Game Show NewsNet - Block Party with Jason Block

Hypocrisy and Anger - March 6

I warned you people. I begged you people. I pleaded. I told you not to support the biggest disaster of a show in years. And what do you do? You make “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” the biggest premiere of a show on Fox in the last 13 years! And 4 more episodes have been ordered as of this writing.

So does that make me the lone voice in the wilderness of celebrating stupidity?

Nope...because I am going to pick on the show some more! Look at this disclaimer at the end of the show...

“Members of the class were provided with workbooks that covered grade school level material in a variety of subjects. Some of the material could have formed the basis of questions used by producers in the show.”

Let me translate into non-disclaimer for you... “We let the kids cheat.”

Yes, Mark Burnett I am calling you on it. If you want to sue me...you know the web page and you know my email.

Hey Mark, maybe you should go and give certain Survivor contestants advantages in immunity or reward challenges. Maybe Alex Trebek or Meredith Vieira should brief the contestants on what subjects they are going to be asked before they come out to play.

Here’s the deal...there was a radio program in the 1940's called “The Quiz Kids”. Do you think the children were “assisted” as to what answers “might” come up during the show? I sure as hell don’t think so.

As a game show fan, the fact that this show is as a monster of a hit makes me sick to my stomach. Sick, because a) the American Public is too lazy to switch the channel. Anything after American Idol will be a hit. b) Rules, as we know it, are dead.

So, as of this column, I am proposing that the Communications Act of 1960 be rescinded and game show rules shall be changed:

a) Any contestant in an audition room can have answers handed to them. That is so the staff can get the demographic of the show they want on the air.

b) During game play, the production staff can assist the contestants they like. If they want to be politically correct, give assistance to a minority.

c) Hosts can infer an answer through vocal inflection.

You guys get the idea. But the fact that “Are You Smarter” is a hit shows me that game shows as we know it cease to exist.

And to quote Howard Beale from Network...I am mad as hell and I am not going to take it anymore.

You can join the Block Party at jb.regis@verizon.net.