The A/V Club revisits "Trump Card"

[BrandonFG]

I figured one of these types of articles would surface sooner or later. As only the A/V Club could do, irreverent commentary on Teh Donald's first foray into game/competition shows.

Don't remember the show being "shitty", as much as it was another generic daytime game show. I think it aired against TTTT here, so when I was home from school, I watched that instead.

[TLEberle]

Something irreverent on the internet, you say?

/So by my accounting Atlantic City is oh-for-career when it comes to being the home of game shows that are better-than-average.

[SamJ93]

Besides lending his name and casino to the show and sleepwalking his way through a cameo in the premiere, did Trump really have anything to do with the production? I was under the impression that he didn't.

Also, the article fails to mention that the show was actually based on the UK game show Bob's Full House, which was actually much more akin to You Bet Your Life in that the rather pedestrian game took a back seat to Bob Monkhouse's personality and antics. I wonder if the show would have been more successful had the US production team gone that route (which they apparently did consider, since they reportedly tried to get Richard Dawson as host at one point).

[TLEberle]

Besides lending his name and casino to the show and sleepwalking his way through a cameo in the premiere, did Trump really have anything to do with the production? I was under the impression that he didn't.

Your impression matches my impression.

[BrandonFG]

Someone broke this down, I think it was Adam Nedeff.

Cliff's Notes: Trump's people wanted to get into game shows at some point in the late-80s, and expand the brand. They found Bob's Full House, and brought it over to the States. I'm sure it's more detailed than that, but that's a start I guess.

/Adam Nedeff to the courtesy phone.

[Dbacksfan12]

Cliff's Notes: Trump's people wanted to get into game shows at some point in the late-80s, and expand the brand.

Seem to recall Yahtzee got started out at one of Trump's properties too.  I also seem to recall the shoe was on the other foot--wasn't this one of the shows that didn't pay up?

[MSTieScott]

Also, the article fails to mention that the show was actually based on the UK game show Bob's Full House,

Well, there's your problem: You went into this expecting insight and more than the bare minimum of necessary research.

[clemon79]

Also, the article fails to mention that the show was actually based on the UK game show Bob's Full House,

Well, there's your problem: You went into this expecting insight and more than the bare minimum of necessary research.

Bears repeating. It wasn't really "fails to mention" so much as "the audience isn't going to give two shiats."

[Neumms]

They promoted the $100,000 the whole season and didn't give it away, so the Trump tie-in was certainly appropriate.