Game Show NewsNet - Block Party with Jason Block

I Want to Play... Or At Least a Chance to Audition - August 14

Ok, this is Jason Block and I am throwing a bit of a temper tantrum in the face of something that may not seem important to you, but is very important to me.

If you have been hiding under a rock for the last few months, you know that not one, but two syndicated game show will be debuting in a month's time..."Merv Griffin's Crosswords" and "Temptation" (a/k/a The New Sale of the Century).

So, when I found out the shows were starting to audition, I jumped at the chance. Yes, I have been on four game shows...but these shows looked like the perfect opportunity to get one for the thumb!

But when I called both West Coast Production Offices, I basically got the same speech.

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: We would love to have you come and audition.

ME: Great, are you having auditions on the East Coast or in the New York Area?

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: No, but we are having auditions at....

ME: But, I can't make it out there....

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Sorry, but that's what we are doing at this time...

ME: Thank you. (hangs up in disappointment).

In my opinion, this is why game shows fail. I know a lot of smart people on the west coast...and I am not knocking them at all. But if you only get a certain demographic, you may not get people to watch the show.

Look at Jeopardy! In the last year or so, they have recently started an online component to their testing process. Thousands of people who never could get to California got a shot to test for their favorite show. And it has worked.

Even the newer shows should visit maybe two or three cities before production starts to get people within the contestant pool. It just seem short sighted to me when two shows that want to succeed only want to audition people in the LA California area instead of looking for people all across the United States.

This column started out as a personal rant, but in the long run...the whole United States should get a shot to audition...not just people within driving distance of the production company.

I, along with a lot of other people, am willing to wait patiently for my turn....anyone here want to let us play?

You agree or disagree? Fire me off a letter at jb.regis@verizon.net.