A rousing game of Is It Legal?

[SRIV94]

"Normally we go to the Winner's Circle for a $5,000 try. You sang eight times during the game so we took the royalties we had to pay out of the jackpot. For $1,800, here is your first subject. Go!"

You win, sir.

[Matt Ottinger]

"Normally we go to the Winner's Circle for a $5,000 try. You sang eight times during the game so we took the royalties we had to pay out of the jackpot. For $1,800, here is your first subject. Go!"

I was half-watching Russell Brand's new stream-of-consciousness FX talk show when a long, steady <bleep> caught my attention.  I figured Brand had let loose with a string of profanities too tightly woven to be edited out separately, but when I looked at the screen, there was a message saying that instead, he was singing a Carpenters song, and it would have cost the show $25,000 to leave it in.

[clemon79]

Aren't they both simply vocal inflection? (Not arguing necessarily. Just trying to understand.)

No, one is SINGING.

[BrandonFG]

"Normally we go to the Winner's Circle for a $5,000 try. You sang eight times during the game so we took the royalties we had to pay out of the jackpot. For $1,800, here is your first subject. Go!"

I was half-watching Russell Brand's new stream-of-consciousness FX talk show when a long, steady <bleep> caught my attention.  I figured Brand had let loose with a string of profanities too tightly woven to be edited out separately, but when I looked at the screen, there was a message saying that instead, he was singing a Carpenters song, and it would have cost the show $25,000 to leave it in.

While we're on the subject of music rights and clearances, I'm a faithful watcher of Antenna TV's Sunday night of WKRP. I find it refreshing that they've left a lot of original music in. The clearances are the main reason I never bought the first season on DVD.

Apparently I wasn't alone because it's been five years, and they still have yet to release season two.

/ObGameShow: Quite a few cast members made game show appearances in the late-70s/early-80s

[Matt Ottinger]

While we're on the subject of music rights and clearances, I'm a faithful watcher of Antenna TV's Sunday night of WKRP. I find it refreshing that they've left a lot of original music in. The clearances are the main reason I never bought the first season on DVD.

The issues are complicated, but isn't the simple version that reruns were covered by the original licenses but home video -- which few people were even thinking about back then -- weren't?  Seems like they had to change some music for the syndicated package, which is almost certainly the version you're enjoying on your subchannel of digital goodness.

[BrandonFG]

The issues are complicated, but isn't the simple version that reruns were covered by the original licenses but home video -- which few people were even thinking about back then -- weren't?  Seems like they had to change some music for the syndicated package, which is almost certainly the version you're enjoying on your subchannel of digital goodness.

From what I've read, it was indeed tied to a later rerun package, one that made the rounds on Nick At Nite in the late-90s.

Can't remember where I read this, but when the show premiered, the producers also wanted to shoot on film (like the other MTM sitcoms of the '70s), but the cost to do that and use original music was way too expensive at the time. And since the idea of a sitcom about a rock-and-roll station using soundalikes prolly would've killed the authenticity, they went with videotape instead.

[snowpeck]

The issues are complicated, but isn't the simple version that reruns were covered by the original licenses but home video -- which few people were even thinking about back then -- weren't?  Seems like they had to change some music for the syndicated package, which is almost certainly the version you're enjoying on your subchannel of digital goodness.

From what I've read, it was indeed tied to a later rerun package, one that made the rounds on Nick At Nite in the late-90s.

Can't remember where I read this, but when the show premiered, the producers also wanted to shoot on film (like the other MTM sitcoms of the '70s), but the cost to do that and use original music was way too expensive at the time. And since the idea of a sitcom about a rock-and-roll station using soundalikes prolly would've killed the authenticity, they went with videotape instead.

According to a no-longer available article that's quoted here, MTM was able to slip WKRP in under a rule that live or videotaped shows got a huge discount on music royalties.  The rule was put in mainly for music-heavy variety shows.

[pyrfan]

The question on the docket today is this. In the Pyramid Winner's Circle, are you allowed to carry a tune with a clue, as long as the words you are singing are legal?

To consider:
David Garrison was buzzed on "Favorite Things" for singing "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens". Buzzed for the singing, or for the descriptive phrasing?

Discuss.

A few weeks earlier, for THINGS THAT SWING, Martha Smith sang "A chariot" to the tune of "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," and the judges let it go.


Brendan

[TimK2003]

So if you swapped the lyrics and sang "roses' raindrops" pause "kitten's whiskers" you would be ok.  But a lot to think about in a second or two.

However, "bright copper kettles" and "warm woolen mittens" would be fine.

But no singing.  "Give a list.  Give only a list."

Were there any no-nos associated with head movements or gestures in the WC?  I would think naming the items in the song while bobbing your head to & fro (ala Eddie Murphy's impression of Stevie Wonder) would be considered legal -- your not singing, but your moving your head to an unheard beat.  Then again, if the category would be "Things That Blink", and you said, "your eyes...my eyes" while batting your eyelashes, that might get the buzzer, or would it???

[gameshowcrazy]

Were there any no-nos associated with head movements or gestures in the WC?  I would think naming the items in the song while bobbing your head to & fro (ala Eddie Murphy's impression of Stevie Wonder) would be considered legal -- your not singing, but your moving your head to an unheard beat.  Then again, if the category would be "Things That Blink", and you said, "your eyes...my eyes" while batting your eyelashes, that might get the buzzer, or would it???
[/quote]

you can move your head, it wasn't strapped in...

there are many instances of people moving their head in a matter to indicate the other player was on the right track and should keep spitting out guesses.

[Kevin Prather]

Were there any no-nos associated with head movements or gestures in the WC?  I would think naming the items in the song while bobbing your head to & fro (ala Eddie Murphy's impression of Stevie Wonder) would be considered legal -- your not singing, but your moving your head to an unheard beat.  Then again, if the category would be "Things That Blink", and you said, "your eyes...my eyes" while batting your eyelashes, that might get the buzzer, or would it???

You could give a little head nod if they're on the right track, but anything overtly visual, like your example, would be buzzed.

[clemon79]

Were there any no-nos associated with head movements or gestures in the WC?

Apparently, as has been discussed in past threads.

I would think naming the items in the song while bobbing your head to & fro (ala Eddie Murphy's impression of Stevie Wonder) would be considered legal -- your not singing, but your moving your head to an unheard beat.

If Adrienne Barbeau was told she would have been popped for fluttering her eyelashes for THINGS THAT FLICKER, then it's reasonable to assume that this is WAY more illegal than that.

Then again, if the category would be "Things That Blink", and you said, "your eyes...my eyes" while batting your eyelashes, that might get the buzzer, or would it???

See above. "Just give a list." It's not that hard.

you can move your head, it wasn't strapped in...

The straps are nothing more than an aid if givers want to use it. They are in no way required or a direct correlation of game rules.

That said, coming out of break to see Mary Cadorette all trussed up Hannibal Lecter-style in the Winner's Restraints would have been funny as hell.

there are many instances of people moving their head in a matter to indicate the other player was on the right track and should keep spitting out guesses.

There is a massive difference between that and using a head gesture to enhance an item in the list.

[TLEberle]

That said, coming out of break to see Mary Cadorette all trussed up Hannibal Lecter-style in the Winner's Restraints would have been funny as hell.

"If you do any of those things you not only give up your chance at the $10,000 but you'll also know why we put in the straps and leg cuffs."

[Kevin Prather]

That said, coming out of break to see Mary Cadorette all trussed up Hannibal Lecter-style in the Winner's Restraints would have been funny as hell.

Some people might find it more than funny, IYKWIM. AIKTYD.

[chris319]

You're only allowed to give a list.  Had he said "a rose's raindrops" or "Kitten's whiskers", David wouldn't have gotten zapped.  Using prepositions is a no-no.

The word and is not a preposition. It's a conjunction.

MTM was able to slip WKRP in under a rule that live or videotaped shows got a huge discount on music royalties.

Is that why WKRP was on tape while the other MTM shows were on film?