Game Show NewsNet

Episode 4 - "GSN's Major Mistake" (July 2)

Welcome my friends, once again, to another Episode of the DiGeorge Files.

Last week, the question was posed… "What is the WORST Game Show Ever?"

Greg Seiden decided that "Dog Eat Dog" was one of the worst ever. Kenneth Sokol believes the "Funhouse" was absolutely atrocious. Scott Hempler went a bit older school with the 1980's "Face the Music" and Jonathan Friedman is dead set in believing that "For Love or Money" is the worst reality/game show.

In turn, my answer may surprise you, my loyal readers. This show is one of the most popular shows on GSN as we speak. However, Chuck Woolery's "Lingo" ranks #1 as the worst television game show I have ever seen.

Now, you may be wondering… Why Lingo? The premise is terrible. Just go back and forth trying to guess a five letter word with "Mastermind" type clues. Then, taking a page from the famous TPiR pricing game, "Three Strikes", the correct team dips their hand into a bowl to pull out a "Lingo Ball", hopefully giving them a "Lingo" (5 in a row vertically, horizontally or diagonally.)

What's wrong with that? Here comes the laundry list. The contestants that the producers ultimately pick to be on the show? Absolute MORONS. If you ever plan on going to participate on a TV game show, make sure you can identify your strengths and weaknesses quickly. The truth of the matter is… you don't need to know ANYTHING to be good at Lingo. However, it seems IMPOSSIBLE for ANYONE to be good at the game. There seems to be an overwhelming failure in the games mechanics.

Also, Chuck Woolery, how the mighty have fallen. Now, you seemingly sleepwalk through the Lingo episodes. The gusto and fire that made the game show public fall in love with you… gone. Now, after the contestant-morons try to guess the word for the 25th time… you quip "It's gotta be that!" Way to go Chuck. Gripping TV. (Please, please, understand the sarcasm there)

Lingo also took a page from the insanely popular internet game "Slingo". This incorporation of Slot Machines and Bingo (both games of luck), led to an explosion in AOL's popularity. GSN, scrounging for a new idea for prime time, took Slingo and decided to figure out what we can create out of -INGO. Lingo was born.

Lingo outweighs other bad GSN shows like "Friend or Foe". Friend or Foe, although incredibly… annoying at times, has an incredible premise AND an incredible showdown.

Is anyone hanging onto their seat with baited breath waiting for the last Lingo ball to be pulled?

For some reason, I highly doubt it.

For next week, please e-mail me a response to this question:

"If you would find out that Who Wants to be a Millionaire was fake (a la Charles Van Doren on the $64,000 question), would you ever watch another game show again?"

Until next week, peace out, cub scouts!

Lee pines for the days of Michael Reagan, you can tell. E-mail him at digeorgefiles@yahoo.com.