Is Pat leaving Wheel when he hits 60?

[Neumms]

[quote name=\'TV Favorites\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 05:01 PM\'] The only real reason I can see for bringing in another "letter turner/toucher" after Vanna is to keep some "eye-candy" around.

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Really?

Back to Bob Eubanks--I'd defend his ability (though not to do "Wheel"). One look at Jim Lange doing the pilot week of New Newlywed Game shows a monkey can't do that show, even with corrective lenses. Eubanks deserves credit for helping bring the personalities out. And while Jim Perry handled the exciting parts of Card Sharks better, Eubanks wasn't bad, and he seemed terrific on "Trivia Trap."

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 07:49 PM\']
Back to Bob Eubanks--I'd defend his ability (though not to do "Wheel"). One look at Jim Lange doing the pilot week of New Newlywed Game shows a monkey can't do that show, even with corrective lenses. Eubanks deserves credit for helping bring the personalities out.

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Gary Kroeger had a rough road to hoe on his season of Newlywed(even with the format changes made). Lange never really brought out the personalities on the Dating Game, he really introduced the contestants and the game played itself. Walt Case even said so himself when interviewed about Lange. The 80s Dating hosts talked more to the contestants than Lange did.

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 06:06 PM\']Gary Kroeger had a rough road to hoe on his season of Newlywed(even with the format changes made). Lange never really brought out the personalities on the Dating Game, he really introduced the contestants and the game played itself. Walt Case even said so himself when interviewed about Lange. The 80s Dating hosts talked more to the contestants than Lange did.

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Kroeger isn't exactly the first face I would think of to stick on a Game Show Mount Rushmore, either, and your other points, I think, simply augment my case against Eubanks.

[tyshaun1]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 08:10 PM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 06:06 PM\']Gary Kroeger had a rough road to hoe on his season of Newlywed(even with the format changes made). Lange never really brought out the personalities on the Dating Game, he really introduced the contestants and the game played itself. Walt Case even said so himself when interviewed about Lange. The 80s Dating hosts talked more to the contestants than Lange did.

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Kroeger isn't exactly the first face I would think of to stick on a Game Show Mount Rushmore, either, and your other points, I think, simply augment my case against Eubanks.

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Eubanks was WAY too stiff on Dream House; he seemed completely insincere on that show (except on the finale, and I'm sure that was because he felt he was stickin' it to NBC), and I think that's the most game-oriented show he's done. Personally, I would put Eubanks and Tomarken on the same level, hosts who shine in formats where the host can control the show, but still let the game through when warranted (Yes, I think Tomarken was wooden on Hit Man).

Tyshaun

[ITSBRY]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 11:49 AM\'][quote name=\'whewfan\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 03:52 AM\']The thing is, if Pat ever left Wheel, chances are Vanna would soon follow.
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If Pat leaves the show, it fizzles and dies unless and ONLY unless Chuck Woolery returns to the helm. (And even then I dunno how much longer I give it.)

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As long as there are geriatrics, they're be "Wheel".  Have you ever walked down the hall of a nursing home just after meal time?  "Wheel" is on EVERY tv.  My grandmother was in a nursing home before her death several years ago and I can distinctly remember the sound of "Wheel" coming from just about every room in the place!  It was quite amusing.

Seriously though, I think this is the same discussion as the age old 'when Barker passes will TPIR die with him?' argument.  In both cases, the producers will replace them and do their best to keep the show going.  You don't let a cash cow just die.  You keep milkin it as long as you can.

The rest is conjecture, but I think "Wheel" has the better chance of survival just because it's in syndication.  Daytime network games don't have the staying power they once did and a big shake up like that might be what it takes to kill TPIR.  I think it would go along for awhile, then finally die unless they find a magic host with mega audience appeal.

ITSBRY
itsbry@juno.com

[whewfan]

Eubanks was WAY too stiff on Dream House; he seemed completely insincere on that show (except on the finale, and I'm sure that was because he felt he was stickin' it to NBC), and I think that's the most game-oriented show he's done.

Bob said in some interview that of the shows he did, he felt Dream House and Trivia Trap had the weakest formats. (Odd that Diamond Head Game wasn't included) He said Dream House should've been called "Dream Furniture", because they gave away more furniture than houses. As for Trivia Trap, he thought the concept of eliminating all the wrong answers was pointless, because if you knew the correct answer anyway, then why NOT just say the CORRECT answer.  The "eliminate all wrong answer" format was eventually changed to a "all 3 pick what they think is the right answer" and threw in a "true/false" round to pad out the game.  The format change did make sense,  but then, where's the "trap"?

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'Neumms\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 07:49 PM\']One look at Jim Lange doing the pilot week of New Newlywed Game shows a monkey can't do that show, even with corrective lenses. [/quote]
One look at an episode of Eubanks doing Card Sharks shows him being a jerk, IMO.

[tyshaun1]

[quote name=\'whewfan\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 09:14 PM\']Bob said in some interview that of the shows he did, he felt Dream House and Trivia Trap had the weakest formats.

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[Zach]IIRC, he actually said that Dream House and Trivia Trap were the two shows he felt were doomed to fail, although weak formats may be what he meant.[/Zach]
The interview was on Mr. Beverly's website.

Tyshaun

No, Zach, that wasn't really a compliment.

[johnnya2k3]

I think Sajak should stay put where he is at Wheel. Besides, unlike Richard Dawson on Family Feud, he never got into any tiffs with the producers over his salaries. As long as they remain the #1 syndicated show, Pat and Vanna are going nowhere!

(If Pat does decide to call it a career, then Jimmy Connors -- who almost got the daytime hosting job until Rolf took it -- would be re-considered)

Jonathan Allen

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 09:51 PM\'](If Pat does decide to call it a career, then Jimmy Connors -- who almost got the daytime hosting job until Rolf took it -- would be re-considered)
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I would think the first call would go to Pat O'Brien. That guy's great.

[Robert Hutchinson]

[quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 11:51 PM\']As long as they remain the #1 syndicated show, Pat and Vanna are going nowhere![/quote]

Depending on how long Wheel holds that title, things could get a little weird around 2030 or so . . .

[Ian Wallis]

Bob said in some interview that of the shows he did, he felt Dream House and Trivia Trap had the weakest formats. (Odd that Diamond Head Game wasn't included)

Bob did say what a piece of %$*& "Diamond Head Game" was once on "Card Sharks", though.  I have the episode.

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 11:55 PM\'][quote name=\'johnnya2k3\' date=\'Feb 2 2005, 09:51 PM\'](If Pat does decide to call it a career, then Jimmy Connors -- who almost got the daytime hosting job until Rolf took it -- would be re-considered)
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I would think the first call would go to Pat O'Brien. That guy's great.

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Oh, God, yes!! Just thinking about it compels me to reach for the Vasoline. No one knock on this door for three minutes.

[tvwxman]

[quote name=\'Don Howard\' date=\'Feb 3 2005, 04:40 PM\']
Oh, God, yes!! Just thinking about it compels me to reach for the Vasoline. No one knock on this door for three minutes.

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Three minutes? You gonna do it twice?

2 Drinks. Veal. Servers.

[uncamark]

But seriously folks:

"Whammy!" proved that Newton's weaknesses come out on a game-heavy show.  Maybe he'll be able to solve them in five years or so.

Meanwhile, if Sajak was leaving tomorrow (and we know he isn't), my vote would be for Walberg.  A lot of the same qualities as Sajak and he can handle a game-heavy show like "On the Cover."