Pyramid(all versions)

[adamjk]

Why is it that, in the main game, you can use your hands while giving clues, but in the winners circle you cannot? I've never understood that.

[whewfan]

The answer is quite simple.... using your hands means you can gesture to suggest the clue (for example "Things you blend", you could use your hands in a blending motion). That would make winning the 10k (or 25k or whatever!) WAY TOO EASY TO WIN!!

I think the "no hands" rule was ALWAYS in place, but on the 10k Pyramid, the judges did allow celeb's hands to be "free" as long as they didn't do any gesturing to suggest the essence of the subject. By the time the show became 20k Pyramid, they became more restrictive and said NO HANDS at all, adding straps to the chair.

[ITSBRY]

Why is it that, in the main game, you can use your hands while giving clues, but in the winners circle you cannot? I've never understood that.

Dick often said that in the main game you could say or do almost anything except say the word; while in the WC you were very restricted.  Makes perfect sense to me...the WC should be tough and if you think about it, the WC is a much different game.

Since key words are accepted in the WC, the rule is an important one.  For example, if the category was "Things you put on your feet", the giver could simply point to their foot and the receiver could get the category by saying "foot" or "feet" without having to play the game as it's supposed to be played.  

This should be acceptable in the main game because you're conveying only the word and not the bond.

ITSBRY
itsbry@juno.com

[Bob Zager]

Actually, for a while on $10,000 Pyramid, they did NOT have a rule against using hands to describe in the Winner's Circle.  In a few of the $10k episodes that aired on GSN, if you watch the opening montage of past winners, there is a clip where Anita Gillette used her hands to help the contestant correctly identify the subject "Things that break."  Don't know exactly when the restriction went into effect.

[ChuckNet]

The answer is quite simple.... using your hands means you can gesture to suggest the clue (for example "Things you blend", you could use your hands in a blending motion). That would make winning the 10k (or 25k or whatever!) WAY TOO EASY TO WIN!!

Case in point: during one of the $1M Pyramid pilots shot by Sony in '00, Joe Rogan made the WC category of "Things You Pour" a giveaway by use of blatant hand gestures w/his verbal clues (thankfully, the judging restrictions were tightened in that dept when they went to series 2 yrs later).

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

[vtown7]

Chuck - are those on the trading circuit then (the $1M pyramid pilot)?

Ryan

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'ChuckNet\' date=\'May 17 2004, 05:59 PM\'] (thankfully, the judging restrictions were tightened in that dept when they went to series 2 yrs later).
 [/quote]
 Alas, that was the ONLY place they were restricted.

[Little Big Brother]

In a few of the $10k episodes that aired on GSN, if you watch the opening montage of past winners, there is a clip where Anita Gillette used her hands to help the contestant correctly identify the subject "Things that break." Don't know exactly when the restriction went into effect.

Funny, when I started reading this thread I immediately thought of a different example I saw on GSN 10K, also involving Anita Gillette.  I don't remember the category exactly, it had something to do with opera singers, but she was posturing like an opera singer.

As for when the restriction went into effect, I remember Dick Clark referring to the straps as the "Sandy Duncan straps" on I believe $100K.  Perhaps that might provide a reference point for someone else to answer the question?

[mctoyboy]

Was Sandy the person who ripped one of the straps right off the chair?
j

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Bob Zager\' date=\'May 17 2004, 07:07 PM\']Actually, for a while on $10,000 Pyramid, they did NOT have a rule against using hands to describe in the Winner's Circle.  In a few of the $10k episodes that aired on GSN, if you watch the opening montage of past winners, there is a clip where Anita Gillette used her hands to help the contestant correctly identify the subject "Things that break."  Don't know exactly when the restriction went into effect.[/quote]
It seemed to be sometime before the move to ABC.

Some years later, I recall Clark saying on the air that Ruth Buzzi's overuse of her hands during her week on the show was was brought on the arm straps in the Winner's Circle and the "no use of the hands" rule.

[scully24]

During the most recent Pyramid tournament, Dayna Devon cut her hand jumping out of the chair with her hands still in the straps.  If you have it on tape, you can see her reacting to the hand injury even while she was celebrating after the first round WC.

[ChuckNet]

Chuck - are those on the trading circuit then (the $1M pyramid pilot)?

No, I got that info from a report given by Randy Amasia (God rest his soul) to ATGS after he saw the tapings.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")