What were they talking about, anyway?

[SamJ93]

As a sort-of counterpoint to the "hosts leaving the stage" thread, on the many shows where the host & winning contestant(s) stuck around and chatted while the credits rolled...what were they talking about that seemed so interesting and hilarious? Any former contestants here who might remember?

/12-year-old me was somehow convinced that they were just mouthing words and pretending to have a conversation, but I'm pretty sure now that that's not right...

[SwohS Emag]

I had a chance to be on Millionaire in 2016, and my segment ended up straddling two episodes.  Obviously being on a game show was a bucket list item, but a more specific item was to be able to have a credits chat with the host.  So, when I realized I was going to be part of a credit roll, I pushed myself to make small talk with Chris Harrison just to make it look like we were having a great time (which I was).  I told him about how I live in Philly but was born in TX and raised as a Cowboys fan (he is from north TX).  I made sure to smile brightly the whole time.  He kindly went along with it; no clue whether a producer was talking to him in his earpiece.  Even still, this is my unabashed highlight from my appearance.  (I was reaching for 20K and lost, dropped to 5K in the first question on the following episode.)

[BrandonFG]

/12-year-old me was somehow convinced that they were just mouthing words and pretending to have a conversation, but I'm pretty sure now that that's not right...

Oddly enough, I remember someone brought up a TV Guide article where a Joker’s Wild contestant said Jack Barry did exactly that - pretended to talk by just miming a conversation.

[Ian Wallis]

/12-year-old me was somehow convinced that they were just mouthing words and pretending to have a conversation, but I'm pretty sure now that that's not right...

Oddly enough, I remember someone brought up a TV Guide article where a Joker’s Wild contestant said Jack Barry did exactly that - pretended to talk by just miming a conversation.

That was me!  It was a letter to the editor in the Canadian edition (around 1978 I think), where a gentleman from Vancouver was a contestant and he said that during the credits Jack came over and stated something to the effect of "...this is the part of the show where I'm supposed to be talking to the contestants, so just pretend we're talking.  He mouthed a few words without saying anything and I just went along with it."

That's the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread!

[SamJ93]

Well I'll be. 12-year-old me wasn't right about very much, but I'll take it.

/and it somehow makes complete sense that Jack Barry was the type to do this...

[TLEberle]

Well I'll be. 12-year-old me wasn't right about very much, but I'll take it.

/and it somehow makes complete sense that Jack Barry was the type to do this...

I think he explained it during a special or interview and said "This is what it looks like when I'm talking to you" while the contestants would smile and nod and keep up the ruse. Of course you can't hear them over the applause and theme tune.

[Kevin Prather]

For a while, Jeopardy was posting their credit chats online. They might still be around somewhere.

[bscripps]

On my first episode, thanks to my score going up and down throughout the show, Alex said he was going to start calling me "Mr. Yo-Yo".  In my second episode, we had a triple stumper in FJ!; when Alex came over to chat, the first thing he said was "When I read that one in the dressing room, I had a feeling no one would get it; that was a toughie." 

Aside from that, it was mostly him just picking up the conversation he'd had with one of the contestants whose interview topic piqued his interest until they faded to black. 

[DoItRockapella]

For a while, Jeopardy was posting their credit chats online. They might still be around somewhere.

They are, but the page doesn't seem to have been updated since December 2023.

https://www.jeopardy.com/jbuzz/overheard

Excerpts from credit chats also frequently are played in the Inside Jeopardy podcast.

[geno57]

/and it somehow makes complete sense that Jack Barry was the type to do this...

For some reason, I never felt quite comfortable watching Jack Barry. He just never seemed the least bit friendly or approachable. So this doesn't surprise me a bit.

[carlisle96]

Well I'll be. 12-year-old me wasn't right about very much, but I'll take it.

/and it somehow makes complete sense that Jack Barry was the type to do this...

I think he explained it during a special or interview and said "This is what it looks like when I'm talking to you" while the contestants would smile and nod and keep up the ruse. Of course you can't hear them over the applause and theme tune.

I don't get it. Why not have a real chat, even if it's about the weather or the food in the green room before the show? Why is it to anyone's advantage to make it phony? The mill-arounds on To Tell the Truth were genuine. A friend was an imposter and recalled talking to Peggy Cass about one thing or another while the credits rolled. I also remember watching Bill Cullen and Art James chat during the credits and it's clear the conversations are genuine.

[BrandonFG]

The mill-arounds on To Tell the Truth were genuine.

Key word: genuine. Jack Barry seemed to be the opposite of that, hence the Quiz Show Scandals.

[TLEberle]

I’d say more awkward. I don’t think he’d remember to bid us a most cordial welcome without a cue card.

[PYLdude]

I don't get it. Why not have a real chat, even if it's about the weather or the food in the green room before the show? Why is it to anyone's advantage to make it phony?

You also have to remember that there’s multiple episodes taking place at the same session, so everyone involved has had their attitude adjusted as the day’s worn on. You might have started out fine, but it’s getting to be 5:00 and you’ve been there all morning and afternoon and you just want it to be over. And this is on both sides.

I know that doesn’t really excuse it, but that’s how I came to see it. (Ten hours in a green room is not ideal.)

[chris319]

For some reason, I never felt quite comfortable watching Jack Barry. He just never seemed the least bit friendly or approachable.

He was neither of those things. I met him when NATPE was in San Francisco in 1976. I asked him about Break the Bank which they were trying to sell into syndication. He was cold and brusque. One walked away with a creepy feeling.