TPIR MDS Question

[gameshowguy2000]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Apr 20 2004, 08:56 PM\'] [quote name=\'adamjk\' date=\'Apr 20 2004, 06:45 PM\'] Ah I can see it now.

Tonight these people have gathered here in the hopes that they will get a chance to spin the famous big wheel for ONE MILLION PENNIES! On the Price is Right MILLION PENNY SPECTACULAR! [/quote]
Hmm. Nope. Didn't get any funnier. [/quote]
 And I don't find it interesting. One Million Pennies is good, One Million Greenbacks is better.

[TLEberle]

Given the way people have been badly underbidding their showcases on the primetime specials recently, I doubt the Double Overbid is a looming problem.

As a side note, has there been a boat showcase for each special?  It seems like there's been lots of them.

Travis

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'Terry K\' date=\'Apr 19 2004, 07:00 PM\'] We all know that if no one spins for the $1m in the showcase showdowns, then they will go to a one spin for the winner of the showcase.

What happens if...BOTH contestants overbid and there's no winner?

Who gets to spin then? [/quote]
 The official word is if both contestants go over a random audience member will be chosen to spin.

The member would be determined by using a lottery barrel with their name/number filled out from earlier in the show.

[Steve Gavazzi]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 07:52 PM\'] [quote name=\'Terry K\' date=\'Apr 19 2004, 07:00 PM\'] We all know that if no one spins for the $1m in the showcase showdowns, then they will go to a one spin for the winner of the showcase.

What happens if...BOTH contestants overbid and there's no winner?

Who gets to spin then? [/quote]
The official word is if both contestants go over a random audience member will be chosen to spin.

The member would be determined by using a lottery barrel with their name/number filled out from earlier in the show. [/quote]
 So does that mean that it could still be one of the contestants?

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 05:42 PM\']
So does that mean that it could still be one of the contestants? [/quote]
No, I would guess those particular tickets are pulled out when they are approved in the audition process.

[ClockGameJohn]

[quote name=\'Steve Gavazzi\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 07:42 PM\'] [quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 07:52 PM\'] [quote name=\'Terry K\' date=\'Apr 19 2004, 07:00 PM\'] We all know that if no one spins for the $1m in the showcase showdowns, then they will go to a one spin for the winner of the showcase.

What happens if...BOTH contestants overbid and there's no winner?

Who gets to spin then? [/quote]
The official word is if both contestants go over a random audience member will be chosen to spin.

The member would be determined by using a lottery barrel with their name/number filled out from earlier in the show. [/quote]
So does that mean that it could still be one of the contestants? [/quote]
 I'd say no.  I would guess (don't shoot me) that it would be picked similar to the $100 door prize at the end of each taping.  The contestant's numbers are not still in the "basket," as they are removed by the Contestant Coordinators during the selection process.

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 08:53 PM\']The contestant's numbers are not still in the "basket," as they are removed by the Contestant Coordinators during the selection process.[/quote]
And as this Saturday's Million Dollar special proved, the slip Barker pulled out did have the contestant's name AND number.

[tvrandywest]

[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 04:53 PM\'] I would guess (don't shoot me) that it would be picked similar to the $100 door prize at the end of each taping. [/quote]
Shoot John and you'll answer to me!   ;-)

Correctamundo. It looks like the same cards that are used for the $100 cash door prize, except they're in the lucite "squirrel cage" instead of the little wicker basket. And I just knew that Bob was going to go with the number rather than the name at first, even though the number is meaningless to the home audience and ancient history for the studio audience members. But the potential contestants' handwriting is usually quite funky on those cards (I guess because their written out in line by people who are sleep deprived and without the aid of a clipboard).


Randy
tvrandywest.com

[ClockGameJohn]

Now here's the big question...

Is that random audience member now ineligible for any future Price shows?

Maybe it's just me, but even if he had won the million, it really wouldn't have been very exciting.  I don't honestly think it's vital to have the million dollar spin at the end of the show if no one hit $1.00.

Eh, what do I know?

[quote name=\'cmjb13\'][quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 08:53 PM\']The contestant's numbers are not still in the "basket," as they are removed by the Contestant Coordinators during the selection process.[/quote]
And as this Saturday's Million Dollar special proved, the slip Barker pulled out did have the contestant's name AND number.[/quote]

I think we assumed that the entire time, correct?

[tvrandywest]

The mood on set at the MDS tapings is "Geez, let's get a $1 million winner already" as if it's statistically "overdue". I had adopted that attitude of "I can't believe it hasn't been won yet". But at a gathering of the LA game show brain trust this Saturday (I kid, but there were several working pros) David Hammet, the occasional statistician for game show producers ("Greed", etc.) corrected my attitude.

Althought there are a couple of factors that make a win a little more likely than the purely statistical model, the math works out to reveal that the odds of a single contestant spinning a million dollar win are approximately 1 in 200. With 6 spinners per show (the possible 7th spin at the show's end skews the odds) the format suggests that over the very long haul there would be a winner every 33rd show. While anything is likely with such a small sample size (there have been far fewer than 33 shows), it's not as "overdue" as one might think.

I agree with those who have posted that the 7th attempt at the end of the show is awkward (especially in the event of a double overbid), but it does permit the powerful promotional value of the statement "someone will spin for a million" for each episode.

Not that I'd ever expect to out-think Roger Dobkowitz on such matters, I can't come up with a much better way to select a contestant to fulfill that 7th spin in the event of a double overbid. My only other thought: the contestant who won the most in cash and prizes during the course of the show (excluding the 2 showcase overbidders).

Just idle thoughts.


Randy
tvrandywest.com

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'May 24 2004, 09:36 AM\'][quote name=\'cmjb13\'][quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 08:53 PM\']The contestant's numbers are not still in the "basket," as they are removed by the Contestant Coordinators during the selection process.[/quote]
And as this Saturday's Million Dollar special proved, the slip Barker pulled out did have the contestant's name AND number.[/quote]

I think we assumed that the entire time, correct?[/quote]
You said the contestant numbers are not in the basket.

The slip lists the name and number of the contestant. The orange slip with the contestant number only is not in the basket.

I wondered as well if that person is eligible as a future contestant.

My hunch would be yes.

[ClockGameJohn]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'May 24 2004, 11:30 AM\'] [quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'May 24 2004, 09:36 AM\'][quote name=\'cmjb13\'][quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'Apr 28 2004, 08:53 PM\']The contestant's numbers are not still in the "basket," as they are removed by the Contestant Coordinators during the selection process.[/quote]
And as this Saturday's Million Dollar special proved, the slip Barker pulled out did have the contestant's name AND number.[/quote]

I think we assumed that the entire time, correct?[/quote]
You said the contestant numbers are not in the basket.

The slip lists the name and number of the contestant. The orange slip with the contestant number only is not in the basket. [/quote]
 The "contestants" numbers were not in the basket.  (Contestants being anyone who was on stage)

[quote name=\'cmjb13\']I wondered as well if that person is eligible as a future contestant.

My hunch would be yes.[/quote]

Unfortunately, my guess would be NO.

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'May 24 2004, 11:50 AM\']Unfortunately, my guess would be NO.[/quote]
If that is indeed the case, I would hope it would be explained to him before he spun.

Either that or give him an option to back out if he so chooses.

[ClockGameJohn]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'May 24 2004, 12:01 PM\'] [quote name=\'ClockGameJohn\' date=\'May 24 2004, 11:50 AM\']Unfortunately, my guess would be NO.[/quote]
If that is indeed the case, I would hope it would be explained to him before he spun.

Either that or give him an option to back out if he so chooses. [/quote]
Absolutely not.  You came to the show knowing you have a chance to win prizes.  They don't give you the chance to opt out if you're going to play Side by Side for a baby grand piano vs. Switcheroo for a Grand Am.

You're here, you get what we offer.  The same thing sucks for Contestant #9 everyday.

[MSTieScott]

The official answer is that the randomly-chosen spinner IS still eligible to be a contestant.

(I didn't ask if he would have still been eligible if he had hit the dollar, as I assumed that question answered itself.)

--
Scott Robinson