J!: Trebek breaks a GS record

[JMFabiano]

If they were to include all of Pat Sajak's NBC daytime shows with the 6,000+ syndicated shows, he'd be the record holder!

Too bad Sony revisionist history would disallow that...

[Matt Ottinger]

The record as I understand it is for consecutive episodes of one show. Wheel's daytime and network runs are two different shows.

Are they now.

That was Matt's point--if it is the same show at different times of day with different prizes or dress code, that's still the same program. If you call a sheep's tail a leg and say "how many legs on a sheep?" the answer is still four because just calling a tail a leg doesn't make it so.

In point of fact, multiple sources say that the Guinness listing is simply for "most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter".  And being a light entertainment story that no one's going to bother to fact check, I can't find a single source that makes any effort at all to explain why some two thousand Sajak episodes don't count.  They're not being explained away, they're being ignored.  That's just silly.

[TLEberle]

In point of fact, multiple sources say that the Guinness listing is simply for "most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter".  And being a light entertainment story that no one's going to bother to fact check, I can't find a single source that makes any effort at all to explain why some two thousand Sajak episodes don't count.  They're not being explained away, they're being ignored.  That's just silly.

Given that the daytime show left the airwaves about 22 years ago is it possible that there's a great deal of people out there that only know Wheel of Fortune as an early evening program and not a morning buzzsaw that devoured less popular shows wholly without even a pause to chew?

[aaron sica]

In point of fact, multiple sources say that the Guinness listing is simply for "most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter".  And being a light entertainment story that no one's going to bother to fact check, I can't find a single source that makes any effort at all to explain why some two thousand Sajak episodes don't count.  They're not being explained away, they're being ignored.  That's just silly.

It *is* silly. Unfortunately, with well over 20 years now since the daytime version has left the air, it becomes less and less relevant to anything concerning Wheel.

[clemon79]

it becomes less and less relevant

much like Guinness did when it transformed from an actual reference book into a glossy coffee table book.

[aaron sica]

much like Guinness did when it transformed from an actual reference book into a glossy coffee table book.

You bring up a good point and actually something I've wondered for awhile.....I loved the paperback versions when I was a kid that had anything and everything in it that was hundreds of pages.....Is that not in print anymore?

[TLEberle]

much like Guinness did when it transformed from an actual reference book into a glossy coffee table book.

I was going to mention this but now you have. There's a GWR book that is almanac size that features actual content instead of lots of full-page pictures. It comes out in the middle of the year. Recommended.

I still have the very first hardback they did from 1991; the difference between then and now is galaxy-sized.

[clemon79]

There's a GWR book that is almanac size that features actual content instead of lots of full-page pictures.

See, I thought they stopped doing the almanac version. That's good to know.

[nowhammies10]

The record as I understand it is for consecutive episodes of one show. Wheel's daytime and network runs are two different shows.

Are they now.

That was Matt's point--if it is the same show at different times of day with different prizes or dress code, that's still the same program. If you call a sheep's tail a leg and say "how many legs on a sheep?" the answer is still four because just calling a tail a leg doesn't make it so.

In point of fact, multiple sources say that the Guinness listing is simply for "most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter".  And being a light entertainment story that no one's going to bother to fact check, I can't find a single source that makes any effort at all to explain why some two thousand Sajak episodes don't count.  They're not being explained away, they're being ignored.  That's just silly.

The only explanation I can think of is, as mentioned elsewhere, Wheel not wanting to recognize anything outside the nighttime run as being "canon".  It's the primary source ignoring the daytime episodes.

[TLEberle]

It's the primary source ignoring the daytime episodes.

[citation needed]

[Matt Ottinger]

The only explanation I can think of is, as mentioned elsewhere, Wheel not wanting to recognize anything outside the nighttime run as being "canon".  It's the primary source ignoring the daytime episodes.

If I'm Pat Sajak, then I don't care, because I'm Pat Sajak and I haven't really cared since 1997.  But seeing as how these Guinness things are nothing more than publicity stunts, it strikes me as odd that Sony would be SO willfully blind to the daytime shows that they'd hype their one guy instead of their other guy, when by any rational definition, their other guy is "the guy".

[weaklink75]

I'm assuming they didn't count the daytime Wheel eps because Sajak didn't host the entire run of it, and the record was for a single presenter. (excluding special programs like April Fools Day or being out because of illness).

[snowpeck]

Here's a question: are the 13 episodes of Super Jeopardy counted in Trebek's total or is that considered a separate series? It isn't if you go by Travis' earlier definition.

[Matt Ottinger]

My point is that all this nuance and nit-picking isn't part of the story.  The story is that Alex Trebek has hosted more episodes of his game show than anybody else has of some other game show.  And that's not correct.

[jjman920]

In point of fact, multiple sources say that the Guinness listing is simply for "most game show episodes hosted by the same presenter".

I'm assuming they didn't count the daytime Wheel eps because Sajak didn't host the entire run of it, and the record was for a single presenter. (excluding special programs like April Fools Day or being out because of illness).

I think this is something that should be explored. The daytime version is very confusing. It was hosted by four different people. Jeopardy's been pretty cut and dry with no extended period of time without Trebek at the helm.

I think "Most Game Show Episodes Hosted By The Same Presenter" is probably the shortest thing they could put in the book without it being "Most Game Show Episodes in Single Incarnation of Series Hosted By The Same Presenter Not Counting Specials." I have to imagine that there are other criteria they're using to determine this.

Either that or they're just too lazy to calculate the information across the two Wheel series. I wouldn't be surprised if that's the reason.