Author Topic: MG Kelly (Read 5567 times)

Jamey Greek · « **on:** August 18, 2010, 04:09:45 PM »

I was wondering if MG Kelly ever tried out for the Daytime Wheel job in 1989 when Pat Sajak was getting ready to host his late-night talk show for CBS. I saw on his website that he had some face time and there was a preview of his audition tape (I think) and I know he was interim announcer until Charlie O fullfilled his commitments with Chuck Barris. I wonder, what if he actually got the job? And he would have hosted and Charlie O would have announced. I think MG Kelly would have done good. Either him, Jimmy Connors, or Tim Brando would have done good. Better than Rolf did.

Also, do you think Wheel still would have moved to CBS and they would have kept Tim Brando or MG Kelly as host? I know that NBC Sports wanted Jimmy Connors and he would have done both tennis broadcasts and hosted Wheel at the same time. Tim Brando would have left ESPN to join CBS sports early. It was six years before he actually joined CBS Sports.

Any thoughts?

Thunder · « **Reply #1 on:** August 19, 2010, 01:55:01 AM »

Expresses his opinion on being left out of your possibilities for hosting.

WarioBarker · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2010, 03:49:17 AM »

[quote name=\'Jamey Greek\' post=\'246088\' date=\'Aug 18 2010, 04:09 PM\']I was wondering if MG Kelly ever tried out for the Daytime Wheel job in 1989 when Pat Sajak was getting ready to host his late-night talk show for CBS. I saw on his website that he had some face time and there was a preview of his audition tape (I think) and I know he was interim announcer until Charlie O fulfilled his commitments with Chuck Barris.[/quote]
Here's the page, for reference. Now, as for my thoughts...

Wow. This...is definitely unique. If I ever had a "Game Show Moments I Never Knew Existed" list, this would be right up there alongside Mark Richards hosting the Jeopardy! rehearsal games. Interestingly, Kelly's "audition" (if it was that) appears to have been done right after a daytime taping -- the $2,000 space is on the wheel, along with the second Bankrupt.

How different the game-show landscape would have been had we come to take MG Kelly and Mark Richards as household names...

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what if he actually got the job? ... I think MG Kelly would have done good. Either him, Jimmy Connors, or Tim Brando would have done good.

I remember something about Tim Brando's audition, that Merv Griffin remarked "he could host the show tomorrow" (anybody know what I'm talking about? No jokes, now). MG looked pretty comfortable up there to me, and I'd love to see whatever else there may be of that "tape".

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Better than Rolf did.

I respectfully disagree. Merv obviously saw something in him that he liked. Sure, Rolf was stiff early on, but you could tell he was a nice guy who was a little nervous, it being his first time on television and all. From what I've seen (including his last show), he definitely seemed to make the show his own and definitely looked to be having fun. Considering that, I think Rolf did pretty well.

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do you think Wheel still would have moved to CBS and they would have kept Tim Brando or MG Kelly as host?

Personally, I'm more interested in why Benirschke didn't follow the show to CBS. Granted, I don't know whether the show's True Hollywood Story explained that because I've never been able to find the full thing (and the one time somebody tried to put it on YouTube, it got yanked down by Comcast).

Don Howard · « **Reply #3 on:** August 19, 2010, 11:17:58 AM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'246111\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 03:49 AM\']Merv obviously saw something in him that he liked. Sure, Rolf was stiff early on[/quote]
Perhaps that's what Merv liked about him.

(It's my birthday. Please hold the booing.)

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #4 on:** August 19, 2010, 11:39:25 AM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'246111\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 03:49 AM\']Personally, I'm more interested in why Benirschke didn't follow the show to CBS.[/quote]
In your world, where Rolf was a good host, I can see how you could be confused by that. However, in the real world, where all the rest of us know that he stunk, the answer is a little more obvious.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #5 on:** August 19, 2010, 11:59:01 AM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'246111\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 03:49 AM\']

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what if he actually got the job? ... I think MG Kelly would have done good. Either him, Jimmy Connors, or Tim Brando would have done good.

I remember something about Tim Brando's audition, that Merv Griffin remarked "he could host the show tomorrow" (anybody know what I'm talking about? No jokes, now). MG looked pretty comfortable up there to me, and I'd love to see whatever else there may be of that "tape".
[/quote]
I've heard the Tim Brando thing, but Merv had a fairly hit-or-miss record when it came to picking hosts. For every Sajak and Trebek, there was a Mike Reilly or Ty Treadway to balance it out.

Mr. Brown · « **Reply #6 on:** August 19, 2010, 12:26:21 PM »

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'246118\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 10:39 AM\']In your world, where Rolf was a good host, I can see how you could be confused by that. However, in the real world, where all the rest of us know that he stunk, the answer is a little more obvious.[/quote]

What? Rolf wasn't a good host?

Blasphemy!

WarioBarker · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2010, 03:21:23 PM »

[quote name='Matt Ottinger' post='246118' date='Aug 19 2010, 11:39 AM'][quote name='Dan88' post='246111' date='Aug 19 2010, 03:49 AM']Personally, I'm more interested in why Benirschke didn't follow the show to CBS.[/quote]In your world, where Rolf was a good host, I can see how you could be confused by that. However, in the real world, where all the rest of us know that he stunk, the answer is a little more obvious.[/quote]
I respectfully disagree. Considering his lack of television experience and early stiffness, I thought Rolf did very well. He came across as very friendly and thankful to Merv for giving him this job. I'm not saying he was perfect, but he definitely improved over time.

But again, IMO.

Jamey Greek · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2010, 04:29:23 PM »

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'246119\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 10:59 AM\'][quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'246111\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 03:49 AM\']

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what if he actually got the job? ... I think MG Kelly would have done good. Either him, Jimmy Connors, or Tim Brando would have done good.

I remember something about Tim Brando's audition, that Merv Griffin remarked "he could host the show tomorrow" (anybody know what I'm talking about? No jokes, now). MG looked pretty comfortable up there to me, and I'd love to see whatever else there may be of that "tape".
[/quote]
I've heard the Tim Brando thing, but Merv had a fairly hit-or-miss record when it came to picking hosts. For every Sajak and Trebek, there was a Mike Reilly or Ty Treadway to balance it out.
[/quote]

Well Tim Brando wasn't really known except for being on SportsCenter on ESPN. Now keep in mind boys and girls that at the time, ESPN is not the powerhouse that it is now. I listened to Tim Brando's interview with Steve Beverly two years ago and he said that not only ESPN embraced the idea of him hosting Daytime Wheel. They also saw it as a means to promote their network.

J.R. · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2010, 04:32:34 PM »

[quote name=\'Mr. Brown\' post=\'246121\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 11:26 AM\']What? Rolf wasn't a good host?

Blasphemy![/quote]
I like the way you think.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #10 on:** August 19, 2010, 05:22:48 PM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'246130\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 03:21 PM\'][quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'246118\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 11:39 AM\'][quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'246111\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 03:49 AM\']Personally, I'm more interested in why Benirschke didn't follow the show to CBS.[/quote]In your world, where Rolf was a good host, I can see how you could be confused by that. However, in the real world, where all the rest of us know that he stunk, the answer is a little more obvious.[/quote]
I respectfully disagree. Considering his lack of television experience and early stiffness, Rolf did very well IMHO. He came across as very friendly and thankful to Merv for giving him this job. I'm not saying he was perfect, but he definitely improved over time.[/quote]
Which is fine (and pretty much precisely what you said before), but you're missing the point. If you want to think Rolf did a good job, then good for you. You are entitled to that opinion. If that's how you feel, then of course you'd wonder why he got passed up by CBS. However, the overwhelming consensus is that he did not do a very good job at all. The vast majority of us who feel that way therefore aren't surprised that CBS picked somebody else.

Holding a minority opinion is one thing. Wondering why reality doesn't bend to fit that opinion is something else. I happen to think that Late Night Liars is one of the best originals GSN has ever aired. I'd like to see them make 26 new shows right away. But I'm not wondering why that ain't happening.

J.R. · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2010, 05:35:36 PM »

I've always given Rolf credit for trying hard to make it work, despite glaringly obvious inexperience. And not trying mask his weaknesses with a "character" like some of the other bad hosts out there.

But even *I'm* NOT shocked or mystified he didn't make the jump to CBS and I'm someone who actually *likes* the Rolf era. I know it's a minority opinion and I don't try to pretend it's anything but.

TLEberle · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2010, 06:34:46 PM »

[quote name=\'Dan88\' post=\'246130\' date=\'Aug 19 2010, 12:21 PM\']I respectfully disagree.[/quote] That's fine, but it doesn't make you correct.

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Considering his lack of television experience and early stiffness, Rolf did very well IMHO.

And compared to someone like, oh, say, Kevin O'Connell, he was terrible.

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He came across as very friendly and thankful to Merv for giving him this job.

If those were the only two qualities needed to be a game show host, that's great. But they aren't.

whewfan · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2010, 08:52:07 PM »

What's interesting about the Rolf era is that TV Guide actually praised him for his "breezy hosting" If you see his first show and compare it to the last, he definitely became more comfortable with the show. I've said it before, but I think Merv wanted someone with a style similar to Sajak. Rolf is NO "Mr. Game Show", and neither is Pat. Pat is low key, and Rolf was low key. I personally thought Bob Goen did fine with Wheel overall, but the show itself with its obvious cheaper prizes and lower payoffs (lowering the cost of a vowel, I thought, was silly too) did nothing for me. Remember on E! True Hollywood Story, Rolf himself admitted he wasn't right for the show, and was VERY surprised Merv picked him.

Jamey Greek · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2010, 09:36:45 PM »

Rolf did a pretty good job the first go round. He seemed to be getting the hang of things and all. The first episode