Uncomfortable moments with losing contestants?

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'SRIV94\' date=\'Dec 5 2004, 09:01 PM\'][quote name=\'alfonzos\' date=\'Dec 5 2004, 07:41 PM\']Arte Johnson once gonged a comely contestant on The Gong Show and she promply burst into tears. Chuck Barris brought her back later in the show when she composed herself.

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That's nothing compared to performance artist Pearl Burnett (who about nine years later appeared on LETTERMAN).  Her act consisted of cutting paper ribbons while singing a very off-key rendition of "Tie A Yellow Ribbon."  Understandably, she was gonged.  When pressed for the reason from Chuckie, Jaye P. Morgan responded, "She should tie that yellow ribbon around her neck."  (BTW, that quote was attributed to someone else in Chuckie's book The Game Show King, but it was Jaye who actually said it.)

Burnett acted shocked and demanded that Jaye repeat what she said.  Jaye repeated a slightly toned-down version of it, and Burnett furiously said to Chuckie, "I want that deleted from the show."  Barris gave a little mocking face toward the camera, waved her off and threw it to commercial.

GONG had a few incidents like that, although I think Burnett's probably tops the list of least gracious exits.

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Not really a graceless exit, but I do remember the singing contestant who kept dodging the gorilla paw that took some contestants offstage mid-number (and this was after no doubt being told in the briefing that they'd pay $200 to anyone who had the paw take them off--this was mentioned in at least one article about the show).  She finished her number without the paw touching her and the judges were forced to rate her (with S&P no doubt in full stern mode).  Not surprisingly, no one gonged her, probably because they wanted to see what would happen next.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Dec 7 2004, 05:58 PM\']Not really a graceless exit, but I do remember the singing contestant who kept dodging the gorilla paw that took some contestants offstage mid-number (and this was after no doubt being told in the briefing that they'd pay $200 to anyone who had the paw take them off--this was mentioned in at least one article about the show).  She finished her number without the paw touching her and the judges were forced to rate her (with S&P no doubt in full stern mode).  Not surprisingly, no one gonged her, probably because they wanted to see what would happen next.

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Now you've sparked something (as huge a GONG fan as I was I was unaware that "non-contestants" got a $200 appearance fee).  One GONG episode (aired late March/early April 1978) featured Melvin Presar (later to appear in TheGong Show Movie), doing a medley of "How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?" (complete with musical barking) and "In The Mood" (taking Ray Stevens' chicken-clucking version and swinging it).  Just as he's finishing "Doggie", the stagehand better known as Frere Jacques leads him away (meaning he was intended as non-contestant talent, and thus [probably] entitled to the appearance fee).  Barris then intercedes and tells him to come back out and finish the act.

He does, and is rewarded with several "One more time!" requests by Barris (I believe he then collapses from exhaustion bakcstage in the movie).  Needless to say, the three judges (the Unknown Comic, Jaye and Pat McCormick) all give him perfect scores.  It should be pointed out that Presar had appeared once before on GONG about five months earlier, doing a completely different act--and Jaye and Pat were judges on that show (and the UC was in the studio to do his usual once-a-week put down of Chuckie in a subsequent taping).  He got gonged.

Now, the kicker.  The next act (all-girl rock band the L.A. Lacers) also wind up getting a perfect score.  At the end of the program, as the audience is chanting "One more time!" at the sight of Presar (I gotta think the chants were live, not McKenzied), Barris announces, "The celebrities have decided the winner, and no matter who it is we're giving a check and a trophy to both of you!"

I wonder if S&P were in full stern mode here too--here was an act who was (probably) also supposed to be "non-contestant", but this time Barris was the one who defied them (unlike the lady who defied the gorilla paw).  And I'm guessing the "tie" for the winner and the awarding of checks and trophies to both was covering Chuckie's rear end, so to speak (not saying any rigging was going on; of course, almost everything went out the window on GONG).

Granted, completely different topic--but I thought an interesting anecdote nonetheless.  Carry on.  

Doug

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Dec 5 2004, 10:30 PM\']She shouted at Meredith, "why didn't you slow me down!" 

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That's what I like. Someone gets an answer wrong and opts to blame someone else. Bad karma.

[Alex K]

[quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Dec 2 2004, 08:24 AM\']The time on Syndicated Millionaire when they showd a surprised and shocked look on Merle Glickman's face when she lost the question on Kaula Lampour (sp?).  They didn't show her telling Meredith off.  I was in the studio audience to see it.

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What was the question?

And what did Merle say to Meredith?

[MrBuddwing]

[quote name=\'Alex K\' date=\'Dec 8 2004, 02:38 AM\'][quote name=\'goongas\' date=\'Dec 2 2004, 08:24 AM\']The time on Syndicated Millionaire when they showd a surprised and shocked look on Merle Glickman's face when she lost the question on Kaula Lampour (sp?).  They didn't show her telling Meredith off.  I was in the studio audience to see it.

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What was the question?

And what did Merle say to Meredith?

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The question had to do with where the world's tallest skyscraper is located. I think the contestant said "Singapore" when the correct answer was Kuala Lumpur.

As for what the contestant said, see post #59 of this thread.

I remember how the contestant, an older woman, seemed positively giddy as she skated from one question to the next - and how, when she breezed into the incorrect answer on the skyscraper, her face fell and the show quickly faded to black.

[pyrfan]

Although I didn't see any of her appearances, I would have to think "Jeopardy!" champ "Barbara Lowe" (or whatever her real name is) would certainly qualify under uncomfortable moments, as I understand that she challenged a judge's ruling on the air at least once. Oh, and also the fact that she was later found to be ineligible because of too many appearances on other shows and then sued "Jeopardy!" when they tried to withhold their winnings. Did anyone see any of her appearances?


Brendan

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'pyrfan\' date=\'Dec 8 2004, 03:43 PM\']Although I didn't see any of her appearances, I would have to think "Jeopardy!" champ "Barbara Lowe" (or whatever her real name is) would certainly qualify under uncomfortable moments, as I understand that she challenged a judge's ruling on the air at least once. Oh, and also the fact that she was later found to be ineligible because of too many appearances on other shows and then sued "Jeopardy!" when they tried to withhold their winnings. Did anyone see any of her appearances?

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I remember her appearances on Bullseye and commented about what a stuck-up (enter expletive deleted here) she was. She may think she got away with stuff, but while she's burning in the afterlife in the netherworld of all darkness and no dawning, she will then fully realize the error of her ways. But, alas, too late. Too late.

[wheelloon]

In a 1988 episode of WOF in the bonus round, the category was place, the puzzle was NICE, ITALY.  The girl had R S T L N E C D M A, I believe... She pronounced Nice like with kindness, not like the Italy city. When it was revealed (she ran out of time) Pat was like ughhh u were so close, then she goes "THATS WHAT I SAID" Pat said it's actually pronounced N-ee-ce, not N-i-ce, and she was like, but it's spelled like NICE... Pat goes... ughh, we'll have the judges talk about it and be right back with their decision after this... You could tell she was mad, and that Pat wanted to go to commercial as quickly as possible...

She didn't get it, of course, and she shouldn't have... that must have been most awkward for Pat though... she lost the $25000 if anyone was interested.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'wheelloon\' date=\'Dec 8 2004, 10:00 PM\']In a 1988 episode of WOF in the bonus round, the category was place, the puzzle was NICE, ITALY.  The girl had R S T L N E C D M A

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The puzzle was Milan, Italy. She didn't pronounce Milan correctly and was ruled incorrect. GSN aired this episode three times in the last few years.

[Don Howard]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 8 2004, 10:51 PM\'][quote name=\'wheelloon\' date=\'Dec 8 2004, 10:00 PM\']In a 1988 episode of WOF in the bonus round, the category was place, the puzzle was NICE, ITALY.  The girl had R S T L N E C D M A

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The puzzle was Milan, Italy. She didn't pronounce Milan correctly and was ruled incorrect. GSN aired this episode three times in the last few years.

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I believe Nice is in France. I was there once. It was Nice to be there. To be there...Nice.

[Alex K]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 8 2004, 10:51 PM\'][quote name=\'wheelloon\' date=\'Dec 8 2004, 10:00 PM\']In a 1988 episode of WOF in the bonus round, the category was place, the puzzle was NICE, ITALY.  The girl had R S T L N E C D M A

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The puzzle was Milan, Italy. She didn't pronounce Milan correctly and was ruled incorrect. GSN aired this episode three times in the last few years.

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If the answer was Nice (rhymes with niece) and she said Nice (rhymes with mice), then she was correct.

She should sue over that one.


If the answer was Milan and she mispronounced Milan, then I would have to know exactly what she said.

[Steve Gavazzi]

[quote name=\'Alex K\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 01:53 AM\']If the answer was Nice (rhymes with niece) and she said Nice (rhymes with mice), then she was correct.

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I bet the people who live there would beg to differ.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'Alex K\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 01:53 AM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 8 2004, 10:51 PM\']

The puzzle was Milan, Italy. She didn't pronounce Milan correctly and was ruled incorrect. GSN aired this episode three times in the last few years.

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If the answer was Milan and she mispronounced Milan, then I would have to know exactly what she said.

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She pronounced it MILL-an IIRC, and not Mi-LAN.

[wheelloon]

Was it milan?? I swear to god i thought it was Nice!!! Yes I remember seeing it a few times on GSN, so ur prolly right.

SORRY!!! BIG SCREW UP!!!! MY FAULT...

Though I do rememer sometime recently seeing the puzzle Nice, Italy on Wheel, whether it was an old one or not apparently I can't remember too well...

Either way the point was that Pat looked really uncomfortable, the girl was obviously angry (or at least from my point of view) about the puzzle, and it must have been a bit unnerving for him.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'wheelloon\' date=\'Dec 9 2004, 09:13 AM\']

Though I do rememer sometime recently seeing the puzzle Nice, Italy on Wheel, whether it was an old one or not apparently I can't remember too well...

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You might have seen a puzzle Nice, France, but not Nice, Italy, as Nice is in France(and since it's pronounced like Niece, it could have caused confusion in pronunciation)