August 15, 2006

"Game Show Man" Joe Van Ginkel: TODAY...

1 vs. 100 names a host!  Can he get it done? PLUS... Pat Sajak has a video game?  After all these years of not doing the Wheel of Fortune games? The answer to these and more burning questions, today...

on Game Show Man's Sparring Partners!

(From VBS Cybervision City...this is the webchat game show debate show that will knock you out...this is Game Show Man's Sparring Partners.  Now, here's the Game Show Man himself, Joe Van Ginkel.)

Joe: Welcome to the show.  Let's meet our award-winning panel. First, the Sage of Studio 33, Travis Schario.
Travis: (*In front of CBS Television City emblazoned with the Denver Broncos logo*)  GO PRE-SEASON FOOTBALL!!  WOO!!
Joe: Blaaaaah.
Travis: Joe just reset again.
Joe: ROFLMAO Next, the Master of Mega Man, Rob Siedelman.
Rob: Hey, I just got Wood Man's Leaf Shield weapon.  Too bad it doesn't do anything.
Joe: Unless you're in the Air Man stage getting eggs dropped on you.  Next, Mr. BuzzerBlog himself, Alex Davis.
Alex: Ha, thanks.
Joe: And finally, giving us a top-brass send off, the co-host of We Love to Interrupt, my Game Show Tournament brother, Gordon Pepper.
Gordon: Forget watching the Pig SKin. I'd rather watch Michelle L'Amour's skin.
Joe: Do we really have to say whose skin I'd rather watch?  :D
Rob: Not really.
Travis: Nope. Moving on
Gordon: Can Amy Jo Johnson go on America's Got Talent next season with a cheerleading skit?
Joe: :D
Gordon: Do I get bonus points?
Joe: No.  For the new folks, here's how this works...
Alex: I'll trade her for the oldest stripper ever please.
Joe: We play....AAAAAAAAAACK!
Alex: Kidding before you explode
Joe: !KER-SMACK!
Travis: (*ducks out of the way*)...Must protect the City.
Joe: We play eight rounds, each with three questions. For each question, I'll pick two people to debate their answers.  Remember that I'm not necessarily looking for opposing viewpoints, I'm looking for the stronger argument.  You'll go until you hear this sound...CLANG! At that point, I'll score the argument.  Ten points for the winner, nine or less for the loser, depending on how strong or weak the argument was. At the end of the fourth and sixth rounds, there will be knockouts: eliminations of the low scorer, who will then transfer to the judge's desk for the rest of the show.
Joe: Ready?
Alex: Yes
Rob: Yes.
Gordon: Yah.
Joe: Then ON TO ROUND ONE!  

CLANG!

First up...1 vs. 100

This week it was announced that comedian Bob Saget would be the host of the new NBC quizzer, produced by our friend Scott St. John who was kind enough to join us at the Game Show Congress this year. For Travis and Alex...

Travis: Yo
Alex: Let's do this 

Will Bob be able to hack his new job?

Joe: Travis, you're up.
Travis: My stock answer: "I'll wait and see."  More in depth..
Joe: Yes?
Travis: Bob's already got some "game show" experience under his belt with AFHV.  So, he's been in a position to give away large dollars.  1 vs. 100 seems like it's a relatively straightforward "read-the-question" hosting gig.  But, like I said, "wait and see."
Joe: Alex?
Alex: As always, as Travis said, it is too early to judge, but he can't handle the fact that he has been given a terrible format because of NBC's messing with a good thing. Yes, it is a straightforward read the question game, but not everyone can handle it.  Case and point: Kennedy, as well as many many others.
Joe: CLANG! I'm gonna score this one for Travis...especially since Alex only barely answered the question. 

Travis 10 - Alex 8

Joe: This one's for Rob and Gordon.
Rob: Ready.
Gordon: ready
Joe: Recent it was announced that the top prize was reduced from the originally hyped $3,000,000 down to $1,000,000. The question...

Does this help or hurt the show?

Rob, you're first.

Rob: This hurts the show, because in this country.  More money = More Viewers.

Joe: What makes you say that?

Rob: When you have a $3,000,000 Jackpot, people will be enticed to watch and more risks will be taken for the bigger payout. And, this show is straddled

Joe: Okay.  Gordon?

Gordon: According to my spies, the first set of tapings took over 8 hours. Sunday's tapings ONLY took 4 hours, but I don't think that is going to play much, because the show has many more issues to it. Maybe they should take some of that money and distribute it to the MOB, who can stay there for 3 episodes and not get paid for their appearances. That's a MAJOR problem with the show.  The money is insignificant, vs. the other many problems with the show

Joe: So you think it doesn't really matter, then.

Gordon: Not at all. They need to figure out a better payout method first to the mob.

Joe: CLANG! Okay.  We'll score this one for Gordon. That for the inside information.  :D

Gordon 10 - Rob 9

Alex: Even more upsetting is that they had to drag Ken Jennings into the mob, but that's a story for WLTI

Joe: One more in this subject.  This is for Rob and Alex, since they're behind. Simple question...

Will this show fall victim to the Turkey Hunters?  (In other words, will the show survive to the end of the season and/or beyond?)

Joe: Alex?

Alex: Easily a no in the current format.  It is even more than ever a Millionaire clone.  Messed up mob format.  Messed up money chain.  Messed up escapes.  The only good thing might be Bob Saget, but we just don't know yet.

Joe: Rob?

Rob: Yes it will survive.  With the lead in that is Deal or No deal, if that plan falls through, the carry over from DOND will help 1 Vs. 100.  Plus, the same producers of DOND are behind 1 Vs. 100.

Alex: Same people behind Winning Lines were behind Millionaire.  That didn't help.

Rob: Plus, even if it draws a 4.5 or 5.5, it would be getting more ratings than more than half of the current NBC Lineup, giving the NBC Brass confidence in the show. Plus, Winning Lines was produced by Stone-Stanley over here.

Alex: I like to call that the "Unan1mous Effect"

Joe: CLANG!  This one's a draw.  Good arguments on both sides.  I do think Alex will be right, though.

Rob 10 - Alex 10

At the end of the first round..

Rob 19 - Alex 18 - Gordon 10 - Travis 10

But Gordon and Travis get to go first in the next round...

Gordon: Gee, I wonder if Travis and I are going at it next ;)

Joe: SLOW

Travis: Could be.

Gordon: I have a slow dial up line. Deal with it

Joe: We mentioned them in the last round...Deal or No Deal

Alex: OK

Joe: The premiere of the show's second season draws near, and a wild premiere week is in store, with an escalating top prize, increasing $1,000,000 for every contestant that week. For Gordon and Travis...

Will someone win the top prize this season?

Gordon?

Gordon:  With an escalating prize wheel? No. The people are going to bail out with a ton of money. We've already seen people bail out early when they shouldn't have. With a 7-digit buy out certainly looming, people are going to play way too conservative and get out of there.

Joe: Well, the escalating prize is only for the first week.

Gordon:  DoND producers get people who need the money, and they won't go for it. It doesn't matter what week it is. 6 digits mean that people bail out, regardless of if they should. It happened all season last season and I don't see it changing now.

Joe: Travis?

Travis: I agree.  It's going to be a very conservative opening week. The only time it won't be is if the player has knocked out the entire left column, and has only the top 6 left, going into "One and Done."

Gordon: And the chances of that are slim and none. Even when it has happened, they still quit too early.

Joe: CLANG! I'm gonna give this one to Gordon.  The contestant people seem to be picking contestants that will make sure they never give away the long money.

Gordon 10 - Travis 9

Onward.  This one's for Alex and Gordon.

Gordon: ok

Alex: Yes?

Which of the new Deal or No Deal homegames is the most fun?

Joe: Gordon?

Gordon: The one on NBC.com, because it's quick and free.

Joe: Aha!

Gordon: I mean how many home games do we need for this? Its 26 boxes and pick one. Whoopie!

Joe: Going with the cheap bastard card, eh? Alex, what do you think?

Alex: DVD game easily.  No setup required.  All bank offers are presented and are relatively realistic.  Nice videos from the models, banker, and Howie.  Nice graphics.  The only downfall is the bad way of case selection....

Gordon:  Is there really any significant difference? No.

Alex: The online game has bad graphics, bad offers, and nothing special

Gordon: Its special because I didn't pay $19.99 for it.

Alex: The DVD game is simply the best and easily one of the best, if not the best, DVD game

Alex: It's special if you have low standards

Joe: CLANG! I'm going with Alex on this one.  I want a game I can play with my friends dammit.

Gordon:  You can play it on an Internet line.

Joe: (Although I'm partial to the board game.  I have the Australian version and it kicks large amounts arse.)

Travis: I'm considering buying the card game, just for the case

Alex 10 - Gordon 9

Joe: And finally for Rob and Travis...

Travis: I'm up.

Joe: Rumors abound of when Endemol and NBC will bring a syndie version of the show to the table.  The question is...

Who will they choose to host the syndie version?

Joe: Rob?

Rob: If they can get Howie Mandel to host the syndicated version and the primetime version, then get Howie Mandel. In this country, he has been associated with Deal or No Deal. Plus he has gotten better as time has worn on.

Joe: So you think they'll stay with him.  Travis, what do you think?

Travis: Judging by the article on tvgameshows.net, Howie may not do it.  I'm thinking they may have to go with another unexpected choice, friendly for daytime.  Al Roker, maybe?

Joe: CLANG

Alex: I say ship down Linda DeMol

Joe: I have to go with Travis with the outside quote here. If you've got a source, quote it, baby.

Travis 10 - Rob 9

And at the end of two, we have...

Rob: Damn you Steve Beverly.

Alex: We usually do.

Travis 29 - Gordon 29 - Rob 28 - Alex 28

Joe: Break time on Game Show Man's Sparring Partners.  More good stuff after this.

(Brought to you by Small Johnson Records.  Get the Sparring Partners soundtrack performed by Amy Jo Johnson today!)

CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE