Author Topic: Italian 'DOND' Rigged? (Read 2139 times)

uncamark · « **on:** January 07, 2009, 03:47:47 PM »

An Italian consumer group is suing the big state-owned public broadcaster RAI and Endemol, claiming that the Italian version of "DOND," airing on RAI1, has irregularities in contestant selection and gameplay, claiming that contestants have numbers written on their hands and have been related to staff members--they also claim that the contestants being constantly in tears and the seemingly regular appearance of the big amounts staying in play to the end of the game is not a coincidence (WARNING: VARIETYESE):

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111799809...ref=ra&cs=1

RAI and Endemol claim that the game process and contestant selection criteria are "fully legitimate" and "transparent" and intend to file a countersuit.

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #1 on:** January 07, 2009, 04:36:23 PM »

Puh-lease. I don't wanna do the math to figure out the odds of one of the big numbers staying in play til the end, but they aren't THAT lofty. Especially if the network is selective about which games they air, it doesn't seem so ridiculous that it happens often.

As for numbers on the hands, some people plan their route in advance out of sheer superstition. You see it on UK DoND from time to time. Not A Big Deal.

inturnaround · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2009, 10:41:55 PM »

Okay, Kevin, but what it innocuous about the allegation of family members playing the game?

It may turn out to be not true, but it's worth a look, innit?

Kevin Prather · « **Reply #3 on:** January 09, 2009, 04:33:54 AM »

[quote name=\'inturnaround\' post=\'205854\' date=\'Jan 8 2009, 07:41 PM\']
Okay, Kevin, but what it innocuous about the allegation of family members playing the game?

It may turn out to be not true, but it's worth a look, innit?
[/quote]
I have no idea what S&P is like in Italy, so I dunno how severe a tort that is. If it's against regulations, then yes. Take a look. But there's a difference between allowing ineligible players and actually rigging the game.

CeleTheRef · « **Reply #4 on:** January 09, 2009, 08:39:54 PM »

Here is the "hand reader", as seen on Striscia la Notizia, a comedy show that has a feud with DoND.
the clip also features a list of episodes where one of the top 2 prizes made it safely to the last few boxes

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WxQIPhAKkIA

But it doesn't end here. A number of viewers reported that some of the contestants (including the "hand reader") have appeared on different Endemol shows. While it's technically not against the rules, it is sad to see the same "circle of friends" being on TV all the times.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vz0UfQjWdgc

Speedy G · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2009, 12:29:47 AM »

[quote name=\'CeleTheRef\' post=\'205925\' date=\'Jan 9 2009, 08:39 PM\']
Here is the "hand reader", as seen on Striscia la Notizia, a comedy show that has a feud with DoND.
the clip also features a list of episodes where one of the top 2 prizes made it safely to the last few boxes

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=WxQIPhAKkIA

But it doesn't end here. A number of viewers reported that some of the contestants (including the "hand reader") have appeared on different Endemol shows. While it's technically not against the rules, it is sad to see the same "circle of friends" being on TV all the times.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vz0UfQjWdgc
[/quote]
How deep into those games are they considering as notable? Are we talking "one of the big two in the final 2", or "one of the six at the graphic squashdown is a big amount"? Because in the former case, it's only about a 20% chance, while in the latter it's about 52%.

I scribbled down the dates listed in one of the clips (the spread from October 3 to November 27), and I get 27 days out of 56 (~48%) where one of the top two amounts stayed in play until late in the game. There's at least one instance on every day of the week... does the show come on every day (or did it in that time span)?

The hand reader stuff is somewhere between slightly amusing and damning, depending on what was on her hand, why it needed to be on her hand, and where the writing came from. I don't necessarily have a problem with semi-pro contestants appearing on multiple shows, as long as they're legitimately an outsider without ties to production.

uncamark · « **Reply #6 on:** January 13, 2009, 11:44:19 AM »

How many more graphics can go on the screen in the early portion of the first video, what with the upper third, the RAI Uno bug, the show bug and the 5 bug?

And considering that this show is on a network owned by the prime minister of Italy, who is also the de facto head of RAI, they seem to get away with more than I would think Berlusconi would allow. I guess they've established themselves as all-purpose mockers after over twenty years on the air and Berlusconi just has to grin and bear it.

CeleTheRef · « **Reply #7 on:** January 13, 2009, 09:47:08 PM »

[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'206123\' date=\'Jan 13 2009, 05:44 PM\']
How many more graphics can go on the screen in the early portion of the first video, what with the upper third, the RAI Uno bug, the show bug and the 5 bug?[/quote]

That's nothing. Once I've seen four bugs on the SAME CORNER.

[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'206123\' date=\'Jan 13 2009, 05:44 PM\']
And considering that this show is on a network owned by the prime minister of Italy, who is also the de facto head of RAI, they seem to get away with more than I would think Berlusconi would allow. I guess they've established themselves as all-purpose mockers after over twenty years on the air and Berlusconi just has to grin and bear it.
[/quote]

You are right. The funny thing is that DoND is an Endemol format, and Berlusconi's Mediaset just happens to own the Italian branch of Endemol.
They could just let the contract expire and cancel the show, but then Striscia would have nothing to point their finger at.