has improved every show he's touched. That guy's great.

[TimK2003]

[quote name=\'PYLdude\' post=\'140712\' date=\'Dec 16 2006, 03:35 AM\']
[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' post=\'140711\' date=\'Dec 16 2006, 02:23 AM\']
[quote name=\'TimK2003\' post=\'140684\' date=\'Dec 15 2006, 03:33 PM\']
Agreed.  If hired, Dave Price will be to TPIR as Rolf Binerschke was to Wheel Of Fortune.
[/quote]
Or of course, Patrick Wayne was to Tic Tac Dough '90.

Jonathan Allen
[/quote]

That really doesn't count, in my opinion, because Wayne's show was a revival/rework of the format, and Wayne wasn't a direct successor to Wink, like Rolf was.

Of course, replace "Patrick Wayne" with "Jim Caldwell" and take the '90 out, and you're fine.
[/quote]

And of course, Paul Rodrieguez played "The Rolf" on The Newlywed Game in 1988-89,.