Misc. TPIR news & notes

[cmjb13]

One of the things I like about Rich is that besides being super nice (you never know how people really are until you meet them) is that he really seems honored to be there.

He really seems to like that new podium seemingly going out of his way to show me some features, but I'm not really savvy when it comes to stuff like that.

I truly think he doesn't see this as just a "job".

And at least he likes game shows.

Man, Johnny really had an influence on people. That makes 2 people who were in the TPIR audience (Rod & Rich) who asked for advice and got the announce job.

[Terry K]

The more I think about it (and Randy, do not take this in a bad sense), I think they were trying to pick someone who wasn't a direct Rod or Johnny O protege.  

You can't replace Johnny or Rod.  You can't.  I think Randy was *too* much like Johnny and/or Rod for the comfort of Bob.  Randy is a class act and I think he should have gotten the job, but again, Rich has enough of Johnny and Rod in him to do the job, yet he's different enough to also make for a good succession.

Remember, when Johnny passed on, the announcer selection was a who's who of announcers, and every big name (and some not-so-big names) tried out for the job. Gene Wood, Bob Hilton, Rod, and a few others tried out for the job, and ultimately it went to someone we least expected to see get the job (Rod).    

Fast forward to 2001-2002, when Rod's illness started to set in: Burton was pressed into service initially because he had experience with TPIR (TNPIR '94), and then Randy followed along with his Sweep experience.  

I do note it was 7 months after Rod's passing (almost to the day) that Rich was announced as the permanent announcer for TPIR.

The announcer search didn't start in earnest until January when they started the rotation they ended up using.  I do think it was great we heard a variety of announcers, and we all have our own favourite.    The selection of announcers today is far far different than it was in 1985, there were 4 major announcers in the business and different ones, Burton Richardson, Randy West, Johnny Gilbert, and Charlie O'Donnell.  We needed some new announcing talent, although what we have is good, getting new blood in is important to say the least.

We now need to welcome Rich into TPIR and wish him long term success.  And I hope Johnny and Rod are watching Rich's work and giuiding him in spirit (which I am sure they are) to see the TPIR legacy continue.  

I still ask the question though:  Is it possible Rich is being groomed to take over TPIR when Bob does leave the show?  That is one theory I have on the succession path.  (I'd think the audience that TPIR has would much prefer it if they put someone who's a known quantity to them in when Bob does hang it up, although we all know TPIR won't be the same show without him)

[cmjb13]

[quote name=\'Terry K\' date=\'May 1 2004, 09:29 PM\']Fast forward to 2004: Burton was pressed into service initially because he had experience with TPIR (TNPIR '94)[/quote]
That wasn't the reason in 2001 and I don't think that's the reason now. In 2001, they probably went with Burton because he already announced for the company, was available, and was interested in doing the gig.

I still ask the question though:  Is it possible Rich is being groomed to take over TPIR when Bob does leave the show?

I don't think they would groom Rich unless he had experience and he's not going to get it announcing. Plus then they would have to find another announcer to replace him.

I don't know why this keeps coming up.

Is it because he looks good for Television? Has a good voice?

[chris319]

[quote name=\'cmjb13\' date=\'May 1 2004, 06:37 PM\']

I still ask the question though:  Is it possible Rich is being groomed to take over TPIR when Bob does leave the show?

I don't think they would groom Rich unless he had experience and he's not going to get it announcing. Plus then they would have to find another announcer to replace him.

I don't know why this keeps coming up.

Is it because he looks good for Television? Has a good voice? [/quote]
I wouldn't rule anything out.

We cast Pat Sajak, the KNBC weatherman at the time, for Puzzlers without any emcee experience. Too bad his career didn't take off after that.

They may have hired Rich on the theory that he might be trainable as an emcee and if he doesn't work out they can keep him as the announcer. If he does work out as emcee, they now have a Rolodex full of people who can announce the show and there is no need to go through the audition process all over again.

By seeing his demo tape they can tell how well he connects with a TV audience and how he performs live. If you can explain the weather in Palm Springs (where a cold snap is defined as temperatures below 104 degrees) then certainly you can explain the Range Game. What they can't tell is how well he connects with contestants, but where are you going to get that kind of experience these days? It frankly wouldn't surprise me if they did an actual pilot with him emceeing some day, nor would it surprise me if Rich emceed one show per week at some point, enabling Barker to lay out for that taping day.

[chris319]

Well whaddya know -- Rich used to be the "back-up show host" for MGP's own Flamingo Fortune, so he is not an unknown quantity as an emcee.

[tvrandywest]

[quote name=\'Terry K\' date=\'May 1 2004, 05:29 PM\'] The more I think about it (and Randy, do not take this in a bad sense), I think they were trying to pick someone who wasn't a direct Rod or Johnny O protege. [/quote]
 Terry, thanks for the compliments in your post. The conjecture from several members here (both posted and e-mailed to me) make for interesting reading.

As much as I'd like to shed some more light on the thinking at Price, I'm really not in a position to comment. But in what I imagine will be my last post on the subject I will endorse something Chris posted on the matter in which he stated that there are unseen/unheard factors that often carry weight in casting decisions. I'm confident from what I was told that the decision makers at Price were thoroughly delighted with my performance over the 11 months that I rotated on the show. That's the highest compliment I could receive.

Conjecture is natural but fruitless; some of what I've read is starting to sound like the JFK, Dorothy Kilgallen, FBI, Dealy Plaza theories (which are true!  ;-)

I'm glad the show has finally settled in for some consistency after all the rotation; as a viewer I always enjoyed the "family" feel of regular cast members. I wish Rich success at a job that can be tough both on and off the mike.

Personally, I am so enriched by the experience. I'm proud of the work, and enjoyed sharing the stage with the WGMC. I learned a lot that I have already seen has taken my work to the next level. I made a bunch of new friends with some really wonderful people, some I'd never met, and others who were merely aquaintances before. Strangely, I feel closer to Rod now than I did at any other time in the 27 years we knew each other. I think I honored the hours of Johnny O's generous mentoring of that starstruck fan he met in 1971, and I like to think that Penny Olson and her nephew Bob Carpenter rest even easier now with the knowledge that, in me, they found the right respectful caretaker for the boxes of personal memorabilia John collected through his career.

And let me not forget to again express my thanks to the friends and fans, many from this board, who reached out with support and kind words during the past year. I am blown away by how many people took the time to send an e-mail or two; some have become e-friends.

It was a wonderful chapter, and I'm already on to the next work. Some of it is with Freemantle; becoming part of that extended family is another way that the experience has been valuable.

So thanks, and let's all enjoy the show  ;-)


Randy
tvrandywest.com