Author Topic: Game show personalities... (Read 14929 times)

SamJ93 · « **on:** July 06, 2011, 11:33:45 AM »

This question is geared more towards the "just fans" on this board, such as myself, not so much the industry insiders...I'm sure Mr. West's answer, for example, would be a veritable laundry mega-list. :-)

My own list is pretty short:

-Back in 1994 or so, Greg Lee of Carmen Sandiego came to my local mall for a special brunch hosted by the local PBS station. He answered some questions about the show, hosted a very brief mock game, and then autographed some photos. I was only 8 or 9 at the time, so memories are quite hazy, but I remember him being a pretty nice guy. I still have his signed photo in storage somewhere.
-Met JD Roberto and David Ruprecht at TPiR Live! in Vegas earlier this year. Also both nice guys, but having to spend $20 for the privilege of getting a picture with them is a bit of a ripoff.
-Steve White, one of the fill-in announcers on TPiR, came aboard the cruise ship I work on to do some comedy shows a few months ago. We didn't get to talk all that much, but I did ask him about his experience on TPiR and his friendship with Drew Carey.

DoorNumberFour · « **Reply #1 on:** July 06, 2011, 11:38:11 AM »

Bob Barker twice: once in 2007 when I was on the show, and a couple of years later at a book signing.

Meredith Vieira on Millionaire in 2010.

Joey Fatone (he counts, right?) at Foxwoods a few months ago.

aaron sica · « **Reply #2 on:** July 06, 2011, 02:10:34 PM »

Todd Newton at "GSN: Get Schooled" in Philly in 2003
John O'Hurley at a book signing in Harrisburg in 2006.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #3 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:02:01 PM »

I'll limit it to people I've met while working in Ohio radio.
Soupy Sales in 1990
Ray Combs in 1991
Judy Tenuta in 1991 (prior to her game show career)

All very nice to work with.

tvwxman · « **Reply #4 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:27:49 PM »

Quote from: SamJ93 on July 06, 2011, 11:33:45 AM

-Met JD Roberto and David Ruprecht at TPiR Live! in Vegas earlier this year. Also both nice guys, but having to spend $20 for the privilege of getting a picture with them is a bit of a ripoff.

You sir, underpaid. That experience is priceless.

David! Get off my damn internet!

(Devotion to accuracy: Friends with both. And to be fair, you got a t-shirt too. And a spin of the big wheel.)

pacdude · « **Reply #5 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:46:47 PM »

Bob Bergen in 1998.

Pat Sajak in 2005.

Willie Revillame in 2006.

Yep.

SRIV94 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2011, 03:50:41 PM »

A lot, but none as a function of my work. Of course, having gone to three Congreffef (2005-07) skews things just a bit.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #7 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:18:35 PM »

Met Guy Fieri a few months before he started hosting "Minute to Win It". He came by my station to promote a tour and I'd just missed him. I was able to catch up with him at a restaurant he once featured on "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives". Nice guy.

gameshowcrazy · « **Reply #8 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:24:14 PM »

Quote from: tvwxman on July 06, 2011, 03:27:49 PM

Quote from: SamJ93 on July 06, 2011, 11:33:45 AM
-Met JD Roberto and David Ruprecht at TPiR Live! in Vegas earlier this year. Also both nice guys, but having to spend $20 for the privilege of getting a picture with them is a bit of a ripoff.

You sir, underpaid. That experience is priceless.

David! Get off my damn internet!

(Devotion to accuracy: Friends with both. And to be fair, you got a t-shirt too. And a spin of the big wheel.)

I gotta agree with the underpayment, or at least think maybe fair payment? $20 for a t-shirt is about going rate, really under-going-rate at a show these days, and you got the bonus of a pic and wheel spin!

alfonzos · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2011, 04:57:34 PM »

I worked with The Winker for a year on a word game called Suspended Sentence before being dismissed without cause.

whewfan · « **Reply #10 on:** July 06, 2011, 06:33:41 PM »

Besides Randy West, who gave Chris Jaunsen and I a GREAT tour of NBC, I also met Bob Barker a few years ago at the book signing at New York.
Randy does very good impressions of announcers, most notably Johnny Olson. In fact I think there was DEFINITELY some Johnny-esque inflections in Randy's announcing when he did TPIR.

Bob, IMO, wasn't exactly the flashy guy he was on TPIR. He was friendly enough, but not at all talkative as he was on TPIR. When I told him I always wanted to meet him, he was quiet for a while, as if he was trying to think of something to say, and then he said "I hope you enjoy the book". I did get a picture, but not long after me, they announced no more pictures would be taken. I like to remember his response to a question I asked him on his last show, because that question and answer actually made it on Entertainment Tonight (and I WISH it was still on YouTube!) I asked him "what are you doing after the show today?" and he said "I'm going to get drunk!"

Johnissoevil · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2011, 06:47:21 PM »

I met Chris Jericho back in 2000 at a what was then WWF live event. Of course, I would've laughed at you back then if you had told me he'd be hosting a game show called Downfall a decade later.

geno57 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 06, 2011, 06:49:11 PM »

I met Peter Marshall a few years ago, at the radio station where I worked in Kansas City. (His son, Pete LaCock, used to play for the Royals. He has remained here, and lives just a couple of miles from me.) Funny thing that morning -- I was busy working in a production room, kitty-corner from the on-air studio. Someone opened my door, and I thought I heard a familiar voice in the hallway just outside. I got up and looked out, and there was The Master of the Hollywood Squares Himself. We spoke for a couple of minutes, and I told him how much I enjoyed his "Boy Singer" CD. He autographed a sheet from a note pad for me.

I also met Ed McMahon, at the station I worked for in Nashville ... before I moved to K.C. At the time, I believe he was touring to promote the new Arsenio Hall version of Star Search. Ed autographed a pic of himself in my EoTVGS.

<< Added 7/7 >> Whoops, almost forgot: I did sit front-row at a WoF taping session, while they were in Nashville. Many of my coworkers at the time had worked with Pat before, so I had the opportunity to chat with him for a few minutes. Charlie O' spent more time sitting by me, and was even more fun than Pat was.

Bob Zager · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2011, 06:50:42 PM »

I met Bob Eubanks in 1996, when he was in town, hosting the Wheel of Fortune Live Tour.

I met Janice Pennington around 1995, autographing the paperback version of her book "Husband, Lover, Spy." Another book by her was supposed to be released the following year, but that didn't happen!

I almost got to meet Dick Clark in October, 2000; but with way so many fans waiting in line, I didn't get to meet him!

My brother from Virginia bought me a copy of Ken Jennings "Brainiac," personally autographed by the author. He told him I was a big game show fan, and personally knew the forum's co-founder and former Jeopardy! opponent Matt Ottinger!

One who qualifies as a game show personality that I met was the late talk show host, Mike Douglas! He had been a part of Kay Kayser's Kollege of Musical Knowledge.

TimK2003 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 06, 2011, 07:37:32 PM »

Bert Convy -- 1988(-ish) in Detroit during a WLoD Contestant Tryout.
I don't think anybody in the cattle call knew he was going to be there, so about 30 minutes into the audition session, he came on in for about 15 minutes of hosting and audience interaction. He really seemed to enjoy working the crowd.

Michael Burger -- 1999 in Las Vegas after a Wheel Of Fortune Live show. He hung out for quite a while after the show to chat with audience members. A real nice guy.

Gene Wood -- 1987 after tapings of Super Password in Burbank. Gave me he home phone & address so I could interview him when I got back to Ohio on my college radio show. Couldn't have met a nicer guy in the business.