Last game show to offer a fur coat?

[SuperMatch93]

Although TPIR stopped offering them around '81 or so, several other shows continued offering them as prizes well into the 80s. Around when did that stop as a general practice, and what would have been the last show which anyone remembers giving them away?

[BrandonFG]

I’ve seen quite a few on the mid-80s LMAD. Can’t think of anything after that. By the end of the decade, there was a lot of awareness and controversy regarding furs.

[colonial]

I seem to recall the 80s version of "Split Second" offering furs as consolation prizes in the bonus game from time to time, so furs were offered as prizes as late as 1987.


JD

[Trisscope]

I've seen episodes of Wheel as late as February 1990 offering furs; it wouldn't surprise me if that was the last show that gave them away.

[snowpeck]

I've seen episodes of Wheel as late as February 1990 offering furs; it wouldn't surprise me if that was the last show that gave them away.

Correct, Wheel stopped offering furs after the 1989-90 season and it made entertainment news at the time. Wheel was under a lot of pressure from PETA to stop giving away furs. Even Paul and Linda McCartney got in on it. They finally gave in after sponsor John Paul Mitchell Systems threatened to pull their advertising. After Wheel made the announcement, USA Today quoted PETA as saying there are no more major game shows on the air giving away furs.

[JasonA1]

I think USA Today got it right there. Only other show that came to mind was Top Card, which had a fur as a bonus round prize in 1989 before the switch to all cars.

-Jason

[BrandonFG]

I seem to recall the 80s version of "Split Second" offering furs as consolation prizes in the bonus game from time to time, so furs were offered as prizes as late as 1987.

Forgot about SS. Even though Wheel seems to be the right answer, I do believe Wink's HR offered them as well.

[PYLdude]

I seem to recall the 80s version of "Split Second" offering furs as consolation prizes in the bonus game from time to time, so furs were offered as prizes as late as 1987.

Forgot about SS. Even though Wheel seems to be the right answer, I do believe Wink's HR offered them as well.

Didn’t they actually have one of those wacky mini games centered around whether or not one was a certain kind of fur?

[TLEberle]

Yes, named Rabbit Test.

[jlgarfield]

I've seen episodes of Wheel as late as February 1990 offering furs; it wouldn't surprise me if that was the last show that gave them away.

Correct, Wheel stopped offering furs after the 1989-90 season and it made entertainment news at the time. Wheel was under a lot of pressure from PETA to stop giving away furs. Even Paul and Linda McCartney got in on it. They finally gave in after sponsor John Paul Mitchell Systems threatened to pull their advertising. After Wheel made the announcement, USA Today quoted PETA as saying there are no more major game shows on the air giving away furs.

John Paul Mitchell Systems being a very strong advocate of animal rights, of course, so it was only natural that the protest it.