GSN's Top Ten Game Show Hosts/Marathon

[tpirfan28]

[quote name=\'Allstar87\' post=\'142456\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 01:23 AM\']
10. Bob Eubanks
9. Pat Sajak
8. Chuck Woolery
7. Bill Cullen
6. Regis Philbin
5. Richard Dawson
4. Monty Hall
3. Alex Trebek
2. Gene Rayburn
1. Bob Barker

There were other awards, too. Zaniest Host went to Chuck Barris, and Best Reality Show Host went to Jeff Probst.
[/quote]
I'm surprised about this.  I agree with the ordering from 1-5...but I'd bump them all down one slot for Bill at #1.  And boot Eubanks.

(One direct question...Barker is the #1 host of a #3/#4 rated show?  Gene Rayburn (#2) is host of the #1 show?  Something's not adding up.)

And I would have given Phil Keogan (sp) from Amazing Race the nod for best Reality show host...but his camera time is limited...

[Jimmy Owen]

While Bill is the best of all time, he did so many shows that he is not best associated with any one show in particular.  With the possible exception of Chuck W., all of the others on the list have a "signature show" that the average joe on the street would match with the host.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'142476\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 10:18 AM\']
While Bill is the best of all time, he did so many shows that he is not best associated with any one show in particular.  With the possible exception of Chuck W., all of the others on the list have a "signature show" that the average joe on the street would match with the host.[/quote]
At one point, Cullen was as associated with TPIR as Barker is today, but since the average Joe on the street is less than fifty years old, he's not going to remember that, so you're absolutely right.  That's why I haven't joined in the wailing about Bill's placement in this thing.  Taken as a group, the ten they chose were a decent representation of ten great hosts.  At that level, ranking is subjective.  And given that this was virtually a list of still-living hosts, picking a guy who's been gone for sixteen years is all the more impressive.

Regis is an odd but understandable choice, though leaving him out and including Dick Clark or Wink Martindale would have made more sense.  Tom Kennedy and Jim Perry are more appreciated by us fans than Dawson or Sajak, but they aren't household names.  Compared to GSN's 50 Top Shows countdown, this was just fine, thank you.

[uncamark]

Considering that the DVR was busy recording the lineup of the National Broadcasting Company last night (and I'd forgotten about this), are there going to be repeats?

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'142482\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 01:51 PM\']
Taken as a group, the ten they chose were a decent representation of ten great hosts.  At that level, ranking is subjective.  And given that this was virtually a list of still-living hosts, picking a guy who's been gone for sixteen years is all the more impressive.
[/quote]

Then again I have to wonder how I would act if someone did a special about the 10 greatest TV newsmen of all time, and Mike Wallace came in first while Edward R. Murrow finished seventh.  I don't know if I'd wail but I'm sure I'd bitch and moan a little.  (Yeah, yeah, I know, I know,  George Clooney did a film about Murrow but it's not like it was "Star Wars" or anything.)

I'm thinking the category "Best Comedian Turned Game Show Host" was invented so the special could acknowlege Howie and Deal or No Deal somehow, and perhaps by someone whose eyes would glaze over if you said the name "Groucho" to him/her.

[GS Warehouse]

[quote name=\'The Great EZE\' post=\'142458\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 01:36 AM\']/assuming everybody = me.[/quote]
You're obviously assuming wrong, because if you're everybody, you're me.  And you can't be me because I'm me, and if I'm not me, then who am I?

/I am the walrus
//koo koo gajoob
///don't bother, Lemon; I'll save you the trouble:
////wow.
/////safety warning: don't post if you feel dizzy
//////[keels over from the last of the eggnog]

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' post=\'142533\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 06:52 PM\']
///don't bother, Lemon; I'll save you the trouble:
////wow.
[/quote]
Truer words never spoken.

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' post=\'142533\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 09:52 PM\']
[quote name=\'The Great EZE\' post=\'142458\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 01:36 AM\']/assuming everybody = me.[/quote]
You're obviously assuming wrong, because if you're everybody, you're me.  And you can't be me because I'm me, and if I'm not me, then who am I?
[/quote]
Well, if you're not you, then obviously you're either me or Steve Gavazzi.  Back in ATGS, two people accused everyone of being me, and one of those also accused everyone of being Steve. :-)

[ChuckNet]

As for The Cross-Wits, while I don't recall the week described by Ian in an earlier post, I do remember a week of Crosswits from late 1986 where the celebrity guests were Tom Kennedy, Peter Tomarken, Bob Goen and Jim Peck (who told the story about The Big Falldown). Including David Sparks, that's four hosts.

I'll echo Lemon's sentiments...Line of the Week right there. :-) And yeah, if you've ever seen the ep from this wk that's on the trading circuit, you can see just how bad a host Sparks really was...he was @ the mercy of these GS veterans, particularly Tomarken... almost comical to watch. :-D

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[Sonic Whammy]

I'll keep this in bullet form, cuz a lot of you have said the same things:

> Bill #7? No way. I could not possibly see him any lower than 5. I'm OK with Monty, Bob and Gene put above him, and Allen if they had decided to put him up there. It's a really close call, but those 5 are the best in some combination. Don't ask me who's where, I couldn't possibly do it now.

> Howie? Was fine with it until you all said Groucho. Thanks for the reality check.

> Speaking of reality, Phil's got 4 Emmys running, but I guess I can live with Jeff getting that one only because he holds more of an on-screen involvement in his game.

> Meredith, can't say I blame them, but only because she doesn't have much competition, and hers is the one that's run the longest. Doesn't necessarily mean she's the best on everyone's list, but I understand it.

Bottom line: 10 was impossible. I can think of at least 7 hosts who got snubbed in some fashion. You need at least 20 to be fair. Plus, I know I sound like someone else, but it's true that there has to be a criteria that we're aware of. Get the people who were there to make this list. The people who just plain work at GSN don't have to knowledge of the greats by themselves, especially the oldies. And that's assuming they made the list alone.

[Joe Mello]

[quote name=\'Sonic Whammy\' post=\'142545\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 11:48 PM\']Bottom line: 10 was impossible. I can think of at least 7 hosts who got snubbed in some fashion. You need at least 20 to be fair.
[/quote]

Fair?  Since when is subjectivity fair?

[Jay Temple]

While I have my issues with the placement, I agree that the presentation was really good.

[Sonic Whammy]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'142549\' date=\'Jan 9 2007, 12:45 AM\']
[quote name=\'Sonic Whammy\' post=\'142545\' date=\'Jan 8 2007, 11:48 PM\']Bottom line: 10 was impossible. I can think of at least 7 hosts who got snubbed in some fashion. You need at least 20 to be fair.
[/quote]

Fair?  Since when is subjectivity fair?
[/quote]
You're right, it's obviously not. But like I was saying, the idea of taking such a highly qualified and talented field and narrowing it down to just 10...

Disappointments aside, I'm hoping the choices weren't as easy for them as a couple of them sounded.

[cweaver]

[quote name=\'Sonic Whammy\' post=\'142545\' date=\'Jan 9 2007, 12:48 AM\']
> Meredith, can't say I blame them, but only because she doesn't have much competition, and hers is the one that's run the longest. [/quote]

Isn't she the longest running solo female game show host period, at least in the US?  That alone would deserve a mention.

[Ian Wallis]

Isn't she the longest running solo female game show host period, at least in the US? That alone would deserve a mention.

At five years and counting...yes.