[quote name=\'chris319\' date=\'Oct 8 2004, 07:56 AM\']Concentration is deceptively hard to emcee.
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My first and only "real" emceeing experience was hosting Family Feud at my game night using Particleman's outstanding software. And I'm sure when The Ol' Guy said "the host simply has to be affable, able to repeat the players' choices, and keep track", he meant no offense, but you need to think about that for a second and realize what a hard job that really is.
(Pyramid will be a little easier, although in the setting we'll be playing it in, the host will be hosting, judging, and running the software at the same time, so he'll have somewhat more work to do than Dick/Bill/John/Donny did on TV. But I think it will be doable, especially with a PC and projector built into the podium, like we have at our game room. But, then, if Pyramid is such an easy gig, why was Dick the master and why did John Davidson suck at it?)
The easiest part of doing Feud is Fast Money, because that IS pretty rote, and happens so fast there is no time to fill. But the rest of the game requires a little work on the part of the host to keep from being completely dry and quiet, especially if you have players who are really into the game and not filling time with "Good answer! Good answer!" I was thinking of the "first blood" criticism aimed at Karn, and I will tell you from broadcasting experience, it is EASY to get caught up in crutches like that when your mind is racing to fill dead air.
But, man, we played five games, and I was genuinely tired at the end of it. Jazzed, especially since everyone seemed to enjoy the game and my performance, but dead tired. It's _not_ an easy job.