August 22, 2006

"Game Show Man" Joe Van Ginkel: TODAY! America's Got Talent has found its winner.  Who cares? PLUS...The World Series of Poker has found a new champion, GSN has a new programming head, and Dancing with the Stars has new dancers... All this and more, today...on Game Show Man's Sparring Partners!

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

Joe V.G.: Hello, friends, and welcome to our show.  Let's meet our four combatants today. First, the Sage of Studio 33, Travis Schario.
Travis Schario: *Camped out in front of CBS Television City*  Is two days too early to show up for work?
Joe V.G.: Very possibly.  Next the Prince of Press Your Luck, Jason Hernandez.
Jason Hernandez: *PYL running in the background* Hey guys! Hopefully, I won't hit any whammies today. =)
Joe V.G.: lol Next, Mr. Nintendo, Rob Siedelman.
Rob Seidelman: And I still contend that Startropics is one of the most underrated games of all time.
Joe V.G.: And finally, GSNN irregular Joe Mello.
Joe Mello: This game is made of Love and Peace! *V* I represent the Johnny Yong Bosch faction, just because he's awesome and a former Power Ranger
Travis: Oh, no.  Here we go.
Joe V.G.: And I represent...you know.  :D  Onward.  We play eight rounds, the first six with three questions, and the last two with only two. For each question, I'll pick two people to debate their answers. Remember, 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.

Travis: I'm defending, so everyone watch out.
Joe V.G.: Indeed.  Travis was our winner on the last show.  Are we ready to get under way?
Jason: Let's go.
Rob: I'm ready and willing.
Joe M.: Hit me with it
Joe V.G.: Then onto Round One! 

CLANG!

Travis: *cramming Farmer's Market donut in my mouth*...let's rock.
Joe V.G.: Save me some Travis.  First up...America's Got Talent. Preteen singer Bianca Ryan proved she had talent this week as she took home the big million dollar grand prize. For Joe and Travis...
Travis: Boo yah
Joe M.: :3

Are Bianca's 15 minutes of fame up?

Joe V.G.: Joe?
Joe M.: I'd say not for another couple weeks.  She still has photo-ops and appearances on talkies to do.  And since she's from the Philly area, the city will always adore her because she actually won something
Joe V.G.: I see.  Travis?
Travis: She'll have the stigma of being a trivia answer..."Who won the first America's Got Talent?" So, in that respect, her fame will last. Apart from that, I'd say she still has growing to do before she becomes completely "famous."
Joe V.G.: But you don't think she'll be able to make anything out of it.
Travis: I'd say she's at 14:22.  She will, but not immediately.
Joe V.G.: CLANG!  Travis wins this one.  Personally, I think she's at 14:59 myself.

Travis 10 - Joe 9

Next, for Rob and Jason...

Travis: Yes.
Joe M.: Meh

Will any of the other acts make a career out this show?

Joe V.G.: Rob?
Rob: Sadly, the freakish angel looking guy known as Leonid the Magnificent will get some recognition from this show. 
Joe V.G.: This is the one who broke down in front of the judges in surreal fashion.
Rob: That would be the one. They will remember him for hula-hooping about 20-30 hula-hoops. Not only that, the image of him using a hula hoop with his butt will get him on the talk shows and other assorted craptacular shows. He'll have the same recognition as William Hung.
Jason: En, oh. It's very difficult to make a career out of a summer show that is just a bunch of crappy filler time. Plus, some of the people on that show have been on other shows before, or have made other appearances at arenas. There have been at least three or four acts that have appeared elsewhere BEFORE this show was even a glint in its father's eye.
Joe V.G.: CLANG! Rob wins for making fun of Leonid.  :D

Rob 10 - Jason 9

And finally for Jason and Joe...

Do we really need to see this show again?

Jason?
Jason: H-E... double hockey-sticks NO!!! We really do not. Most of the talent on this show can do fine looking for work elsewhere. Do we really need to see all those hula hoops?
Joe V.G.: Heh. Joe?
Joe M.: Between the 5 of us, probably not.  For the rest of those people in TV land, they need their "Idol fix" during the summer, and this is the closest they have. NBC would definitely love to see this in the summer
Jason: I'm sure they would, but who stays home and watches television during the summer?
Travis: ...me
Joe V.G.: Enough to make a difference apparently.
Jason: Pssh.... please.  Crappy shows like those are why I have a life. :p
Joe V.G.: CLANG! We probably don't need to see this show again, but lots of folks seem to like it.  Joe wins.
Joe M.: :D

Joe 10 - Jason 9

Jason: Well, those folks are stupid.
Joe V.G.: Sadly enough, Jason is right.
Joe M.: Some people have to work in the summer, you know
Jason: What are you trying to say, Joe?
Joe M.: Not everyone goes on vacation.
Joe V.G.: At the end of one...

Joe 19 - Jason 18 - Rob 10 - Travis 10

Joe M.: Well this lead won't last long.
Jason: No, it won't.
Joe V.G.: Okay, okay, okay.  Enough.  On to Round Two.
Jason: *cracks knuckles*
Joe V.G.: Dancing With the Stars! The show's third pool of contestants has been announced, ranging from the likes of Mario Lopez and Viveca A. Fox to Jerry Springer and James Carville. For Rob and Travis...
Travis: Yo 

Who ya got?

Joe V.G.: Rob?
Rob: As is reported on pinnaclesports.com, Mario Lopez from Saved by the Bell and Pet Star is favored. And seeing him on stage and in Saved by the Bell, he does have some good moves and can dance well, as is evident by his performance on Extreme Dodgeball 3.
Joe V.G.: The fool who cheated on Ali Landry.  Shmoe.  Is that who you think's gonna win Rob?
Rob: Yup, I'm going with Mario.
Joe V.G.: Okay.  Travis?
Travis: Mario Lopez as the favorite, based on personal opinion and the GSNN article.  Jerry and James as the "OK-I'll-see-what-they-do-to-themselves" favorites, but early eliminations. Vivica as a Dark Horse.
Joe V.G.: O_o
Joe M.: errrr
Jason: LMAO
Travis: *slaps entire panel*
Joe V.G.: CLANG!  Interesting choice of words, Travis.
Joe M.: I'm personally going with some other channel XD
Joe V.G.: Rob wins this one.

Rob 10 - Travis 9

Joe V.G.: Although if I may say so, Viveca's one Dark Horse I wouldn't mind riding.  :P
Joe M.: !SMACK!
Travis: *calls Amy Jo Johnson*
Jason: Awww, Joey!
Rob: So much innuendo in this show.
Travis: Quadruple entendres.  That's what we do.
Joe M.: come again?
Travis: Exactly.
Joe V.G.: ROFLMAO This one's for Jason and Travis...

Who would you have like to have seen on this show?

Travis?
Travis: Two words...Bob Barker
Jason: Are you kidding me?
Travis: Bad foot tendon or no, The Silver Fox to the ball room.
Jason: As a big fan of the show, I'd rather see some nice fluid dancing.
Joe V.G.: OH SNAP
Travis: Who's to say Bob can't dance fluidly?
Joe V.G.: Jason is apparently.  Who would you want to see Jason?
Jason: I had more of a blast watching Mister Lachey put on some of the best dance moves of the entire series than anyone else.  Personally, how about someone like Kaley Cuoco?  Or maybe another female athlete with sex appeal, but fantastic dancing ability.
Travis: AH...stop the game.
Joe V.G.: What?
Travis: "Fantastic Dancing Ability." That's not what DWTS is all about.  They have to get AMATEUR dancer celebrities. Jerry Rice, anyone?
Joe V.G.: CLANG! Travis is right.  They need amateurs so they can show them screwing up.

Travis 10 - Jason 9

Jason: Give me the shows later in the season.
Joe V.G.: Finally for Rob and Joe: Part of the show's success is based on the skills of its host, Tom "H2" Bergeron.
Jason: Oh, THEY get the easy one. :-p
Joe V.G.: What's easy about this...?
Jason: I know what's coming up. But I'll shut up before I get muted.

Do you think Tom B. would make a good contestant on this show?

Joe V.G.: Rob?
Rob: Yes, he would make a good contestant on the show.  Plus, many people who watch these kind of shows would love to see the host actually participated in the show.
Joe V.G.: Interesting.  Joe?
Joe M.: Would he make a good contestant, yes.  He's charming, witty, affable, and seemingly open to change and challenges.  Would he actually make it far into the show, that's to be determined.
Travis: Tom Bergeron as contestant, John O'Hurley as replacement host until Tom loses.
Joe V.G.: That might work.
Jason: Nobody wins this one, IMHO. Guys, you forget that he actually DID dance in season 2.
Joe V.G.: CLANG! This one's a draw.  BTW, in case you didn't know...TOM BERGERON RULES.
Joe M.: Did I mention that I don't watch this show? :P
Travis: Same here.

Rob 10 - Joe 10

Jason: TENS?!?!
Rob: I catch it sparingly.
Jason: Oh, hell no.
Travis: Draws mean 10's
Joe M.: That's how boxing works, J
Jason: They should both get penalized a point.
Rob: Settle down, Jason.
Travis: Calm down...have some dip.
Joe V.G.: At the end of two...

Rob 30 - Joe 29 - Travis 29 - Jason 27

Break time on Sparring Partners.  Back after this.  Sorry Amy Jo!  I couldn't help myself.  If only you were here... :P
Joe M.: Go, Johnny Yong Bosch, Go!
Jason: Bad Joey Numbers.
Jason: *tsk tsk*
Travis: *cough*neverwatchedthepowerrangersbecauseiwastoooldanddidn'tcare*cough*
Rob: I was watching wrestling or playing outside and getting exercise.

(Brought to you by Viveca's Dark Horse Ale.  Smooth, crisp and clean on the way down.)

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