[quote name=\'David Levy\' post=\'150325\' date=\'Apr 16 2007, 08:20 PM\']In addition to his ideal personality and hosting experience, I think back to how good he was at explaining the rules of the numerous physical challenges (a talent that could have been carried over to the pricing games). Additionally, an entire generation of game show fans (now within an age range that's highly desirable to advertisers) grew up watching Marc host
Double Dare. That familiarity could have been a major asset.[/quote]Funny you should mention that, I too was always fascinated at how well Marc Summers was at explaining the rules of all the physical challenges. At first he held a card that seemed to have the information on it, but he rarely even looked down at it. I'd love to hear him explain some of the pricing games. And I'd definitely root him on if he was still in the running, but my vote has to go to Todd. Again, non-Whammy! Todd. Powerball Todd or Hollywood Showdown Todd. Not screaming, jumping up and down, foaming at the mouth Todd.
[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'150340\' date=\'Apr 17 2007, 02:14 AM\']But apparently they actually do some sort of "test" in the line, even though it's only a few sentences worth of conversation. So, what criteria are they using to pick their contestants? There's been more than one show I remember where all nine contestants had some sort of homemade homage shirt, and they're no better or worse players than anyone else. So obviously, that "test" isn't doing anything but taking up time.[/quote]I always wondered this as well. And it's no wonder more than half the people I talk to don't even know how the selection process works. Who can blame them for thinking it's a random selection when half the people called up on stage have no idea what they're doing? (See
this woman.) I was always under the impression that people were interviewed and selected based on how well they played the game. When I tell people I'm going to the show in May they either think it's a random selection or think I've taken a test or something to qualify and that I'm actually going to be a contestant. Here's an excerpt from the article titled "
The Guide to Visiting TPiR" over at G-R.net...
The pages will gather the audience members into small groups of about ten people or so. Each group then stands in front of the two contestant coordinators. In turn, each person has about ten or fifteen seconds to be the best they can be while one of the contestant coordinators speaks directly to them. If the contestant coordinators like you, then they'll write your number down on their clipboard. If they don't like you, then they'll write your number down on another part of the clipboard.
So, according to this person, it's just whether or not they like your personality. I agree though, I'd say either streamline the process including a way to find contestants that know what they're doing, or just make it a random selection. Granted, what they've been doing the last 35 years has worked, but that was with Barker at the helm. Maybe with the focus of the show changing mainly from the host to the contestants (like it already has been for some time now) it's time for a change.
