25 Things you didn't know of WOF

[Craig Karlberg]

I knew some of the things listed there, but others intriuged me & got me wondering:

2.  As far as Wheel outranking My Name Is Earl goes, it could be possible if CBS has the hindsight to ACTUALLY air a prime time edition of the show

3.  A 2-ton Wheel would certainly have to be lifted by cranes or forklifts if they take the show on the road.

5.  If it costs $450K for the touch letterboard, I often wondered how much the originaal board costs back in 1975(or even 1974).

6.  If you really wanna get technical, WoF actually got started as a pilot in 1974 under the working titltle Shopper's Bazzarr

7.  Do they keep a running tally of the most used categories?

8.  If that's accurate, expect about 20-25% of the puzzles prepared to be used during the season.

15.  If they're sequestering the players like that, are they sequestered in seperate hotels away from their family & friends?

17.  If I was on the show, I'd need a 3"-6" platform just so I can spin that darn 2-ton thing.

18.  Are the players even "multitasking" here at all?

20.  That's easy!  That little wheel is probably no more than 1% of its bigger cousin's weight.

22.  Not even TPIR can say that in its 36 years on the air.

23.  Even so, her clapping has dropped by about 20-30% thanks to the "impatient" players wanting to spin the wheel.

[geno57]

24.  If a studio audience member calls out the answer to a puzzle during a taping, the puzzle is discarded and replaced with a new puzzle.

And, of course, said audience member is taken out, flogged, shot, and beheaded ... as an example to subsequent audience members.

[vtown7]

[quote name=\'Steve McClellan\' post=\'79315\' date=\'Mar 24 2005, 05:19 PM\'][T]here is a plasma screen to the left of the puzzle board that I don't believe has ever appeared on camera. This screen contains the letters of the alphabet (removed as they're called), the category of the current puzzle, the Jackpot amount (when applicable), and the flashing words "PRIZE PUZZLE" (when applicable).
[/quote]

Which has definitely changed since 97 when I was on - at that time, it was letters of the alphabet (only as 'lite ups' - with red squares around the vowels, just in case you forget), then a screen with our names on it, current round score, past round scores, and any prizes you were holding at that time.  Below that was a "ticker tape" display with the category.

And for the puzzle categories - along with person, place, thing, and phrase, would the other two be quotation and landmark?

Ryan

/was happy that there was only about ~15 categories when he was on
//and was happier that Before and After was the first one

[chad1m]

[quote name=\'vtown7\' post=\'198443\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 08:18 AM\']it was letters of the alphabet (only as 'lite ups' - with red squares around the vowels, just in case you forget), then a screen with our names on it, current round score, past round scores, and any prizes you were holding at that time.  Below that was a "ticker tape" display with the category.[/quote]I seemed to recall seeing this somewhere in my game show meandering (before posting the McClellan bit), but I couldn't find any evidence to back me up so I kept mah yap shut.

[tpirfan28]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'198428\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 12:12 AM\']
[quote name=\'jmangin\' post=\'198422\' date=\'Sep 28 2008, 07:11 PM\']
Hot Pockets sponsorship?[/quote]
Approves
[/quote]
Does not approve.

Really a neat list.  In wheel comparison, how heavy is TPIR's wheel?

[Clay Zambo]

Re: that plasma used-letter display: yup.  You can see it in the 360-degree set shot on the WOF site.  (I miss the clacking of the old wooden board as letters were flipped during the speed-up round, I'll admit.  But I won't get nuts about it.)

[jmangin]

[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'198448\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 10:24 AM\']
Does not approve.
[/quote]
I hope it was pepperoni pizza and not one of those crazy ones like beef taco.

[Tony Peters]

Re: the 2-ton wheel:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that by "the wheel", the author means not just the wheel itself, but the entire base/contestant lectern setup as well.

[dale_grass]

[quote name=\'Tony Peters\' post=\'198459\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 11:25 AM\']
Re: the 2-ton wheel:

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that by "the wheel", the author means not just the wheel itself, but the entire base/contestant lectern podium setup as well.
[/quote]

\Hell, I'll even except "dais."
\\Anyone got a homophone pet peeve?
\\\Or homophonophobia?

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'jmangin\' post=\'198457\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 09:05 AM\']
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'198448\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 10:24 AM\']
Does not approve.
[/quote]
I hope it was pepperoni pizza and not one of those crazy ones like beef taco.
[/quote]
For that authentic south-of-the-border taste, wrapped up in a shiatty crust and suitable for microwaving.

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'198464\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 12:46 PM\']
[quote name=\'jmangin\' post=\'198457\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 09:05 AM\']
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'198448\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 10:24 AM\']
Does not approve.
[/quote]
I hope it was pepperoni pizza and not one of those crazy ones like beef taco.
[/quote]
For that authentic south-of-the-border taste, wrapped up in a shiatty crust and suitable for microwaving.
[/quote]Yeah, I used to be quite the fan of these when I was younger; but I think they taste like absolute crap anymore.  I'm not sure if it happened after Nestle bought Chef America out, but all they do now is insult my palate.

As for the original categories...IIRC they were..."Place" "Person" "People" "Thing" "Event" and "Title"

[MSTieScott]

Vanna White surprises the contestants by greeting them before she gets her hair and makeup done.

Well, there goes the surprise.

[Kevin Prather]

[quote name=\'Modor\' post=\'198465\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 10:56 AM\']
As for the original categories...IIRC they were..."Place" "Person" "People" "Thing" "Event" and "Title"
[/quote]
You don't think "Phrase" was in there somewhere? I'd put "Phrase" in place of "People", since I imagine "Things" would come around the same time as "People."

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'Kevin Prather\' post=\'198467\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 11:02 AM\']
You don't think "Phrase" was in there somewhere?[/quote]
I can tell you with certainty that "Phrase" was in there somewhere. And I would bet they combined "Person" and "People" for the purposes of their little trivia fact.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'198468\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 01:04 PM\']
[quote name=\'Kevin Prather\' post=\'198467\' date=\'Sep 29 2008, 11:02 AM\']
You don't think "Phrase" was in there somewhere?[/quote]
I can tell you with certainty that "Phrase" was in there somewhere. And I would bet they combined "Person" and "People" for the purposes of their little trivia fact.
[/quote]

It seems to me that in the very beginning, it was just Person/Fictional Character/Place/Thing.  No plurals.  Phrase, Quotation and Title didn't come along until later.