Episode 29.10 - It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad March
March 19

Chico: I'm Chico Alexander... I tried out for Wheel of Fortune on the same night that Carolina won and Duke lost. I call that a good night.
Gordon: This is Gordon Pepper, and I may be the only person who has all of my elite 8 still alive in the pool.
Chico: Not by the time you read this, though.
Gordon: We shall see. don't think anyone needs this yet, but just in case... (present the Hamtaro shredder)
Chico: It's as much a part of March as One Shining Moment.
Gordon: Kentucky, Baylor, Michigan State, Marquette, Wisconsin, Ohio State, North Carolina, Kansas...all still there.
Chico: I'd keep an eye out on Marquette, though.
Gordon: I see Chico has North Carolina to win. He doesn't want any Traitor Tots this year.
Chico: Nope. Not this year. I still have Kentucky/Carolina in the final.
Gordon: And since I have all of my elite 8 left, I have all of my Final Four left as well. how many do you guys have left?
Chico: Six. Mizzou and Duke can suck it.
Jason: 7. Mizzou can suck it :-)
Chico: And if you had Jermaine Jones to win American Idol this year... YOU can suck it. That and more as from somewhere in America, it's a mad mad mad mad March... and WLTI... is... ON!
Jason: WHOO HOO!
Chico: And joining us this week is our good friend, Ben Bailey's newest close personal friend from the Cash Cab himself, Jason Block.
Jason: Thank you. And the secret can FINALLY be revealed.
Gordon: That would be that Jason got on Game Show #6 - and won it.
Jason: With help from my buddy Joe Melillo.
Chico: I thought he looked familiar.
Gordon: However, Jermaine Jones probably wishes his little secret never got out.
Jason: (shakes head)



Jason: Jermaine Jones was ceremoniously kicked off from Idol this week for having arrest warrants out there, and giving false identities.
Chico: And lies of omission about those.
Jason: Did you watch how they put Jones through the ringer on Wednesday night and how Jones took it?
Gordon: I did and I liked it.
Jason: I liked it too. He SHOULD have been shamed.
Gordon: And I thought Jones was gracious through it, to be honest. It did feel a little (ok, a lot) staged.
Chico: He was... well, to put it mildly, not happy.
Jason: It was staged. It was a way to make Jones look like a dufus (which he was) and AI like standing the moral high ground.
Chico: Now two big questions remain. 1) Why did AI do what they did? and 2) Should they have done it like that? History lesson time!
Jason: (sits down)
Gorodn: (Sits)
Chico: Usually, when American Idol has to boot a contestant, they just give us the 1 minute spiel about "the process is compromised when the contestants are less than honest." That's been the standard for the last 10 years. This particular moment, they take what would've been Jermaine's segment on stage, and turn it into a raking of the coals.
Gordon: I'll answer #2 First: YES. They needed to do it to show people that it won't be tolerated and this is what's going to happen to you if you do. He joins a list which includes Corey Clark and the Brittenum twins.
Jason: Gordon...what nationality is Nigel Lythgoe?
Gordon: He's a Brit.
Jason: What just happened in Britain this past week?
Gordon: The past week or the past year? lol
Jason: Specifically this week...but you know where I am going with this, right?
Gordon: I believe you're going with the crackdown of naughty game show contestants in the UK.
Jason: I am. Combined with the game show report about Deal or No Deal/Red or Black
Gordon: Yes. They have to take a stand somewhere.
Jason: Jermaine Jones was it, and he knew it.
Chico: Okay, to add on the definitive answer...
Jason: Go ahead
Chico: Because these were serious charges that he was made to answer to... they had to get him outta here. As in "on the next plane out".
Jason: And BTW...he would have made the top 10.
Gordon: Easily
Chico: So I can understand why they did what they did. The only thing I can't understand is should they have done it.
Gordon: They absolutely should have done it. You have to set the example.
Jason: You have a problem with it? I don't.
Chico: Yes they needed to get him out of the conversation, but here's the thing. It's not a secret that Idol's on a downswing. They needed a moment to get something back up.
Gordon: That would also make the news, If I'm on a sinking flagship, I want...no...NEED publicity
Chico: I mean, if they were putting the integrity of the program above all else, they would've addressed this first and foremost... they waited 90 minutes in.
Jason: You ARE a cynic. Gordon is rubbing off on you :-)
Chico: I'm just keeping it real here.
Jason: So what are you guys saying?
Chico: Idol feels the competition breathing down its neck. Or in the case of "The Voice", seeing it just ahead.
Gordon: Anything to snag eyeballs.
Chico: Ultimately they did it because it needed to be done.
Gordon: It's still a powerhouse show, but it's no longer the neutron bomb it has been in the past
Jason: So in the words of Howard Hughes...as long I am in the news...spell my name right?
Chico: Bingo.
Gordon: Very much so. And you had to set the example. Shannon Magrane was probably hoping that this would be a non-elimination week because of it. No such luck.
Chico: Nope. Bye Shannon. Speaking OF the Voice...



Chico: MORE BATTLES! Here are the six pairings this week...Sera Hill vs. Geoff McBride. The song... "Chain of Fools". Sera took the edge and RAN with it.This was an easy decision.
Jason: No it wasn't.
Chico: Well, for me it was.
Jason: That's fine.
Chico: Geoff singing a female-oriented song... seems weird.
Gordon: Well the choice of song wasn't the contestants - its the judges
Jason: The judges picks have been TERRIBLE this year.
Gordon: Not terrible - as much as slanted
Jason: YES SLANTED.
Chico: There's your SLANT. And there's your winner. Second battle, along those same lines...Lex Land vs. Charlotte Sometimes. Charlotte gets the win here. Next, Sarah Golden vs. Juliet Simms on the Faces' "Stay with Me". Again, raw talent vs. experience.
Gordon: Or, being the cynical bastard - someone in the know vs. a newbie
Chico: In this case, "someone in the know" wins.
Gordon: There's no question that some of these singers know some of the contestants outside of the studio (see Frenchie Davis)
Chico: No doubt. This is pure industry right there..
Gordon: So it wouldn't surprise me if some of these songs were slanted to give some singers an edge.
Chico: "The Voice" is the music industry's baby.
Gordon: Cheating? No. Stacking the deck? Maybe. It's sort of like Jeopardy if I knew that Chico knows opera and Jason doesn't and I put in an opera category in the clues, Am I cheating? No, but I am using the info that I know.
Jason: Gordon is 100% right.
Chico: But this was one of the toughest decisions coming up. Whitney Myer vs. Kim Yarbrough. The song, Mary J Blige's "No More Drama". Two very different singers here... one's fresh, the other has some years behind it. So do I go for the polish of Kim or the freshness of Whitney?
Gordon: Polish wins
Jason: Polish right?
Chico: Polish right. Kim gets in. Next, Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box" from Lee Koch and Lindsey Pavao. Battle of the sexes on this one for a spot on Christina's team. Why Christina picked Lindsey? I have no idea.
Gordon: Neither singer really grabbed the song, but Lindsay advances
Chico: Next is the Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaainevent! Jamar Rogers. Jamie Lovo. I Want To Know What Love Is.
Gordon: it was a good battle, but Jamar edges it out.
Jason: I want you to show me.
Chico: Jamie never did show me. The only thing memorable about that performance for him: those red horn rimmed glasses. Jamar didn't win as much as Jamie just handed it to him. Should let you all know that all of the battles are available online at YouTube.com/NBCTheVoice Watch and judge for yourself.
Gordon: So how would you like to judge Colton?
Chico: Like a deviant.
Jason: Still Drunk with power.
Chico: A deviant who's drunk with power.
Gordon: A Drunk Deviant - who's power is growing



Chico: ... and the latest person to be wearing Colton-brand bus tires... Footballers' wife Monica Culpepper. First of all, we start with a switch.
Gordon: And It's a good move by Colton, Monica is a strong player in the game and it's good to get rid of her.
Jason: Shame on Survivor, giving up on the One World Concept and Men/Women in 4 shows.
Chico: That was a bit of a b-blank-blank-blank-blank move on their part. Now it's just another season. But remember, One World, like many things on Survivor is experimental.
Gordon: What Jason means is that in the reward challenge, the losing team had to create their own camp on the other side of the island from scratch,
Jason: Sorry. I should have explained that.
Chico: The new Manonos of Alicia, Christina, Colton, Jonas, Leif, Monica, and Tarzan lost, so they're starting over, and in a way, so is Colton.
Jason: No he isn't. He is just continuing his play.
Chico: So he plays both sides of the fence. We see where his loyalties lie in Tribal, where he votes with Alicia, Jonas, Leif, and Tarzan. So right now... Colton just knows how to pull the strings.
Jason: He is going to get nailed...somehow.
Chico: He's living way too much out loud. He's going to have to tread a little more lightly.
Gordon: He's not if no one compares notes.
Chico: Someone's going to start comparing notes at the merge.
Gordon: They don't have to. It's happened before that people don't compare notes to keep their own alliances a secret. But right now Colton (who does have a hidden immunity idol), has all the cards.
Chico: Agreed.
Jason: But right now, as we said last week, he is Russell on Crack.
Chico: All you have to do is look at him weird, and you're gone. Moving to a network that's supposed to be giving us more of these...game things...GSN's back in the game show business this week.
Jason: Oh?
Chico: Yep. New season of Baggage, and the spring premiere of the Newlywed Game. Here's how it works. Monday and Tuesday, GSN will run double runs of The Newlywed Game. Wednesday and Thursday, GSN trades that in for Baggage. All at the 6p dinner hour. And I saw Thursday's ep of Baggage and just about lost my appetite.
Gordon: I'm guessing it's not because of the show's vale, but who was on it.
Chico: Quite so, G. The bachelorette looking for love... NEW YORK.
Jason: Your future ex wife :-)
Chico: My once and future ex-wife is apparently back on the market.
Gordon: At least we only have to deal with one episode of her instead of a while series.
Chico: Anyway, she goes for guys who talk & text during movies, judge a woman's ass before speaking to her, and before sex, like to... how can I put this.... eat a sandwich.
Jason: You need energy :-)
Chico: And drive. And being deluded also helps.
Jason: LOL
Chico: Michael has all of those qualities and now he has a New York. But New York also has a bag. In her bag... "You must sign a contract between you, me, and G-d before we have sex." Not a metaphorical contract, mind you. The actual contract. Which she produces.
Jason: HOLY COW.
Gordon: Well if you had a witness observing the whole process, that could be kinky.
Chico: ha HA! As for The Newlywed Game, we spend the spring premiere taking in a Broadway show or three. So we bump up the Barris factor to 11, because we KNOW that they aren't ashamed of anything.
Jason: This is 2012 too.
Chico: Of course. So imagine the typical season 5 TNG episode and double down on it. So what do you think about this new scheduling idea?
Gordon: Honestly? I don't like it. People are creatures of habit, and I'd be watching a 5 day a week syndie strip expecting that, not a checkerboard.
Jason: I don't like it, and at 6PM, too early for shows like this.
Chico: I'm not a fan of this.
Jason: This is another GSN mistake.
Chico: I mean, I see where it worked in the 70s, but... again.. IT'S TWENTY FREAKING TWELVE! There's a reason why programmers do what they do, and if you don't know what the reason is, than you need to figure out what you're doing in the business. Then again, this is the same bunch that thought Dancing with the Stars was going to work on the network. How's THAT working out for ya?
Gordon: What are the ratings for it?
Chico: These are coming from our favorite GSN ratings guy, Son of the Bronx. The top 10. Three are the Sunday marathon of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. They have averaged 380,000. Not ... terrible. 2) Baggage from Monday at 376,000. 4) DOND from Monday, 371,000. 5) TNG, 353,000. 7, T9, and T9, DOND. And #8, Family Feud. This is for the first week of March, by the way.
Gordon: ...I don't see any Dancing With the Stars in the Top 10
Chico: DWTS cracked the top 25 for the Saturday marathon, but at 298,000, they're a shadow of their broadcast cousin.
Gordon: And how much did GSN pay for this?
Jason: A gazillion dollars
Chico: A flippety jillion dollars. I have no idea, but I know it wasn't cheap. Those are the only shows in the top 100, even, let alone the top 25.
Gordon: And how much did they pay for Baggage?
Jason: 0. That was in-house
Chico: I'm guessing less, what, with it being an original series and all. So if I can make more money off of my originals than I can with a big acquisition, it doesn't take a Gordon Pepper to figure out who you're going to ride with.
Gordon: This is what GSN SHOULD be doing. Creating original series with a fraction of the cost and getting more profit. NO ONE WANTS TO SEE SHOWS WHERE YOU KNOW THE ENDING.
Chico: Nope.
Jason: But GSN wont listen to us...They know better. (SMH)
Chico: They do have a nice pickup this week, but more on that later.
Jason: Not enough though, IMHO
Chico: Speaking of morons, let's talk about NBC. They're hoping that Fashion Star does to fashion what the Voice did for music. It plays out exactly like a Project Runway clone (and for good reason, because Magical Elves does BOTH shows). But the big hook here... you can buy the winning designs one day after they air.
Jason: Actually it doesnt feel like that AT ALL. This feels ORIGINAL. Believe it or not. The hook is HUGE here.
Chico: Especially if they designs are really really good.
Jason: To the point where the H&M design SOLD out.
Chico: And the fact that it's taped so far in advance allows the hook to go off without a hitch. You can mass produce and then mass market.
Jason: 6 months or so.
Chico: So it's a really good hook. But with that comes a crux. You're not designing for you. You're designing for an audience. We're not talking about couture per se, but what would play in Peoria.
Jason: Right. Because what I also like are the judges and the buyers. They are no BS people.
Chico: At least, if I'm this show, I know where my heart is.
Jason: What are your thoughts, Gordon?
Gordon: I'm somewhat on the fence on this. It definitely has the project runway feel to it, and it is a Magical Elves clone. However, I like the fact that the bottom line is based on actual money and not judges opinions
Chico: Agreed. This is a show that executes well, even if the idea behind it is not exactly fresh.
Jason: And The pricing per store was interesting. At H&M the dress was $20. At Macy's...the party dress was $120.
Chico: So a WLTI PRO TIP: Want a dress? Go to H&M....

http://www.hmfashionstar.com/fashion-star-ep-1-blazer-designed-by-nzimiro/detail.php?p=369316&v=hm

Jason: $50.00 for the blazer
Chico: Reminds me a little of Austin Powers....

http://www.macys.com/campaign/social?campaign_id=298&channel_id=1&cm_mmc=VanityUrl-_-fashionstar-_-n-_-n

Jason: Dresses are 80-120...

http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/editorial/FashionStar.jsp?&sre=mhp1

Jason: Saks - $350 (yikes)

	FASHION STAR NBC - 10p ET Tuesdays
	GORDON	CHICO	JASON	AVERAGE-O-MATIC
	B-	B-	B-	B-

Chico: I don't have $350, but I do have a grade. I'm going B-. Yes it's a clone, but it executes well. I don't think it works well on NBC where everyone is watching. And I don't like that it's on RIGHT AFTER THE BIGGEST LOSER.
Jason: You nailed the grade. B-. The hook is HUGE. I love the execution. This WORKS.
Chico: Gordon?
Gordon: It does work. I actually agrere with both of you, which means I need to get my head examined. B-.
Chico: No, it just means you get us. At long last. And at long last... it's time for a...



Chico: Wheel it up first.
Jason: Anita Jefferson on Tuesday's Wheel wins $16,100 including a trip to Costa Rica!
Jason: She lands on the ' in AMERICA'S. Her category is PHRASE. With the RSTLNE and her choices of D H M A we have:

_ R _ D _ E
T H E   _ A _

Chico: BRIDGE THE GAP!
Jason: Gordon?
Gordon: Grudge the MAC. That would be the MAC conference, where Ohio took out Michigan
Jason: Go Travis Schario :-)
Chico: Shoutout to the Ohio Connection.
Jason: Chico, of course, is right. Anita is NOT. In her envelope...$100,000. For the 5th time this year...SADNESS :-(
Chico: Boo.
Jason: What do you have Chico?



Chico: We have a new Top Chef for $125,000. And in the finale, it's Pan-Asian vs. Italian. Paul Qui vs. Sarah Grueneberg. Here's what goes down.... we have the roster of the fallen PLUS two Msater Chefs (Marco Canora and Barbara Lynch). Each chef has to assemble a team and a menu. Neither the judges nor the guest judges Hugh Acheson and Emeril Lagasse will know who's dish is whose.
Jason: Nice.
Chico: Paul chose Barbara, Chris, Keith, and Ty-Lor. Their menu: Chawanmushi, Grilled Seabass with Clam Dashi & pickles, Congee with Scrambled Eggs, Uni & Kale, and Coconut Ice Cream with puffed wild rice, mangosteen, and thai chili foam.
Gordon: That sounds awesome.
Chico: Sarah's team consisted of Heather, Grayson, Tyler, and Nyesha. Her menu: Squid ink tagliatelle with spot prawns & coconut, rye-crusted steelhead trout with pickles & fennel, braised veal cheef with veal sweetbread & polenta, and Hazelnut Cake with roasted white chocolate ganache.
Jason: WOW.
Chico: That's a lot of... yeah. And it's enough for Paul to get the win against Sarah.
Jason: There you go.
Chico: He just thought ouside the box. And that gives him this...



Jason: and 125 large
Chico: Meanwhile, we have our hamsters decked out in Final Four regalia. Chairman has the Carolina Blue.
Jason: Ken Jen is in Baylor's Green...WOW.
Chico: Fluffy has Syracuse. Cheeseball is.... huddled in the corner, because Missouri's out.
Jason: Awww man.
Gordon: And what moron put the Missouri colors on him (looks at Chico)
Chico: What? Who saw Norfolk State? WHO?
Gordon: Roll that Beautiful Brain Footage, Mr. Norfolk State

(Doug: Live, local, and latebreaking... From the four corners of the globe to your frontal lobe, this is WLTI Brainvision News, and now here's Gordon Pepper, Chico Alexander, and the award-winning Brainvision News Team)

Chico: Thanks, Doug. Let's start with a bit of business...

We have summer lineups for NBC (Love in the Wild - June 7, American Ninja Warrior - May 21, America's Got Talent - May 14) and the fall on CBS (Survivor and The Amazing Race will return)

Chico: And as for GSN....

They pick up season 12 of the Feud (the first with host Steve Harvey). That starts running March 12.

Gordon: This is actually the first GOOD pickup GSN has done.
Chico: Good pick up for GSN. They score a lot on the Feud, and the show is a dirt-cheap acquisition.
Gordon: Feud runs in the early pm, so people at work can't see it. So for most of us, these are new first run Feud episodes. THIS is what GSN needs to focus on in terms of acquisition
Jason: And Steve Harvey took the foundation of what John O Hurley did and took it to the moon!
Chico: That is correct.
Jason: Rare is the show that has been syndicated since 1999 and has seen the ratings go up THIS late in the game.
Chico: Yep.
Gordon: And I bet these shows will be the highest shows on GSN's current slate
Jason: No dobut.
Chico: Of course. And with that, we also have.... a greenlight.

TBS has pikced up King of the Nerds, an eight-episode reality competition hosted by two original nerds, Robert Carradine and Curtis Armstrong.

Jason: Well my eligibility for this just went out the window...but I love it :-)
Chico: Let me guess... you went to school with Booger? =p
Jason: No, I am not eligible for anything until at least September 2012 :-)
Chico: Ah, right, the cab.
Jason: But yes I like this concept. Since nerds and geeks are cool since Big Bang Theory
Chico: Yeah, and they can pair that show up with this. It's a good move for TBS.
Jason: Very good move.
Chico: That's in the future, though. For a little closer to home, let's go to Gordon for the Datebook.

In this week's Datebook, we go cooking anywhere with No Kitchen Required on Tuesday on BBCA

Chico: Smart. Now for something not as smart.
Gordon: Got it

Are YOU Smarter than...Jermaine Jones, for blowing millions of bucks for the obvious reasons.

Jason: Nuff said.
Chico: Easy
Gordon: And for the Haterade...And this is also easy



Jason: Stylin
Chico: Nice

With the Summer Schedules announced, that means the Summer game shows that were there are no longer there. They include the following: Expedition: Impossible, Take the Money and Run, Gordon's Favorite 101 Ways to Leave a Game Show, and Karaoke Battle USA, a show that left us wanting more...of the mute button.

Jason: All not missed.
Chico: Nope.
Gordon: Not even Karaoke Battle?
Chico: Nope
Jason: That had potential, but I was bored. And the execution was horrid
Gordon: We'll chat more about that later. Right now, let's get Fully Loaded
Jason: HIC
Chico: Okay, so who here likes Draw Something?
Jason: Haven't played it yet.
Chico: Would you play it if there was a chance that it could be on TV?

The creators of the mobile game Draw Something are now shopping it around as a TV series.

Jason: Win Lose or Draw 2012. Looks a winner to me
Chico: Why not. Everyone likes a good drawing game.
Gordon: They had a lot of media hoes
Chico: They did you know. (Ludacris)

In this week's Media Ho report, Jermaine Jones claims he was blindsided, Asiah Epperson (American Idol) was in a car crash ( get better soon), Snooki says that getting pregnant is a good thing because now she can be a milf...

Chico: More like a Milswanca

Courtney Robertson who may have been schedule to be Dancing With the Stars, is NOT on the show, Jermaine Jones has 5 warrants out for his arrest, Giuliana Rancic claims that going through breast cancer has still made her shallow...Karina Smirnoff is NOT dating Owen Wilson, Nick Clooney (Money Maze host) gets arrested, and Robert Carradine will be hosting the game show featuring nerds. Sign us up.

Gordon: But none of them are the hoes of the week.
Chico: Who you got?
Gordon: Your hoes are 10 new America's Best Dance Crew Teams - and specifically Fanny Pak, which is the first team to get a second chance.
Chico: That oughta be fun. We have a team from Canada and a team from Mexico.
Gordon: And those...are your hoes.
Chico: And finally, let's go global. Who here remembers Catchphrase?
Gordon: I do. Loved that show.
Chico: Art James. Picture puzzles...

DRG has bought out the format in hopes of selling it worldwide.

Jason: Sounds cool.
Chico: Could mean that they're prepping it for a UK reboot, remember it was a big hit in the 90s there...
Jason: I do.
Chico: Even more important, maybe someone picks it up stateside.
Jason: Would be nice.
Gordon: And That's BrainVision,. Shut it down
Chico: Done. (shuts down) Still to come, the best things in life come in threes, but first... Missouri and Duke aren't the only upsets of March. There's also on upset Gordon, who had to chart out the worst 32 game shows of the last year for the contents of... (reveals box)... this box.
Gordon: It's our annual foray into March Badness. This iw WLTI. You give us 22 minutes and we'll give you 22 ways you can get booted off American Idol. Falsifying your name, stealing car. Getting nekked on the net...
Chico: And don't forget "sucking harder than a Dyson."

(BrainVision has been brought to you by BracketBusters. People play on a Hexagonal Sports Grid. What K will probably beat North Carolina in the 2012 NCAA playoffs? Bill Rafferty hosts.)

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