Game Show NewsNet - Block Party with Jason Block

Naughty & Nice - December 19

Welcome back to the Block Party where my sister had her birthday on the 17th, and we are fully into the holiday swing. And with Hanukkah already underway and Christmas Next week, I would think it would be appropriate to see who–if I were Santa Claus–was naughty and nice this year. Who gets the good gifts and who gets the lump of coal?

First off the good girls and boys:

–Cheryl Jackson for proving that $5 can make you richer than winning the whole million.

–Howie Mandel for showing us that you can be a damn good host. And for that matter, Deal or No Deal for being the best of the Endemol crop of shows.

–Ken Jennings and Bob Harris for showing us that us trivia geeks have personalities, lives and experiences that can be a lot like us.

–Paul Bailey for continuing to carry the torch of us fans and honoring the game show as a whole with the Game Show Congress.

–Aaron Huertas, Jason Hernandez and all my game show peeps around the net for making it on shows and WINNING.

–GSN for at least trying to put out new product other than just gambling shows. The documentaries are really cool. And even though Starface wasn’t that great, That's the Question was OK and Chain Reaction got a season 2–give us more shows. Fans are starving for it.

–American Idol for making season 5 the best ever. Now, can Season 6 be even better.

–Jennifer Hudson for showing that losing Idol was the best thing that could have happened to you.

–Bob Barker for going out on top. And for all the reasons mentioned in a non-block party column.

–Bianca Ryan. All the people can hate on her all she wants for being a public relations tool. But she has the pipes to back it up.

–Regis Philbin for saving another network.

–CBS for keeping Survivor and Amazing Race still on the air.

–The Food Network and Marc Summers for making “The Next Food Network Star” the best reality show competition on cable TV (sorry, Project Runway)

–USA for making Nashville Star. Country fans need love too.

–Harry Friedman who continues to make Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune appointment TV over 20 years later.

–Meredith Vieira who makes being a newswoman and a game show host look too damn easy.

–Dancing With the Stars. Who knew that Ballroom Dancing would be so cool. Ok–Jason Hernandez did.

–And to Spanish and International TV for giving us versions of beloved shows. It’s the best reason to be bilingual.

And now, the lumps of coal.

–Endemol USA. Oh yeah, they make Deal or No Deal and 1 v.100. But they have foisted Midnight Money Madness, Show Me the Money and the future Set For Life on us. And also, the contestant coordinators on your shows are looking for people who are characters, not people who can play the game well. Tone down your application to something a little less prying than a government homeland security test and maybe we will apply.

–ABC. You put on the crapitude that is “The Bachelor” and “Show Me The Money”, but you don’t put back “Super Millionaire?” Are you kidding me?

–Any interactive game show that is on now or has been on. From “Playmania” to “MyGames Fever”...the production values suck, the questions are idiotic, the hosts are vapid and the games stink.

–Game Show Marathon and Ricki Lake. Don’t blame Todd Newton and Rich Fields for this mess. This falls squarely on the feet of two distinct groups. The celebrities were there for themselves and didn’t know the games...and Ricki didn’t either.

–Fox for putting on the abysmal “Unan1mous”, “Skating with Celebrities” and “Celebrity Duets.” You can’t hitch your wagon to American Idol and put crap next to it. People will know that is.

–CBS for putting on “Big Brother-All Stars”. Did we need this? No. Did anyone care? Nope.

–Any music show like “The One” or “Rock Star: Supernova.” I know American Idol...and you guys weren’t it.

–Piers Morgan for ruining the voting system of “America’s Got Talent.” You put in two acts that didn’t deserve it because of you trying to be Simon Cowell. Turned out you were just mean spirited, not critical.

–Richard Hatch. Pay your taxes and you would not have gotten into this mess.

–Any American Idol voter who bitches, whines and moans that “their” candidate didn’t win and they didn’t vote. It happens every year. Chris Daughtry got the #1 album because of his fans. The calls for the FCC investigation made me laugh.

–The last lump of coal goes to all the people who criticize just for the sake of doing it. This website tries to be as fair as possible without going the route of the personal attack. And my column is my personal opinion as to the game show world around me. But there are a lot of people who just bitch and moan to make themselves heard. That doesn’t work.

So, ho ho ho and if I missed anything go and email me and tell me that I need a lump of coal...or a good present. Anyone got a leftover PS3 lying around?

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