Game shows and you

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' post=\'192802\' date=\'Jul 30 2008, 01:06 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'192797\' date=\'Jul 30 2008, 12:34 PM\']Saw Louie Anderson pitch a fit in the Family Feud control room. [/quote]Oh, Uncle Matt, it's story time. Tell the story.[/quote]
Oh, no real story.  I've even forgotten what the problem was, and he certainly didn't go ballistic or anything.  Just wasn't happy about something.

[urbanpreppie05]

Was the craft table out of Cheese Danish?

[Joe Mello]

-Attended taping of Wheel in '04(?) when it was in Philadelphia (was in line during the $100K win from that week)

-Attended taping of J! in '04 when the College Tourney was in Pittsburgh with my at-the-time girlfriend.  (Always a plus when you're a 5-minute walk from the "studio")

-My mother tried out for Scrabble

That's all for me, but I was never really a game show hobnobber.  Of course, I'm also 23.

[The Ol' Guy]

Hi!
Many of you already know a few of the experiences from past posts (including the talk with happy Norm B.), but a few others that come to mind - briefly meeting Jack B, Dan E and Ronnie G during our honeymoon trip to LA (B&E covered the car rental, and I still have the silver tea service we won in the Joker audience drawing). Got Jack to sign my MB Joker's Wild home game (in ballpoint ink - hasn't totally faded yet). Ron was very nice - was surprized to hear I was aware of a couple of his pilot projects, including The Wheeler Dealers. Also have a letter from Ron from back in the WWW days inviting me to stop by if I ever happened to be in New York. Years of letter and phone correspondence with Dan, and on occasion, Jack. Learned a lot from them. Talked with a super nice employee at the Carrouthers Company who allowed me to use their Second Chance theme and sound effects for a pilot I did for B&E and a later cable access show. Called the Kline & Co offices and had a chat with Eric, one of the B&E defectors after Jack's death. When I remembered him as Percentages' "Judge Von Eric", we had a great time from there. Had the chance to talk with Peter Marshall during a phone interview for a magazine I once wrote for. Gave me his home phone and was very gracious with his time. Got to watch Bob Eubanks do a live "on the road" verson of The Newlywed Game at a local mall (and got a good look at the combover that didn't quite obliterate the same type of bald spot I have). Had fun at a Paranoia tryout in Grand Rapids. Won the game as a "contestant" - goofed up as a "home player". Some mail correspondence with Monty Hall, who took time to answer some questions on his many projects. These and many others have been examples of how kind people in the biz are when they learn you really appreciate their work and respect what they do.

Oh - also met Matt Ottinger.

[aaron sica]

Once again I forgot all about meeting a legend. I did meet the famous Matt Ottinger at GSC4 in Atlanta 12 years ago.

Even then, folks, he was showing his Chuck Norris-like abilities, channeling the ghost of Bill Cullen in the form of thunderstorms during the playing of "Winning Streak"..His channeling wound up frying David Hammett's dialup modem if I remember correctly...

[tpirfan28]

Since I haven't met Matt O or had lunch with Chris C, I guess I'll be packing my things, then....

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'192822\' date=\'Jul 30 2008, 03:36 PM\']
Since I haven't met Matt O or had lunch with Chris C, I guess I'll be packing my things, then....
[/quote]
Don't be silly. Just send them the cash equivalent of a burger and fries at a respectible diner or equivalent  (plus tip!), and you can stay.

[Don Howard]

In 2005, I was on the same plane with Steve Beverly.
He wouldn't share a cab with me and my buddy, though.
Oh, no, he was riding in to Glendale with Norm Blumenthal and Kevin Olmstead.
And ride in with them he did.
When they finally got to LAX two hours later.

[GSFan]

Having grown up in NYC, I had the opportunity to see the original versions of many of the G-T Shows in person.  I imagined that working on What's My Line? would be the best job ever.  I was in the audience for the both the 2,000th episode (the first time I saw Mel Brooks live) and the final episode of the original Jeopardy.  I was 16 years old then, and very happy that I got the final Final Jeopardy question correct.

I began to create GS formats in 1975 while in High School.  Along with classmates in a Media course we produced one of my formats as our year-end class project.  We were the first class to collectively work on one project.  We each took on the various roles necessary to produce a game show.  One of the nice things about the project is that we got to tape two "episodes" in front of an audience consisting of the entire student/faculty population.  There's nothing better than having a live audience!  Following the taping, we separately presented about our various jobs on the show.  As a team, we all got high marks for the project.

During that time I had the idea to "shop around" my game ideas.  The only producer in NYC who would see me was Don Lipp, who co-produced Money Maze and The Big Showdown.  Mr. Lipp was a true mentor, giving me guidance and support as I began to learn the business.  One nice thing about Mr. Lipp's office.  I walked in there for the first time in March, 1975 to find myself (and my friends) hanging on the wall.  There was a poster sized picture of the Money Maze set.  We were in the audience when the picture was taken.  When I saw my picture I definitely felt like I was meant to be there.  I am forever grateful to Mr. Lipp.

From 1973 to 1981, I attended more Pyramid tapings than any other show. It was my favorite game.  I learned so much about the game show business from speaking to the staff whenever possible.  Pyramid was my one and only game show appearance to date.  I taped my episode in June, 1978.   Following that, I was sad that I never had the opportunity to work for Bob Stewart.


Since 2003, I have auditioned approximately 35 times for WWTBAM.  I have a great determination, although I have not gotten on the show.  I assume they are not interested in me.  I don't think I'll be going back.

I, like a few other Forum members, was a run-through contestant for the development process of Million Dollar Password earlier in 2008.   That was great fun!

[mmb5]

I now own Kevin Olmstead's old house.  I also used to make the joke that more game show money passed through my old place's living room than any other living room in the world, since Kevin as well as fellow WWTBAM winner David Goodman came by at some point, along with various other winners of lesser amounts.  Don't know if that's still true anymore, though.


--Mike

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'192822\' date=\'Jul 30 2008, 03:36 PM\']
Since I haven't met Matt O or had lunch with Chris C, I guess I'll be packing my things, then....
[/quote]
For the sake of completeness, it should be noted that Matt O and Chris C have in fact had lunch with each other.

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'GSFan\' post=\'192831\' date=\'Jul 30 2008, 04:17 PM\']
I, like a few other Forum members, was a run-through contestant for the development process of Million Dollar Password earlier in 2008.   That was great fun!
[/quote]
Yes it was! And your stories there were good fun then, too.

[GSFan]

[quote name=\'tvwxman\' post=\'192844\' date=\'Jul 30 2008, 04:58 PM\']
[quote name=\'GSFan\' post=\'192831\' date=\'Jul 30 2008, 04:17 PM\']
I, like a few other Forum members, was a run-through contestant for the development process of Million Dollar Password earlier in 2008.   That was great fun!
[/quote]
Yes it was! And your stories there were good fun then, too.
[/quote]


Thanks, Weatherman!

[colonial]

Fun topic!  Here's my list...

SHOWS I'VE APPEARED ON

CAMPUS CHALLENGE (1994 -- this was a "U.S. vs. Canada" college quiz bowl tournament that aired on a handful of PBS stations during the 94-95 season, as well as a Canadian channel whose name escapes me.  I played on the George Washington University team that finished second in the single-elimination tournament.  Won a handshake from the host -- that's about it)

WWTBAM (2001)

ESPN'S 2-MINUTE DRILL (2001)

1 VS. 100 (2006 -- "mob" member.  The big highlight there was leaving the studio in a car with Kevin Olmstead, John Carpenter and Nancy Christy)

Also won a computer on "Paranoia" -- computer exploded a few months after I got it

In addition, I've been a PAF for six WWTBAM contestants, and was chosen once (got the right answer, too!)

SHOWS I'VE AUDITIONED FOR

J! COLLEGE TOURNAMENT (1992, New York.  The guy who sat next to me at the audition made the show!)

GREED (2000, phone audition)

TWENTY-ONE (2000, Washington)

WEAKEST LINK (2001, Washington)

PYRAMID (2002, a mall in New Jersey)

J! (2004, Washington.  Made the pool, but wasn't picked)

STUMP THE SCHWAB (2005, Atlanta.  Was asked to be on the show, but turned it down due to work commitments)

MILLION DOLLAR PASSWORD (2008, Atlanta)


I also did testing in high school for a proposed teen game show for Superstation WWOR called "Classroom".  It was a spelling-based quiz that just didn't sound good as went through the description process.  A friend of mine did the unaired pilot and won a bike.


SHOWS I'VE SEEN TAPINGS OF

WIN, LOSE OR DRAW (1989)

JEOPARDY! (2002)

PYRAMID (2002)

WHEEL OF FORTUNE (2004)

STARFACE (2006)



OTHER

Thanks to quizbowl and GSC, I've had the privilege of meeting dozens of game show contestants and personalities, including Matt O.

Exchanged e-mail correspondence with Frank Nicotero, Mark Richards and Elayne Boosler, as well as Tom Bergeron's personal assistant.

Received autographed photos of Wink Martindale and Richard Dawson.  The latter was presented as a prize for a quizbowl tournament I helped put together in Tennessee.

Spoke with Charles Nelson Reilly on the set of Win, Lose or Draw.


Think that's it!

JD

[uncamark]

Tried out for "Card Sharks," "Whew!", "Wheel of Fortune," "Battlestars," "Blockbusters," "Scrabble" and "WWTBAM" and didn't succeed.

Attended out-of-LA tapings of "J!" (including a TOC and the Million Dollar Masters).

Got an electric shock from Susan Stafford in a Chicago hotel lobby and was introduced to Nancy Jones (and immediately lost out of being on "Wheel" back then).

Saw Marc Summers do a GSN promo event in Chicago.

Met Skip Lackey at a Season of Concern benefit in Chicago, where he was embarrassed that someone actually remembered him on "Think Fast."

Stood a long way away on Navy Pier when "Win, Lose or Draw" was taping there.

Met the lady who was one of the "Chamber" voices (Carly--forgot her last name) when her improv group coached by Avery Schreiber performed at a Chicago tribute to him.  

If you count lottery shows, saw Linda Kollmeyer play a coked-up office worker in a play.

That's it.