Don't take this as a knock on the group's perceived intelligence, but I really am surprised at how many folks guessed this. It was indeed "The Price is Right" starring Bill Cullen, a show with controversy surrounding it that I never perceived until I began reading these articles. I could see somebody who doesn't like it saying "Annoying" or "silly" but the word "sick" blows my mind. We're I playing I probably would have said New Treasure Hunt.
Article #1 was by Jack O'Brien. from 9-24-57 in the Elyria (OH) Chronicle Telegram. Article #2 comes from the 12-26-61 Coshocton (OH) Tribune, written by Fred Danzig. It was a pretty insane rant on how he had been hoping the show would behave properly for the sake of the holiday. Article #3, by Rick DuBrow, comes from the 5-1-62 Elyria (OH) Chronicle. Who knew the state of Ohio hated Bill so much?
And these were samples. I have soemthing here from a columnist named Alan Gill writing his year end awards, and while Hugh Downs wins the award for "Worst Emcee" Gill notes "I usually give this award to Bill Cullen." Of course, the same Alan Gill, ten months later, presented a fluff piece on how great Bill's life is, including quotes from an interview, so, whatever. Fascinating stuff, and thanks to the researcher who originally gathered this info and the fanatic who passed it along to me.
[quote name=\'Adam Nedeff\' date=\'Apr 7 2005, 06:06 PM\']
Article #1(Show title) is almost too cheap for critical evaluation. (Host) is a noisy, shrill cashier whose prefabricated homespun character in this idiocy consists of never ending a word with a “G” [singin’, talkin’, etc.] and a total performance about as real as a three-dollar bill. It all worked out with a convenient dispersal of winnings [no participant went away empty-handed] and started right off fighting for the title of worst show on night-time television.
Article #2Ordinarily I try to avoid watching (show title) because it is basically a sick, sick show and it depresses me.
Article #3It was the loser, not the winners, who got a set of the Encyclopedia Britannica…and if that doesn’t give away the program’s viewpoint, nothing does.
This weekly orgy in crass materialism, and its implied indication of what is desirable and what is not, is worthy of unmitigated contempt.
You can’t really put any blame on the host…who simply goes through the motions of what dozens of others could do if he did not.
The only conclusion possible is that the powers-that-be can’t resist capitalizing on the sort of mind that revels in the thought of something for nothing---and on the audience that still worships quiz show winners so long as they don’t get caught cheating.
[snapback]80926[/snapback]
[/quote]
