Suppose you're auditioning hosts

[Jay Temple]

A couple days ago I saw a Karn Feud with the question, "Name something that has teeth." When one family had their chance to steal, their captain said a shark. Richard just asked whether it was there. (I think it was, not that matters here.) I was aghast that he missed the opportunity for a joke. I'm sure that Dawson and maybe even Combs would have said something close to what I did. I said, "Yes, and he keeps them pearly white."

If I were producing a new version of Feud and auditioning hosts, I would use that as a test. Any candidate who fails to make a "Mack the Knife" reference is out of the running.

What other tests would you devise for hosts of a particular show? The other one I came up with is if I were auditioning prospective J! hosts. A clue would, essentially, ask for the capital of either North or South Dakota. The contestant would give the other. If the candidate fails to recognize the error, he's out.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'201438\' date=\'Nov 12 2008, 12:57 PM\']
I was aghast that he missed the opportunity for a joke. I'm sure that Dawson and maybe even Combs would have said something close to what I did. I said, "Yes, and he keeps them pearly white."[/quote]
And this passes for funny?

If I were producing a new version of Feud and auditioning hosts, I would use that as a test. Any candidate who fails to make a "Mack the Knife" reference is out of the running.

Well, then, that makes perfect sense.

Oh, wait.

The other one I came up with is if I were auditioning prospective J! hosts. A clue would, essentially, ask for the capital of either North or South Dakota. The contestant would give the other. If the candidate fails to recognize the error, he's out.

If the host fails to compare the answer the contestant gave to the ANSWER IN FRONT OF HIM ON THE CARD, and rule based on that, then yes, he should certainly be eliminated from consideration. Whether he knows his state capitals or not is utterly irrelevant.

[Jeremy Nelson]

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'201438\' date=\'Nov 12 2008, 02:57 PM\']
If I were producing a new version of Feud and auditioning hosts, I would use that as a test. Any candidate who fails to make a "Mack the Knife" reference is out of the running.
[/quote]
The only time that out of date references were ever funny on game shows is when Charles and Brett did it on Match Game, and most of the time, they were drunk when they did.

All I have to say is  that I don't think your litmus test will find you the best host out of anyone who'd want to audition. But to each his own, I guess.

[whewfan]

I think when they were looking for a replacement for Louie Anderson, they wanted someone ENTIRELY different.

Louie was, by some accounts, channeling Richard Dawson. He was also VERY inconsistent. Some shows, he was very funny, other shows, he looked tired and bored, and looked like he wanted to get it overwith. His gravelly voice was also irritating after a while. I had heard that a LOT of editing and pick ups were needed to be done because Louie made many mistakes.

Richard Karn, however, was a much more consistent host. He was very friendly, very likeable. I do think he missed MANY opportunities to respond humorously to rotten answers, but he had his moments.  I think that over time, Karn was being a little TOO consistent and each show looked pretty much the same.

John O'Hurley, I feel, is a terrific choice. He has the charm that Dawson conveyed very well on Feud. He's more consistently funny, and I think Family Feud feels a lot like the Family Feud that I watched as a kid.

[JasonA1]

I must admit, while John O'Hurley is the best of the three modern Feud hosts, he's still got some flaws. His inconsistent re-reading of the question has tapered off greatly from his first season, but the awkward tosses to the board remain. John's fallen into a few bad ruts, and above all else, the show built around him is not up to snuff with the show of the Goodson days. Weird questions, odd pacing, etc. His sense of humor is great, I just feel he's holding back a lot of the time to be more PC and/or friendly.

-Jason

[TheLastResort]

[quote name=\'Jay Temple\' post=\'201438\' date=\'Nov 12 2008, 04:57 PM\']
A couple days ago I saw a Karn Feud with the question, "Name something that has teeth." When one family had their chance to steal, their captain said a shark. I'm sure that Dawson and maybe even Combs would have said something close to what I did. I said, "Yes, and he keeps them pearly white."[/quote]

I would have said, "I knew a shark who had dentures.  He kept them on his nightstand in a glass of air."

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

[Joe Mello]

*GONG*

/Thought a comedian wasn't supposed to laugh at his own jokes

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'201464\' date=\'Nov 12 2008, 07:01 PM\']
/Thought a comedian wasn't supposed to laugh at his own jokes
[/quote]
Nah, he brought his own Mother McKenzie machine with him.

/That machine was given a real workout on the CS eps airing this week.

[DoorNumberFour]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'201464\' date=\'Nov 12 2008, 08:01 PM\']
/Thought a comedian wasn't supposed to laugh at his own jokes
[/quote]
Does not approve.

[JakeT]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'201464\' date=\'Nov 12 2008, 07:01 PM\']
*GONG*

/Thought a comedian wasn't supposed to laugh at his own jokes
[/quote]

If that were the case, Pat Carroll would never have had a career...she always seemed to laugh more at her own jokes than anyone else did...

Jake

[chris319]

If you were auditioning an emcee who had a putdown for every prize and couldn't get the phrase "without going over" to come out of his mouth, would you hire him (for $7 million per year)?