Emcee Language

[tjhornikel]

The one that always disturbed me was Jim Lange on BULLSEYE saying, "Let's spin the information in the windows..."

Today, I expect to see Bill O'Reilly jump out from the wings, and onto the Bonus Island to put a stop to such things. :^)

[trainman]

On GSN's new-to-me "Super Password" reruns, Bert Convy telling contestants "you haven't scored yet, but you will" has been annoying me a bit.  You're not psychic, Bert, so shaddap.

[Kevin Prather]

[quote name=\'trainman\' date=\'Feb 3 2006, 09:28 PM\']Bert Convy telling contestants "you haven't scored yet, but you will" has been annoying me a bit.  You're not psychic, Bert, so shaddap.

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I dunno. I've heard he can be pretty persuasive backstage...

[DrBear]

In watching the B&W WML? it's amazing how little John Daly's spiel changed from show to show, especially when introducing the mystery guest. About the only time it changed is if a panel member was doing something silly - Groucho refusing to put his blindfold on - but otherwise it was almost exact, down to the inflections.

[PYLdude]

[quote name=\'cool245\' date=\'Feb 3 2006, 10:50 PM\']To add to the above quote: "We're going to play scrambled letters"-David Ruprecht (it was always scrambled letters)

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Uh, no it wasn't.

[FOXSportsFan]

[quote name=\'trainman\' date=\'Feb 3 2006, 11:28 PM\']On GSN's new-to-me "Super Password" reruns, Bert Convy telling contestants "you haven't scored yet, but you will" has been annoying me a bit.  You're not psychic, Bert, so shaddap.

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That doesn't hold a candle to Bert almost always saying "And, if you're ready to go..." leading into a puzzle or Alpha...errr Super Password.

Maybe, I'm NOT ready to go Convy.

This said, when it comes to hosts and broadcasters in generals, some phrases or words one latches onto for the sake of familiarity.  Most broadcasters are guilty of repetition.  The own worst critic that I am, I'm guilty with play by play being repetitive sometimes.

[Craig Karlberg]

The one thing I always remember about Chuck Woolery's WOF was him saying "Once you buy a prize, it's yours to keep" without even a slip-up.  Sometimes, he might mumble a bit when spewing off the main game parameters(top $ vakue & such) while the wheel is spinning but after it stops, his "buy a prize" schtick is clearly audible.  I guess the wheel was kinda loud back then when it's spun hard enough.

[BrandonFG]

On Wheel, I noticed when a contestant gets a difficult bonus round puzzle (usually no more than 2 or 3 letters showing), Pat always says "You're a good player, talk it out."

[GrabBag40]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' date=\'Feb 4 2006, 03:52 AM\']On Wheel, I noticed when a contestant gets a difficult bonus round puzzle (usually no more than 2 or 3 letters showing), Pat always says "You're a good player, talk it out."

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Another of note, on many episodes of Ray Combs' Family Feud, Ray would say "Let me call for calm."

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Feb 3 2006, 06:59 PM\']Wow.

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[quote name=\'PYLdude\' date=\'Feb 3 2006, 09:46 PM\']Uh, no it wasn't.

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Don't feed the idiot, guys.

[MikeK]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Feb 4 2006, 06:43 AM\'][quote name=\'whoserman\' date=\'Feb 3 2006, 06:59 PM\']Wow.[/quote]
[quote name=\'PYLdude\' date=\'Feb 3 2006, 09:46 PM\']Uh, no it wasn't.[/quote]
Don't feed the idiot, guys.[/quote]
Chris:  You, PYLDude, and Kevin wish you were half as cool as that guy.

My contribution:  Jim Caldwell's frequent references to Thom McKee, even though McKee's run was five years earlier.  It was the "Could _________ be the next Ken Jennings?" of 1985.

Mike
Currently 18% as cool as cool245

[Clay Zambo]

Bert on Super Password: "Get all ten words and I'll give you...(names jackpot amount)."

Uh, Bert?  Was the prize money really coming out of your salary?  Let's check on that, shall we?

[JasonA1]

Far be it for me to play the almighty, but a lot of us seem to want to turn this into another "commonly repeated phrases" thread despite Don giving us several examples of oft-said lines that don't make much sense.

I didn't want to say that without contributing myself, so my weak addition is the tendency of Mike O'Malley and Rolf Bernischke to throw to the announcer by saying "tell us what we won." MG Kelly once threw in something like, "oh, you won something too?"

-Jason

[chris319]

I don't mean to shock you kids, but all emcee language -- all of it -- is scripted. Emcee language is language which explains and/or advances the game, as distinguished from ad-libbed banter with celebrities and contestants. Two things emcee language must accomplish are 1) make certain points and make them accurately without misstating the rules of the game, and 2) provide cues to that all-important guy known as the director, who is hanging on your recital of the language to initiate camera moves, special effects, etc. The last thing an emcee wants to do is recite the language in such a way as to misrepresent the rules of the game or change the language to the point where the expected cues are indecipherable to the director (viz. nighttime The Price Is Right with Dennis James). On the other hand, an emcee must also make the language sound fresh every time he recites it, even when it's the 15th show in a three-day taping session and when he gets home his wife will probably want to resume the argument they were having when he left the house.

[Robert Hutchinson]

So we should blame the person who's writing the emcee language, not the emcee. Still someone to blame. Blame!

I have it on the greatest scientific authority that only cool122.5 can meet Mike's requirements. cool122.5 should also not be confused with Cool 102.5, the station with the phrase that pays.

Still not keeping in the spirit of the thread, but I wouldn't mind some common emcee phrases modified to better suit reality. "It's tougher ... for me not to get tongue-tied about halfway through, so we'll give you 25 seconds."