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The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: Dbacksfan12 on March 01, 2006, 06:02:56 AM

Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on March 01, 2006, 06:02:56 AM
Not sure if I've done this topic or not before, but the lovely search feature isn't much of help.

After reading about the idiotic DOND contestant (I, for one, couldn't be happier), do any of you recall contestants that you were happy to lose?
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: FOXSportsFan on March 01, 2006, 06:57:26 AM
Definitely...you have to either of a lot of ovarian fortitude to do what she did...but by the same token, you have to me a mortal MORON to not come out of DOND with a 5 figure pay day.

In a complete polar opposite...my girlfriend's sister, Kimmi, has a thing with old people on TPiR.  She feels so horribly bad when one of em loses.  I, on the other hand, get the biggest laugh out of it.  Especially, as Dane Cook said in a much better form, when old granners or grampers looks into the big wheel as if it was the second coming of the Lord.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: TLEberle on March 01, 2006, 08:16:56 AM
[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 04:02 AM\']Not sure if I've done this topic or not before, but the lovely search feature isn't much of help.[/quote] It was me, but it's worth revisiting.

Quote
After reading about the idiotic DOND contestant (I, for one, couldn't be happier), do any of you recall contestants that you were happy to lose?
[snapback]111652[/snapback]
I missed the show, but I don't think it's proper to call her 'idiotic'. She had a strategy, and it didn't work out. You don't call the gal that gave back the $46,000 check on "Treasure Hunt" a moron, just particularly unfortunate.

[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 04:57 AM\']Definitely...you have to either of a lot of ovarian fortitude to do what she did...but by the same token, you have to me a mortal MORON to not come out of DOND with a 5 figure pay day.[/quote] It sounds like she stuck around a bit longer than she should have, but it's inappropriate to place mental labels on contestants you don't know.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: tvwxman on March 01, 2006, 09:02:59 AM
[quote name=\'TLEberle\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 08:16 AM\']
Quote
After reading about the idiotic DOND contestant (I, for one, couldn't be happier), do any of you recall contestants that you were happy to lose?
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I missed the show, but I don't think it's proper to call her 'idiotic'. She had a strategy, and it didn't work out. You don't call the gal that gave back the $46,000 check on "Treasure Hunt" a moron, just particularly unfortunate.
[/quote]

HUGE difference. The gal on THunt didn't pass up an offer tantamount to $46K....in effect winning a lot less.

Last night's contestant, whether she got caught up in the choir, the supporters, or the bright lights and shiny objects, was greedy. She's paying for it now.

And yes, I think what she did was "idiotic". Does that make her an idiot? No. But her nonsensical thinking (again, my opinion), made her pull an idiotic move.  I do "idiotic" things daily. Hell, watch my tv show, I made a career out of it. But I'm no idiot. Just a guy who makes morning tv fun.

On a side note,  this is the problem with this show. I've openly complained about the lack of psychology playing into the offers, how the producer/banker needs to 'study'' the contestant better to find their pressure point, instead of booking schoolchildren and choirs...

At the contestant search in NYC, they asked everyone this question : If it were down to $20K and the million, do you deal or no deal an offer of $400K? I'm fairly confident that anyone who said Deal, got the boot. I said Deal, and i didn't get a call back.

They want risktakers. But it sounds like they don't want rational folks taking risks.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: TLEberle on March 01, 2006, 10:46:21 AM
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 07:02 AM\']HUGE difference. The gal on THunt didn't pass up an offer tantamount to $46K....in effect winning a lot less.[/quote] Is it though? "The banker offers you $899 for your box. Deal or no Deal." That's what happened twice a day on Treasure Hunt for many years, in essence, though it was without having seen any of the others.

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Last night's contestant, whether she got caught up in the choir, the supporters, or the bright lights and shiny objects, was greedy. She's paying for it now.
That's absolutely undisputed. I would submit that a reasonable strategy is to bail out as soon as there's only one "right" amount on the board, otherwise you're just begging for this to happen. And to be offered a second chance at $80,000 doubly so.

Quote
And yes, I think what she did was "idiotic". Does that make her an idiot? No. But her nonsensical thinking (again, my opinion), made her pull an idiotic move.
I didn't think there was a distinction, though you're absolutely right. Is there a difference between a contestant who writes the same answer for "Ten Chances" twice and a contestant who passes up an obvious Deal? Or someone who names a previously guessed letter on "Wheel of Fortune"?

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I do "idiotic" things daily. Hell, watch my tv show, I made a career out of it. But I'm no idiot. Just a guy who makes morning tv fun.
If your morning show is anything like your Weakest Link appearance, I can only imagine.

Quote
On a side note,  this is the problem with this show. I've openly complained about the lack of psychology playing into the offers, how the producer/banker needs to 'study'' the contestant better to find their pressure point, instead of booking schoolchildren and choirs...
I think the "Banker's Deal" portion of the game could be compelling television, and because of the banker's isolation from the stage, it falls completely flat. Put the man out on stage, where he can gauge the player as the boxes are opened. He's supposed to be the opponent, but the game still feels like Man against the House.

Quote
They want risktakers. But it sounds like they don't want rational folks taking risks.
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Then we're in for a week of six-figure and one-figure wins, I would wager.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Matt Ottinger on March 01, 2006, 11:07:51 AM
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 10:02 AM\']At the contestant search in NYC, they asked everyone this question : If it were down to $20K and the million, do you deal or no deal an offer of $400K? I'm fairly confident that anyone who said Deal, got the boot. I said Deal, and i didn't get a call back.[/quote]
In my regular life, I am a remarkably honest person.  When applying to be on a game show, however, my priorities change.  I want to give them the answers they want to hear.  (I'm also two for two, so I must be doing something right.)

Given that situation as a contestant, I absolutely take the $400K.  Given that question on a contestant exam -- I lie.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: tvwxman on March 01, 2006, 12:13:47 PM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 11:07 AM\']Given that situation as a contestant, I absolutely take the $400K.  Given that question on a contestant exam -- I lie.
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[/quote]
Absol-frickin-lutely....but I had just spent my moment in the sun explaining how the last time I was on a game show, I was starting a new marriage, and now I wanted to appear on a game show to help start a family....so the rationality was 'show some guts, but don't lose sight of responsibility'. Plus, in my group of 10 morons (and yes, they were dingbats), I thought I would stand out by using a bit of reasoning....

Shows what I know.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: tvwxman on March 01, 2006, 12:14:46 PM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 11:07 AM\']Given that situation as a contestant, I absolutely take the $400K.  Given that question on a contestant exam -- I lie.
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[/quote]
Absol-frickin-lutely....but I had just spent my moment in the sun explaining how the last time I was on a game show, I was starting a new marriage, and now I wanted to win on a game show to help start a family....so the rationality was 'show some guts, AND some responsibility'. Plus, in my group of 10 morons (and yes, they were dingbats), I thought I would stand out by using a bit of reasoning....

Shows what I know.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: goongas on March 01, 2006, 01:27:16 PM
[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 07:02 AM\']Not sure if I've done this topic or not before, but the lovely search feature isn't much of help.

After reading about the idiotic DOND contestant (I, for one, couldn't be happier), do any of you recall contestants that you were happy to lose?
[snapback]111652[/snapback]
[/quote]

There was a woman who on the syndicated WWTBAM was able to see the 500K by guessing correctly at a couple high level questions.  She guessed at 500K and got it wrong, and she did not seem fazed one bit.  She said she was having a wonderful time and was a gambler.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: clemon79 on March 01, 2006, 02:05:10 PM
So this begs a policy question:

I Tivoed last night's show, because Tuesday nights are one of my game nights. I haven't had a chance to watch it yet, and as a result have been studiously avoiding the thread in Show Summaries so that it wouldn't be spoiled for me.

So this morning, I check the messages on the board (still carefully avoiding said thread), and click on this seemingly innocuous thread called "Idiotic Contestants...Happy to see them lose." And, boom, First post, show ruined, not so much as a warning. I'm a little ticked, but not terribly. But a little.

So my question is, should I only expect show spoilers to remain confined to the appropriate thread in Show Summaries during the same day, and am I taking my life in my hands (just an expression, I am fully aware it's a freakin' game show, ultimately) if I read the board at all the following morning?
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Dbacksfan12 on March 01, 2006, 02:48:15 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 02:05 PM\']And, boom, First post, show ruined, not so much as a warning. I'm a little ticked, but not terribly. But a little.
[/quote]
As said first poster, unless a mod edited my post, I don't recall typing anything else but what is there.

Now, I may be mistaken, and if I am, please correct me--but I was under the impression that if it was after the west coast airing--and off the "Show Summaries" thread, then it was fair game.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Matt Ottinger on March 01, 2006, 02:58:09 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 03:05 PM\']So my question is, should I only expect show spoilers to remain confined to the appropriate thread in Show Summaries during the same day, and am I taking my life in my hands (just an expression, I am fully aware it's a freakin' game show, ultimately) if I read the board at all the following morning?[/quote]
As always, what you would like to see happen and what you should expect aren't always exactly the same thing.  Most people are pretty good about leaving results out of topics here, but we can't absolutely, positively guarantee that it's not going to happen. I'm in exactly the same boat as you, BTW, and equally ticked (which is to say only a little, but still).

I've edited out the worst of it.  It's particularly disappointing since the specificity wasn't necessary to the thread, and was in fact SO tangential as to blindside those of us who hadn't watched yet.  By the same token, it also wasn't deliberately intended to spoil things, it just worked out that way.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Matt Ottinger on March 01, 2006, 03:01:34 PM
[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 03:48 PM\'][quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 02:05 PM\']And, boom, First post, show ruined, not so much as a warning. I'm a little ticked, but not terribly. But a little.
[/quote]
As said first poster, unless a mod edited my post, I don't recall typing anything else but what is there.[/quote]
Seconds ahead of your post, a mod did.  Your original post gave the specific result of one of the games, and the fact that you don't recognize the difference just proves that spoiling the result was not your intention.

[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 03:48 PM\']Now, I may be mistaken, and if I am, please correct me--but I was under the impression that if it was after the west coast airing--and off the "Show Summaries" thread, then it was fair game.[/quote]
I would urge you to understand the difference between "fair game" and "really wasn't necessary".  Being ever so slightly aware that some of us timeshift, especially when the result was so unnecessary to your main point, would have been appreciated.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: clemon79 on March 01, 2006, 03:04:51 PM
[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 11:58 AM\']So my question is, should I only expect show
I've edited out the worst of it.  It's particularly disappointing since the specificity wasn't necessary to the thread, and was in fact SO tangential as to blindside those of us who hadn't watched yet.  By the same token, it also wasn't deliberately intended to spoil things, it just worked out that way.
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[/quote]
Fair enough. I guess I just want to know when I'm justified in muttering "thanks, you freakin' idiot" to myself and when I'm not. I suppose, ultimately, it doesn't matter either way, and I can understand why you wouldn't want to draw a hard-and-fast line, because the second you do there will be nimrods lined up with stopwatches to start pissing wars when someone crosses it by 40 seconds. And we get plenty of pissing wars around here over other stuff.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: clemon79 on March 01, 2006, 05:58:42 PM
[quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 10:27 AM\']There was a woman who on the syndicated WWTBAM was able to see the 500K by guessing correctly at a couple high level questions.  She guessed at 500K and got it wrong, and she did not seem fazed one bit.  She said she was having a wonderful time and was a gambler.
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[/quote]
Proving what we have learned over and over again from GSWitch: ignorance is bliss.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Fedya on March 01, 2006, 09:32:29 PM
As far as the "idiotic contestants" are concerned, I'm surprised nobody's mentioned "Hit Me" contestants who can't/won't do basic arithmetic (if you want the 10, you'll have to pick a product whose inflated price ends in 0!)

I know it's possible to make mistakes under the lights and with the cameras rolling, but still, the game's been played enough times that people should know what to do.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Kevin Prather on March 01, 2006, 09:43:56 PM
[quote name=\'Fedya\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 07:32 PM\'](if you want the 10, you'll have to pick a product whose inflated price ends in 0!)
[/quote]
You mean the Utterly Smooth DOESN'T sell for 3 dollars and 259 mills? I'll be damned!

</joke>
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Robert Hutchinson on March 01, 2006, 10:59:52 PM
Heh, mills.

"Tell them what we have, Rich!" "It's a gallon of gasoline, Bob!"
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Jeremy Nelson on March 02, 2006, 01:19:49 PM
There was this contestant named Kati Knudsen (sp) on Millionaire a few years back. Anytime I see that episode with her missing the 500K question and flipping out, I laugh my ass off.

Most people would have taken the 250K and not so much as thought about analyzing the question. I think Kati took so long to make up her mind that she actually tricked herself into believing that she knew that answer.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Kevin Prather on March 02, 2006, 08:56:04 PM
Besides which, her main motivation for going on was that she HAD to be the show's first millionairess. Total greed, and it rightly bit her in the ass.

To this day, I wonder, had she gone with Tonga like she was about too from the beginning, would she have gone on to botch the million? We'll never know, but THAT would be a story.
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: tomobrien on March 02, 2006, 11:12:15 PM
And don't forget how she complained to the press (later claiming the "I was misrepresented" defense) about how Regis made her change her mind, and how she could see a "make her sweat" message on his screen.  Then, of course, there was her exit, when she virtually pushed her husband out of the way.  Oh, that Kati...klass with a capital "K."
Title: Idiotic Contestants...
Post by: Gromit on March 05, 2006, 04:37:16 AM
[quote name=\'tvwxman\' date=\'Mar 1 2006, 07:02 AM\']
At the contestant search in NYC, they asked everyone this question : If it were down to $20K and the million, do you deal or no deal an offer of $400K? I'm fairly confident that anyone who said Deal, got the boot. I said Deal, and i didn't get a call back.

They want risktakers. But it sounds like they don't want rational folks taking risks.
[snapback]111661[/snapback]
[/quote]

That's a mighty stupid question to use to trim the applicants down, because so far every single person on the show who's got down to one big amount and one tiny amount has taken the deal, if I remember correctly.

A much more reasonable test would be the $1, $5, $20K and a million situation, where just about all of us would take the deal, and where the contestants have pretty much always gone for it.