The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: TalkingHeadsFan on May 19, 2004, 04:16:49 PM
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The Famous "Michael Larson" episodes of Press Your Luck were taped. Can you believe it? 20 years already, wow. Are any of you do anything special for "Larson Day?" Me and friend wore custom made Larson shirts to school, and my friend is giving a presentation on a 10 page research paper he had to do on the Larson incident. He'll be showing clips, and even letting the class play a simulated PYL board, with the original Larson patterns, to see if some of the students can pull off what Larson did. What a perfect day for it!
Douglas
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<does his best Dsmith imitation>
Wow, your friend wrote a 10 page term paper on Michael Larson?
And wore T-shirts for that?
Would you two get a clue?
<end Dsmith imitation>
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[quote name=\'TalkingHeadsFan\' date=\'May 19 2004, 03:16 PM\'] Me and friend wore custom made Larson shirts to school, and my friend is giving a presentation on a 10 page research paper he had to do on the Larson incident.
[/quote]
Dude, are you serious...you might as well wear a shirt with "Strawberry Shortcake" on it.
Of course, if you found the PYL t-shirt for less than $150 on Ebay; good on you.
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What's the over/under line on the number of wedgies that "me and my friend" will get today? (Starting with the English teacher, no doubt.)
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[quote name=\'melman1\' date=\'May 19 2004, 03:22 PM\'] What's the over/under line on the number of wedgies that "me and my friend" will get today? (Starting with the English teacher, no doubt.) [/quote]
(cue audience shouting out numbers)
Well, Bob...if he had celebrated the anniversary of the actual airdate, I'd say no more than 5.
But, since he's referring to the tape date, which no one in their right mind would care about, I'd say at least 10. (CS86 *ding*)
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(crowd yelling "HIGHER")
I'll accept that logic and say it's a lot HIGHER!! (CS '86 "ding!")
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[quote name=\'TalkingHeadsFan\' date=\'May 19 2004, 04:16 PM\'] The Famous "Michael Larson" episodes of Press Your Luck were taped. Can you believe it? 20 years already, wow. Are any of you do anything special for "Larson Day?"[/quote]
What'd I do? The same thing I do every day--go to my job as an ice cream truck driver, study PYL frame-by-frame for hours in my underground lair, and I withdrew money from my bank account in stacks of $1 bills for a radio contest involving the bills' serial numbers.
Methinks this "Larson Day" celebration was the topic du jour in the teacher's lounge and it'll be mentioned frequently in this kid's therapy sessions for years to come.
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I can picture it now:
Ms. Waddell: Okay students, please tell me who've you've written about
Tim: George Washington
Mary: Susan B. Anthony
Andrea: Abraham Lincoln
Robert: John Adams
Nick: James Monroe
Douglas: Michael Larson
Topic: Write a 3-page report on a notable name from history.
-Joe R.
(Who is planning "Rolf Benirschke Day". I am getting cosmetic surgery done so I can look just like him, doctor said it would only be temporary... I hope. Also borrowed main street for the Rolf Benirschke Parade and the Rolf Benirschke t-shirt, pants, underwear and tattoo as well)
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Joe, why am I laughing uncontrollably when I read your reply to Doug's post...That's funny.
I just want to announce that I'm going to celebrate Patrick Wayne day by writing a 3 page-paper on the Rappin' Dragon.
James
(If you believed that last line, please report to the TTD '90 room at once to serve your detention. ;) )
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Trust me, my shirt was reasonable (PYL Logo On Back), his was outrageous. Huge ass pic of Larson smiling, Random quotes from the episode all over, covered in PYL squares. But hey, if it makes for an easy grade, why not? It was fun though, never-the-less. Not as fun as the games of Class Feud and Egyptian Fair Pyramid that we organized and created. ;-)
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Sounds worse than adamjk's obsession with "Feud", don't ya think??
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If TakingHeadsFan starts talking about how they went bowling after school and says his friend told him Larson was bipolar and was instituted, then yeah.
Otherwise, not even close.
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'TalkingHeadsFan\' date=\'May 19 2004, 05:35 PM\'] Trust me, my shirt was reasonable (PYL Logo On Back), his was outrageous. Huge ass pic of Larson smiling, Random quotes from the episode all over, covered in PYL squares. But hey, if it makes for an easy grade, why not? It was fun though, never-the-less. Not as fun as the games of Class Feud and Egyptian Fair Pyramid that we organized and created. ;-) [/quote]
And did any of the students give you unusual looks and then ask you who the heck you're talking about and did any of your teachers recomend "Special Councelor Time" as a way to help you though your serious game show obsession.
I'm sure your parents must be worried, councilling will help.
One word.... GIRLFRIEND !!! Get one !
-Joe R.
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[quote name=\'JRaygor\' date=\'May 19 2004, 05:47 PM\'] And did any of the students give you unusual looks and then ask you who the heck you're talking about and did any of your teachers recomend "Special Councelor Time" as a way to help you though your serious game show obsession.
I'm sure your parents must be worried, councilling will help.
One word.... GIRLFRIEND !!! Get one ! [/quote]
Oh, yeah, because NOT A ONE OF YOU did something wacky in high school to make a dull presentation interesting in the name of a better grade.
Give me a freakin' break.
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Joe, I think you're going a little overboard on his "obsession".
Hey, I've writen about game shows in a school report myself in the past (mainly because it was a perfect example of greed in pop culture, I even mentioned Mr. Larson's game, with some detail!)
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Forget the naysayers, in high school, you gotta be yourself or else you'll regret wasting your time being someone you're not.
I think it sounds like a cool high school project. It's certainly off the wall and it will introduce people to this interesting footnote in 80s pop culture history. At the very least, it's original.
So, in short, I agree with Chris Lemon. Hey, it happens every so often. I'm not afraid to admit it when I do. :)
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I agree. Heck for a interesting person speech this past year, I did mine on Bob Barker. Instead of giving a boring speech, I did a whole Price is Right type show. I just substituted years for prices in the games I did. I dressed in a suit and tie and everything. I even used a old Johnny Olson intro, for the beginning. Of course the people in my class were contestants. Everyone loved it. It went over so well, that even though I only had two games ready to go, I ended up doing three.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'May 19 2004, 07:51 PM\'] [quote name=\'JRaygor\' date=\'May 19 2004, 05:47 PM\'] And did any of the students give you unusual looks and then ask you who the heck you're talking about and did any of your teachers recomend "Special Councelor Time" as a way to help you though your serious game show obsession.
I'm sure your parents must be worried, councilling will help.
One word.... GIRLFRIEND !!! Get one ! [/quote]
Oh, yeah, because NOT A ONE OF YOU did something wacky in high school to make a dull presentation interesting in the name of a better grade.
Give me a freakin' break. [/quote]
Well, in my 9th grade English class, I was doing a book report of "Anne Frank". Let's us say I had a piggytale and used tissue papers.
Charles
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Maybe I sounded too grumpy. Let me explain.
There is nothing wrong with doing a game show related material at school, but it should be on topics most kids are familiar with. Like "TPIR" and "Millionaire". Your average 15-year-old doesn't have a clue who Jack Narz is or how many times they saw "Play the Percentages". Thats the main reason why I never talked about game shows much in High School.
If Douglas asked for premission, then I kinda feel this whole topic is moot.
Hey, for two years, I hosted a game of "Millionaire" at my High School's Homecomming dance twice and they were both big hits !
-Joe R.
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Ummmmm...... and did you do a survey on what game shows 15 years olds are most familiar with? It sounds like you're trying to relate your problems talking about game shows onto Douglas. Just because you think kids may not be familiar with PYL doesn't necessarily mean that he can't show it off at his school. Plus, even if they weren't, PYL is a fun game to play, if not always to watch (for some people).
I've had several conversations with teen customers in my video game store about PYL who hadn't seen the show since they were kids (on USA), and even back in the day (circa '93), we had converstions about favorite game shows on the bus from school several times. PYL was brought up often. :)
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'TalkingHeadsFan\' date=\'May 19 2004, 03:16 PM\'] The Famous "Michael Larson" episodes of Press Your Luck were taped. Can you believe it? 20 years already, wow. Are any of you do anything special for "Larson Day?" Me and friend wore custom made Larson shirts to school, and my friend is giving a presentation on a 10 page research paper he had to do on the Larson incident. He'll be showing clips, and even letting the class play a simulated PYL board, with the original Larson patterns, to see if some of the students can pull off what Larson did. What a perfect day for it!
Douglas [/quote]
I still don't understand what all the fuss was about. Mike Larsen---may he rest in peace---played and won his game fair and square.
It's what he did with the winnings afterward which deserve scorn! What was he thinking?!
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[quote name=\'AH3RD\' date=\'May 20 2004, 02:36 PM\'] [quote name=\'TalkingHeadsFan\' date=\'May 19 2004, 03:16 PM\'] The Famous "Michael Larson" episodes of Press Your Luck were taped. Can you believe it? 20 years already, wow. Are any of you do anything special for "Larson Day?" Me and friend wore custom made Larson shirts to school, and my friend is giving a presentation on a 10 page research paper he had to do on the Larson incident. He'll be showing clips, and even letting the class play a simulated PYL board, with the original Larson patterns, to see if some of the students can pull off what Larson did. What a perfect day for it!
Douglas [/quote]
I still don't understand what all the fuss was about. Mike Larsen---may he rest in peace---played and won his game fair and square.
It's what he did with the winnings afterward which deserve scorn! What was he thinking?! [/quote]
It was said in the documentary that the man was addicted to "get rich quick" schemes. Albeit, turning your entire fortune into $1 bills, checking them all for a $OTC contest, and then leaving them sitting out in your house is BEGGING for trouble.
Tyshaun
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As Peter said himself, the Larson incident is probably the most significant, and interesting game show incident in history, I agree with that. I created a documentary on the history of game shows in my Digital Media class. (Every one else is still writing their storyboards...I finished the entire thing in 3 days a month ago.) After showing the Digital Media class my 17 minute game show documentary, with about 5 minutes on Larson, they all got into a debate about CBS trying to take back the $110K and whether or not he won it fair and square. They enjoyed the clips of the original broadcast, and the explanation of how it was done. I think making a documentary about game shows, and keeping everyday people interested is a big accomplishment. If I can do with ease, why shouldn't I? You don't get these opportunities every day.
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Lemme guess, you used (and probably plagiarized) the Big Bucks special. How blanking creative. Not to mention dumb.
If you're gonna use GSs as a backdrop, use a greater amount of timeline or even the scandals. But to use a single game that a lot of people in high school don't care about is about as asinine as it gets.
Now, I did write a paper in college on game shows. But I didn't use a computer (hell, the Internet as we know it was in its' infancy), and didn't use the Bible. I did, however, use one of the first GS books I ever saw called "Come On Down" published in 1986. Much of my paper was based on it. I was also able to find smaller articles at the time. Oddly enough, Larsen did not come up in that research six years after the incident. Which probably speaks as to how insignificant it really is.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 20 2004, 08:07 PM\'] Lemme guess, you used (and probably plagiarized) the Big Bucks special. How blanking creative. Not to mention dumb.
If you're gonna use GSs as a backdrop, use a greater amount of timeline or even the scandals. But to use a single game that a lot of people in high school don't care about is about as asinine as it gets.
Now, I did write a paper in college on game shows. But I didn't use a computer (hell, the Internet as we know it was in its' infancy), and didn't use the Bible. I did, however, use one of the first GS books I ever saw called "Come On Down" published in 1986. Much of my paper was based on it. I was also able to find smaller articles at the time. Oddly enough, Larsen did not come up in that research six years after the incident. Which probably speaks as to how insignificant it really is. [/quote]
Jeez, man, who pooed in your Rice Chex?
Of course he used "Big Bucks" as a jumping off point. You'd have to unless you have a copy of the original airing and seeing as how he's a teen and wasn't alive when it first happened, I'd say it's more likely that he used "Big Bucks" as a source.
He said that 5 minutes of this project was Larsen, so I'd hardly call it plagiarism (especially if it was just the clips from the original broadcast contained therein, but even if he showed a little more and credited it, it's not plagiarism)...and I'd say that you should be very, very careful before you accuse someone of academic dishonesty without ANY proof.
Man, if you didn't like his project, you've made it very clear in this thread. I don't know why, but you have. I happen to think it's original and it's something I probably would have done in high school if I had the stones. I admire his guts.
And where do you get off telling him that it's not something that high schoolers would care about? His job would be to make them care through an interesting presentation. He sounds proud of what he did and he says that the class was interested.
And so what if it's a insignificant footnote in the history of game shows? It's a rare instance of someone with a Vegas-like system beating the game on its own terms. I can certainly see where such a case would make a good report.
So, although I can't and won't demand that you apologize to the OP, I do think you should.
By the way, did you plagiarize your Game Show paper? Was your prof bored? Just wondering.
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Unlike the weirdo up there, I didn't plagiarize the sources, and I didn't plagiarize the video (but then again, there was no video to plagiarize, and no computer to put it on.)
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Oh, he's a weirdo now, Steve? Wow. We've officially resorted to name calling simply because of a kid's report on a game show. Instaed of giving props to someone who had the guts to do such a report in front of his class, he's now a weirdo. [Craig Karlberg]Geez....[/Craig Karlberg]
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 20 2004, 07:15 PM\'] Unlike the weirdo up there [/quote]
You're arguing vehemently about a report someone ELSE gave on a game show message board. Who's the weirdo?
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.
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Well, let's just say when someone writes a report on a single insignificant incident in television history, I wonder how many marbles that person is playing with.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 20 2004, 11:02 PM\'] Well, let's just say when someone writes a report on a single insignificant incident in television history, I wonder how many marbles that person is playing with. [/quote]
Then wonder by yourself..in silence...with your marbles.
Me, I wonder why someone wants to take away the good feeling and sense of accomplishment the OP had. Then I wonder why such a person would dare accuse someone of not being sane merely because he chose a topic that he himself admits to also writing a paper on...
So, you're sane even though you wrote a paper about game shows...he's not sane because he did virtually the same thing (but used a computer and the Net to do so)?
You lost me there somewheres.
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Can we lock this and move on?
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 20 2004, 08:02 PM\'] Well, let's just say when someone writes a report on a single insignificant incident in television history, I wonder how many marbles that person is playing with. [/quote]
Sorry, pal, you're digging your own grave on this one. You're more out of line than I usually am, and that's saying something.
I was a radio / television major in college. We talked about the Larson incident in class, and in fact it's considered pretty significant in that he beat the game without violating any rules. So you're wrong there.
Then there's the whole "let he without sin" thing. Share with us, if you will, a list of the reports and papers you wrote in high school. I bet I can find one at least as uninteresting as you find the Larson incident. It's not about the subject at that level, it's about the process...finding a topic, researching it, and presenting to the class. I did one on the history of video games that you would probably find to be a real yawner...but I got an A, so you know where you can go if you don't like it.
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Also remember I'm a little older than you. Heck, Larson was right before high school for me, while most of you were very little. It got zero play at my high school. It got zero play at college, except for the times when the second ep aired on USA. And even then, it got no play. So, I'd have to say insignificant.
Now the scandals did come up in my broadcasting courses (yes, Chris, I have the same damn degree as you), but nothing was mentioned about Larson. Which proves my theory about how insignificant it was the whole industry. That was the original point I was trying to make. The scandals were more important, and that's where I would have gone with the report, or how game shows (as a whole) have become integral in American life (which was thesis of previous said report). But to concentrate on one thing from May 19, 1984 (and broadcast June 8-11, 1984) is outlandish to me.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 21 2004, 09:05 AM\'] Also remember I'm a little older than you. Heck, Larson was right before high school for me, while most of you were very little. It got zero play at my high school. It got zero play at college, except for the times when the second ep aired on USA. And even then, it got no play. So, I'd have to say insignificant.
[/quote]
Larsen's episodes got zero airplay from their original airing to their turning up on GSN in March 2003(as part of the documentary) and June 2003(when the episodes first aired in their entirety on GSN). Carruthers and Co. would not allow them to air in reruns, but the PYL rights have since changed hands to Fremantle, and I suppose the change in rights means Fremantle can lease whatever episodes it wants.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 21 2004, 10:05 AM\'] But to concentrate on one thing from May 19, 1984 (and broadcast June 8-11, 1984) is outlandish to me. [/quote]
As outlandish as continuing to promote a discussion board which has had a total of nine messages since last December, seven of them yours?
My point is that different things are important to different people. The Larson saga may not have been the most important event in the history of television, but if you're going to create a report that you want people to find interesting, going into it believing that it really is that important can only help your case.
It sounds like this young man put a lot of effort and enthusiasm into this project. I understand the idea that it may be a little goofy, but you're coming across like it's a crime against humanity. Lighten up...or talk about it in your own group.
Oh, wait...
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My point was that it is a little goofy to me.
As for my group, we've still not recovered from the Palace yet, and I can't seem to build web pages worth diddley squat.
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[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'May 21 2004, 09:25 AM\'] My point was that it is a little goofy to me.
As for my group, we've still not recovered from the Palace yet, and I can't seem to build web pages worth diddley squat. [/quote]
Yes, you've said it before and you keep saying it, YOU didn't hear much about it, so it MUST be insignificant, right? Well, to him, it WAS significant, so he made a report about it and apparently it was well received. That doesn't make him any more weird than you acting like he commited an act against humanity. What's odd about this is that I thought you were a PYL fan, obviously I was wrong. BTW, Larson's run NEVER aired on USA.
Tyshaun
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[quote name=\'tyshaun1\' date=\'May 21 2004, 10:32 AM\'] BTW, Larson's run NEVER aired on USA. [/quote]
True, but IIRC, the TV Guide article about the Larsen incident suggested watching USA to see the relevant episodes... so I'm not surprised that some think USA actually aired them.
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Before this thread is locked. Please give me a moment:
I wish to appologize to Dougas for all the things I've said, I just got on a roll and wes feeling extra grumpy that day and I let my fingers talk before my mind. It looks like the school okayed this and you had a good time. I think I also forgot this is late May, a time when kids are almost out of school anyway.
And I wish to appologize to everyone here. I want this bickering to stop, we've all said some things we're not proud of. I don't want any bad blood between us, I want us to get along and do what we do best, discuss game shows. They're not my whole life, but it's the topic here.
OBGameshows: Rolf Benirschke once made an appearance on Davidson "HS"
Thank you
-Joe R.
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The documentary, to the person who responded on page one, covered the entire history of game shows. If you could read, you'd figure out that "History" doesn't mean one day in May, 1984. To Joe, I accept the apology, not that it really makes a difference to me because I don't know you personally, but I still find it disappointing and ironic how people poke at the idea of a Larson presentation, yet these people themselves spend hours on end playing "virtual game shows" in graphical chats, keeping track of statistics of different shows, and debating over minute, insignificant details. Doing a report and trying to expose others to some of the fun that game shows bring should be the last thing people poke fun at.
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[quote name=\'TalkingHeadsFan\' date=\'May 21 2004, 02:46 PM\'] Doing a report and trying to expose others to some of the fun that game shows bring should be the last thing people poke fun at. [/quote]
Precisely. Now, if you'd done this for, say, a graduate thesis, I might have serious questions about your sanity. ;-) But you didn't... and I don't think you did anything wrong.
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[quote name=\'dzinkin\' date=\'May 21 2004, 05:13 PM\'] [quote name=\'TalkingHeadsFan\' date=\'May 21 2004, 02:46 PM\'] Doing a report and trying to expose others to some of the fun that game shows bring should be the last thing people poke fun at. [/quote]
Precisely. Now, if you'd done this for, say, a graduate thesis, I might have serious questions about your sanity. ;-) But you didn't... and I don't think you did anything wrong. [/quote]
Hey, if he did it for a graduate thesis and PASSED, I wouldn't question his sanity, I'd praise his genius and wish I'd thought of it first. :)
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[quote name=\'JRaygor\' date=\'May 21 2004, 12:08 PM\'] Before this thread is locked. Please give me a moment:
I wish to appologize to Dougas for all the things I've said, I just got on a roll and wes feeling extra grumpy that day and I let my fingers talk before my mind. It looks like the school okayed this and you had a good time. I think I also forgot this is late May, a time when kids are almost out of school anyway.
And I wish to appologize to everyone here. I want this bickering to stop, we've all said some things we're not proud of. I don't want any bad blood between us, I want us to get along and do what we do best, discuss game shows. They're not my whole life, but it's the topic here.
OBGameshows: Rolf Benirschke once made an appearance on Davidson "HS"
Thank you
-Joe R. [/quote]
I also apologize for my sarcastic jokes. I got caught up in the flood of sneers and decided to add one. It actually sounds like it was a cool report, and I'm for anything game show related that can spark a casual conversation among non-game show fans like us.
Again, my apologies and nice work. :-)