American game shows where Canadians can compete, historically and presently

[jlgarfield]

Hey, all. I've been thinking of what American-produced game shows where Canadians can compete, historically and presently.

PRESENTLY: The Price is Right (although there was a short time recently where they couldn't), Jeopardy!
HISTORICALLY: Not sure..... and by "historically", I also mean shows that are no longer in production.

I might make a vice-versa thread soon.

[BrandonFG]

Wheel and I believe LMAD. Paging Ryan Vickers.

[TLEberle]

The New Canadian Reaction.

[Ian Wallis]

Besides the shows already mentioned, over the years I recall seeing Canadians on Match Game '7x, Card Sharks, Press Your Luck and Joker's Wild.  I'm also pretty sure Winning Lines, Scrabble and '80s Treasure Hunt would also qualify, as I'm sure in the back of my mind I remember seeing it.

The Goodson shows seemed OK with it...can't remember if there was ever a Canadian family on Family Feud or not.

Several GSN shows also qualify, like Lingo, That's the Question and Idiot Test.  I'm sure there's some others I've forgotten.

[vtown7]

Wheel and I believe LMAD. Paging Ryan Vickers.

You rang? 

To add to what my countryman Ian has mentioned, I know that there was at least one champ on $ale of the Century back in the day.

PRESENTLY: It's a case of more what we can't I'm afraid.  Still not sure why Wheel can't/doesn't let Canucks on but Jeopardy! does. 

HISTORICALLY: I did once call and ask about Hollywood Squares (Bergeron) and wasn't shooed away so I'm guessing that would have been fine; whereas Temptation in the 00s basically said, after we talked on the phone said "gee, you sound like the perfect contestant but you're Canadian so it's a no go".

Maybe I dodged a bullet anyway...

I lived in France when they were taping the first season of GSN Lingo in Holland but only heard about it after the fact.  That would have been a great experience!   Also I was asked if I'd like to be considered to be a Thousandaire player once at a Millionaire but that went the way of the wind once they found out I was a Canuck.  Ah well!

Ryan.

[WilliamPorygon]

Several GSN shows also qualify, like Lingo, That's the Question and Idiot Test.  I'm sure there's some others I've forgotten.

[Dbacksfan12]

Wheel and I believe LMAD. Paging Ryan Vickers.

PRESENTLY: It's a case of more what we can't I'm afraid.  Still not sure why Wheel can't/doesn't let Canucks on but Jeopardy! does.

A random (and probably incorrect) thought:

I remember in the 90s, a U.S.-based trading card company offered prizes through a random draw.  Canadians were eligible, but had to answer a skill question.  The question was a ridiculously simple math problem.

Are there still similar stipulations?  Is it possible the wheel relies too much on luck and guessing a letter in a puzzle doesn’t meet the bar of “skill”?

[TLEberle]

I think that applies in jurisdictions where straight up gambling is illegal. (Or games of chance generally) The process is exactly as you describe—after whatever event plays out the winner is taken backstage to answer a question that by a sliver makes it one of skill according to the letter of the law.

[trainman]

For a relatively brief period about seven years ago, Canadians were effectively banned from "Jeopardy!" because they weren't allowed to take the online contestant test -- the producers blamed new Canadian online privacy laws. (Once they got around to it, Sony managed to fix whatever they had to fix in order to comply.)

[nowhammies10]

Well, this hits a little close to home!

To the best of my knowledge, the only show that airs currently that allows Canadian contestants who are not simultaneously U.S. residents is Jeopardy!. Wheel has a note on their "be a contestant" page that says outright "we are not accepting contestant applications from Canada at this time". I called Wheel once a number of years back, and they cited the same CAN-SPAM act that prohibited Jeopardy! from accepting Canadian residents for a brief time. They also said to me that it had something to do with Canadian residents not having Social Security numbers -- although we do have what's called a Social Insurance Number that is nine digits in length and is used much in the same way as American SSNs.

As a result of the pandemic, Price moved to the hybrid casting model where they do pre-interviews over Zoom before inviting those 30-odd people you see in the pods to 7800 Beverly. Their casting application doesn't let you proceed without selecting one of the 50 states (or DC) from the drop-down menu. I don't know if LMAD was the same before the pandemic, but their casting app looks the same as Price's.

[MikeK]

A random (and probably incorrect) thought:

I remember in the 90s, a U.S.-based trading card company offered prizes through a random draw.  Canadians were eligible, but had to answer a skill question.  The question was a ridiculously simple math problem.

Are there still similar stipulations?  Is it possible the wheel relies too much on luck and guessing a letter in a puzzle doesn’t meet the bar of “skill”?

If you're talking about Topps, yes.  Their wrappers and their website mention the math question Canadians must answer to win.

[Mike Tennant]

Lange NTT allowed at least one Canadian, professional game-show contestant Barbara-Anne Eddy. When I saw her called on stage, I immediately recognized her from a picture in my 1979 Guinness Book of World Records, where she was named the world's top game-show winner (or maybe one of the top winners) for snagging the titular prize on the Trebek season of The $128,000 Question, which, of course, was taped in the Great White North. When she later appeared on J! (and won), Trebek recalled her appearance--and her good-luck charm, a stuffed frog named Fenton--on his earlier gig.

[Ian Wallis]

As a result of the pandemic, Price moved to the hybrid casting model where they do pre-interviews over Zoom before inviting those 30-odd people you see in the pods to 7800 Beverly. Their casting application doesn't let you proceed without selecting one of the 50 states (or DC) from the drop-down menu. I don't know if LMAD was the same before the pandemic, but their casting app looks the same as Price's.

I'd imagine that when Price is Right returns to a full audience that Canadians will be eligible again.  I'm surprised they're still using this 30-odd "pod" audience.  The show seems to have so much more energy with a full studio.

[trainman]

I'd imagine that when Price is Right returns to a full audience that Canadians will be eligible again.  I'm surprised they're still using this 30-odd "pod" audience.  The show seems to have so much more energy with a full studio.

I believe a full audience would still have to wear masks, due to the L.A. production unions' Covid-19 safety protocols (which are currently supposed to expire April 1st, although they keep extending that date).