Game Show NewsNet

April 23, 2007

On Monday, April 16, 32 lives ended tragically too soon on the campus of Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. As the survivors continue to mourn as they struggle to rebuild, we at Game Show Newsnet salute the resilience of the friends, families, and the entire Hokie community as examples of the undying strength of the human spirit. We dedicate this episode of We Love to Interrupt to the memories of those lost on that fateful day. May this serve as a small step toward normal.

(silence)

Chico: Thank you... and now, from somewhere in America... WLTI... is... on!
Gordon: Thank you Chico, Gordon Pepper here as well, along with Jason Block.
Jason: Hello.
Chico: We've got a lot to cover today, so let's get right to it.
Gordon: We start with another passing that touched a lot of hearts, but this one is in the game show community.
Jason: Ah yes, this one hit me hard. This lady was one of the classiest women in the world, not just to us.
Chico: The art and game show fan worlds mourned together the passing of one of the grand dames of American theatre in Kitty Carlisle Hart. Truly a woman who's been everywhere and done everything.
Jason: She passed away this week at 96. And was still touring up until a month before she died.
Chico: With a show whose title is fitting... "Here's to Life."
Gordon: And she lived up to that moniker.
Chico: This one hit me hard, because she was a tireless champion of arts education, which I benefited from as a kid.
Jason: Agreed.
Chico: So yeah, it's not just "To Tell the Truth" that she's known for, although you can argue that the show would've been dramatically different without her. She was the first "iron woman" of the genre.
Gordon: A member of the 6 decade group, if I am not mistaken
Jason: Yes. She was a To Tell The Truth player in 6 decades!
Chico: Correct. She did all five runs of the series. And never missed a beat.
Gordon: She was a phenomenal lady, with poise, intelligence and class - things that are missing from most game shows as a whole currently.
Chico: And thanks to a few vocal supporters, we'll have one week to honor this lady on GSN instead of the planned overnight Sunday tribute I have to admit, I wasn't one of those people who cried out "one hour at 3a? Yeah, some honor"... but I could understand that.
Gordon: And a well-deserved week long honor. She deserves it, for all of the rights that she championed for.
Jason: And as for how much she impacted our industry.
Chico: Yeah, GSN has a special: "The Women Who Changed Game Show"... If you ask me, she was "THE" woman who changed it. Brought an air of class and decorum...
Jason: If you watched TTTT, you always thought she cared about the people she was trying to find out about.
Chico: Indeed she did. That's part of the game, you know. It all led to the gathering of info to come to a conclusion. And more often than not, it was entertaining how she came to said conclusions.
Jason: And she always wore those wonderful dresses. She knew she was a LADY.
Chico: Indeed.
Gordon: Is there anyone out there right now that could be the next Kitty Carlisle?
Jason: There was only one like her. Sorry no.
Chico: Can't think of anyone. She's hard to replace.
Jason: The only one who comes close in my mind in her impact on both society and game shows is Betty White. A true animal rights activist and game show icon.
Gordon: I think that Betty is a classy lady in her own right
Jason: And one of the nicest people period.
Chico: Yeah.
Jason: Ms. Hart was one of those people I never met...but I feel like I knew her.
Gordon: Before we switch gears, can we have a moment of silence for Kitty Carlisle Hart?
Chico: Done.

(silence)

Gordon: Thank you
Chico: Next up.. a welcome departure.
Gordon: My eardrums would like to thank the American voting public for finally waking up.
Chico: After two and a half months of tonal torture (and one week of being semi-bearable).... Sanjaya Malakar will not be your next American Idol.
Gordon: And would also like to thank Chris Richardson for being in the bottom two last week and for giving his Virginia Tech shout out this week, which obviously spurred voters to call for him and ignore Sanjaya.
Chico: Now we're down to three soul sisters vs. three pretty boys. With Blake and LaKisha in the bottom three as well, expect recoil from them, leaving four to battle for whatever's left of Sanjaya's fanjayas. And now... the fun begins. Because no matter who's eliminated, someone somewhere is going to cry foul.
Gordon: Yes - and that's the big question. Where does Sanjaya's fanbase go?
Jason: Blake. For the most part.
Chico: Especially after him in the bottom 3.
Gordon: I would think Blake - but I would also think that Chris keeps a piece of it. That means that Phil Stacey will probably be able to pay Chris Sligh his $50 next week.
Chico: It's almost.. ALMOST ... like starting from scratch. Next week will be telling.
Jason: Ah yes...and VFTW's new poster boy....is Phil.
Gordon: Since I'm sure that Lakisha's fans are going to vote en masse next week, too.
Chico: Which means nothing in the eyes of Sanjaya. We could see a Melinda/Jordin-Phil-Chris bottom 3.
Gordon: I think there's a big difference, though. Phil has sang well, sometimes very well, on occasion. Phil doesn't come close to matching the VFTW potential of Sanjaya. I think Melinda and Jordin are untouchable until the final 4
Jason: Next week is the Idol Gives Back week...do we know who the coach is?
Chico: Not yet. All we know is we're in for a night of inspirational anthems. Who's got the leg up?
Gordon: That's the interesting thing here - all 6 of them can all sing ballads well.
Jason: I agree with Gordon. Lakisha has a lot to be worried about.
Gordon: I think Lakisha will be back in the bottom 3, but I think that she's not leaving yet
Chico: So we're all in agreement... level playing field?
Jason: Right now. Yes. It's anybody's ball game now.
Gordon: Absolutely. They all better have their A game on now.
Chico: I can see LaKisha, Phil, and Chris in the bottom next week, but we'll have to wait until Tuesday to see who shows up and who should shut up.
Jason: May I shout out a personal message to Mr. Howard Stern?

(DING)

Chico: Have at it.
Jason: Dear Howie: There was NO conspiracy. Sanjaya was a sucky singer and your Howard army had no impact. And because you got involved this year doesn't make you any bigger or more impactful. Now go back to lesbians and sex comedy where you actually are funny. Signed Jason Block
Chico: Well, when you're on satellite radio, you need all the fans you can get.
Jason: You know the "conspiracy" he is talking about right?
Chico: No. In so many words, the conspiracy was...
Jason: He "claims" that the disclaimer at the end of Idol where "any person can be removed from American Idol for any reason" took Sanjaya off. He thought the producers got rid of them...not the voting.
Chico: Umm.. no. That was disproved season 3. It's a non-issue created to generate an audience.
Gordon: Actually, it's just Howard Stern spin talk. What the disclaimer says is that Idol has the right to disqualify 'power voting', or the act of someone using their modem to call a ridiculous number of times.
Chico: Thus proving spin talk as "non-issue."
Gordon: And if you looked at the number of votes, I don't think Stern had nearly as much weight as he thinks. The 7th placing is actually the SECOND LOWEST finish of anyone who was picked by Vote for the Worst. (And just to remind everyone, when VFTW started in Idol 4 - Scott Savol - 5th, Kevin Covais - 11th, Kellie Pickler - 6th)
Chico: So again, to remind everyone... Howard Stern and VFTW... Big sticks, no love.
Gordon: And on a side note, may I also say that Sanjaya is a 17 year old kid who could actually sing if he selected the right song. He selected songs more for performance than for actualy musicality and that was his big error. He showed he could sing with 'Besame Mucho', and he needed to go that route.
Chico: That and concentrating more on performance than on actual singing.
Jason: Right. But he chose to embrace his "individuality" than signing.
Gordon: If you want to go hard on him because he was awful, be my guest, but to hear radio put up satirical songs about him sleeping with his sister and dressing up like a woman are uncalled for.
Chico: Easy to make light of it when you don't know what's going through his head.
Jason: I'll just keep my mouth shut here.
Chico: But oh well, such is life in this cruel world.
Gordon: From the looks of him crying, it looked like he enjoyed being there to me. I just think that what a lot of people did to him was out of bounds.
Jason: Oh? Out of Bounds? Sorry, Gordon. He brought a lot of the criticism on himself.
Gordon: You singing badly gives me the right to sing about you sleeping with your sister?
Chico: WHOA, that came out of left field.
Jason: You looking like an ass does.
Gordon: I think I have the right to rip you on talent and wardrobe, sure. I don't have the right to rip you on your personal life
Chico: You look like an ass, you can sing about looking like an ass. You don't go into relations with your family members.
Jason: With all due respect how many jokes have we made about people in this business?
Gordon: WPLJ (among other stations) aired songs about someone singing in a faux Indian accent about him putting on women's clothes and sleeping with his sister. I can even accept the women's clothing part of it, as he did dress feminine. But sleeping with the sister? Come on, now. I think we have made jokes based on their actions, not who they are as a person. There's a BIG difference.
Chico: I'll have to side with Gordon on this one. This was a little out of whack. Like, "Where the hell did THAT come from?"
Gordon: And I think that's what separates us - there's a line that we don't cross.
Jason: I'll give you guys that.
Chico: Okay, we gotta move this movie on or else we'll be here all day discussing crossdressing and shock jocks and places we'd rather not see..again.
Jason: let's
Chico: Okay, moving from bad singing to bad dancing... if you had money on Heather Mills being swept off her foot (which would be cruel except it actually HAPPENED)... go collect. But she was not the one eliminated this week on Dancing with the Stars, as a completely wooden Clyde Drexler... He glides no more.
Jason: Poor Clyde.
Chico: Tell me. Carrie Ann ripped him a new one. She said, and I quote... "You're the worst dancer in the competition." Be kind, girl...
Jason: Yeowch. Harsh.
Chico: Harsh was actually Clyde upon being eliminated, saying he was glad to be eliminated.
Jason: I guess he was done.
Chico: Who's ever "glad" to be eliminated?
Jason: No one usually.
Chico: That's like saying "Yeah, let me go on the Jeopardy, but let me play only half of the board."
Gordon: Well, you could tell he wasn't having much fun. Sometimes, when you sign up for something, you don't know what you're getting into until you get into it
Chico: Case in point: Vince Pastore. That's why he dropped out.
Jason: Yeah, I was thrilled to lose on my 5th day of Final Jeopardy :-)
Gordon: (cough, cough). Got some allergy medication, Jay?
Jason: That's asthma :-)
Chico: And upon seeing John Ratzenberger... I think we're all better off. On that same night, we see the first perfect 30 from the first couple to give Legs of Steel and the former Mr. Nikki Ziering a run for their money.
Jason: whom?
Chico: Apolo Anton Ohno & Julianne Hough. Could they win the whole shoot & match?
Gordon: Sure could. I think you have the Top 4 that could win
Jason: Sure
Gordon: And I think that unlike previous seasons, the judging here in the next few weeks may be crucial
Chico: Crucial like how?
Gordon: I think that the judging may allow people with less popularity to get away with it - or to convince the voters that they should be switching votes
Chico: So you're saying it could go either way on the viewer's end, then.
Jason: Yup.
Gordon: I would think so. It's not like you have a definite favorite now, and I think that's what makes it fun.
Chico: Oh yeah. It's gonna be fun.
Gordon: And as we cut down the future Idols and the future celebrity dancers, we also cut down the future Price is Right hosts.
Chico: Like it. We're down to the final three.
Gordon: If you believe the media reports, that is, And the three may not be what you expect.
Jason: There is only person of the three I would be happy with. If they are true.
Chico: Here's what the report says. ET host and former Gold Rush host Mark Steines... former Match Game panelist George Hamilton... and Whammy-meister Todd Newton. So you have two people who genuinely want the job... and George Hamilton.
Gordon: The Sanjaya Malakar of the TPIR auditions
Jason: LOL
Chico: But we're not about to make up songs about George Hamilton sleeping with his sister. Maybe about being a walking melanoma, but not about relations, no. Now this is interesting. Todd Newton.. he's proven that he can host anything. George Hamilton has name recognition... what does Steines have?
Jason: Good looks, name recognition and a high q rating from ET
Chico: Okay, what does he have that we can USE?
Jason: Ah. Nothing I know.
Chico: I will give you a high Q rating.. but when you're thrust into the lights, you get to the games, you meet someone from Highly Excitable University... What do you do... What do... you do...
Gordon: Stand there, shine your teeth and come off with the personality of a yak?
Chico: And this is why I want Todd to get the job. Because deep down inside, and I know this because I've MET the guy, he IS one of those guys from Highly Excitable University.
Jason: Seriously, Todd better get his shot.
Chico: Forget Vegas, it's time for network, dawg.
Gordon: You know my opinion. Given those choices, Todd's the best person for the job.
Chico: And how many days until May 16, again? Heh.
Jason: As of this taping....25
Chico: Good things are worth the wait, eh?
Jason: You bet.
Gordon: Sure are
Chico: Example... a $500,000 check.
Jason: another one? :-)
Chico: Yep. On a different show, though. For the first time since its February premiere, we see the million dollar question on "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader". The student: Alex Outhred, a poker pro.
Gordon: Poker pros do have good acting skills - like playing dumb when you're not...
Jason: What was his Million Dollar Hand...
Chico: Here's the deal. For the Million Dollar Question, you are given the subject only. His subject... US History.
Jason: Does he have any saves?
Chico: Alex, with $500K pocketed and zero saves left... looks into the camera and says "I am not smarter than a 5th grader."
Jason: Not bad payday.
Chico: The question was...

Who was the first US Secretary of the Treasury?

Jason: Mr. Alexander Hamilton.
Chico: Same answer that Alex went with. Gordon, your guess?
Gordon: I saw the episode, so I recuse.
Chico: Okay. Well, Jason... Alex would've been the first millionaire on the show.
Jason: Wow.
Chico: It WAS Alexander Hamilton. But hey, $500,000 can buy your pride back. And then some.
Jason: And a seat at the main event of the World Series of Poker 50 times over.
Gordon: and mush easier to do it there than Millionaire
Jason: Tell that to Robby Roseman.
Gordon: Jason, are you kicking yourself that this wasn't the show to go on?
Jason: Nope. Not at all.
Chico: He wants a challenge.
Jason: Yes I do. And besides, I am not that good of an actor to act dumb.
Chico: Tell him to recall the 57th digit of pi, he's happy. Tell him to recall what goes into a pie. No.
Jason: Depends on the pie :-) Key Lime, Lemon Meringue. Apple... a la mode... I am hungry.
Chico: So congrats to Alex Outhred, who gets a huge slice... $500,000. Hope you put it to good use.
Gordon: Meanwhile, the show that has been giving money away hand over first...only $90,000 this week.
Jason: DonD?
Gordon: Identity this week...only $90,000. $15,000 first and then $75,000.
Chico: Game getting harder or players getting... well, I won't say dumber...
Jason: Players not knowing how to play the game. How's that.
Gordon: The game was harder. There was an 'all champion' edition which was tough, and then the contestant couldn't figure out who the celebrities were. In the second one, the guy just bailed out after making a mistake.
Chico: How many assists?
Gordon: Both contestants used all 3 helps.
Jason: Wow.
Chico: Now that's the hardest room in America
Gordon: It was. And We have the hardest working hamsters in America.
Chico: Operating on ... no budget. Choppler is fired.
Jason: Locked and loaded. (ducks under the blades) Let's DO THIS!
Chico: Run!
Gordon: Roll that Beautiful Brain Footage

(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. First helping, G?

Deal Or No Deal, to celebrate their 100th Episode, will bring back Brooks Leach, the guy that went all the way...and got $10.

Jason: Why not Cheryl Jackson?
Gordon: If I may interject here, how about...oh....Cheryl Jackson?
Jason: Great minds think alike!
Chico: Wow.. I guess she wasn't readily available for some reason. I don't know. How about making it two hours and putting them both on? I mean, who'll miss heroes if it's on at, oh, 10p? Besides, I'd rather see random people save the fake world than "The Real Wedding Crashers". Wouldn't you?
Gordon: I agree. And the Wedding crashers looks like garbagey summer filler
Jason: Agreed. Terrible filler.
Chico: Even worse than "Thank God You're Here?"
Gordon: TGYH isn't awful. Just an uninspired clone. This looks AWFUL.
Jason: Bad. Very bad.
Chico: Right. Okay, next story... Release dates!

The date to mark is April 30. On this day we'll see the season's second Jeopardy! College Championship from the Sony stages, and the return of an underrated gem, Discovery's Cash Cab.

Jason: Cash Cab is a great show.
Chico: Oh, you finally watched it :-)
Jason: I have.
Chico: It's a really good show, indeed. First of 80 shows start at 5p ET, while Jeopardy! invites 15 collegians to California to hold what would in a perfect world be a Tournament of Champions.
Gordon: And don't forget that Sunday starts another round of Celebrity Fit Club
Chico: Men vs. women. With Kimberley Locke, Tiffany.. and Screech. So there you go, three new games to keep an eye on. And here's something to take your eye off.
Gordon: And here's something to satisfy the gullet.
Jason: (holds my Haterade(TM) cup)
Chico: Drink it...
Jason: AAAAAAAAHHHH. cold and refreshing. Who is it in honor of?

Since we've already picked on Howard Stern, let's pick on Paris Bennett, who says that American Idol is a joke. Yes, she voted for Sanjaya Malakar. Oh by the way, have I mentioned that she is coming out with a new album?

Chico: Her claim is that AI goes for popularity over ability. The new CD... will only serve to further the point.
Jason: Bitter much, Paris?
Gordon: And by the way, guest starring on her album - Kevin Covais. And...he's rapping.
Jason: YIPE! My ears!
Gordon: But no, Paris believes in having the talent winning Idol.
Chico: Talent only came as close as second :-) 'Cept in season 2 when talent won the whole thing. But yeah, I'm sensing some bitterness. The one thing you don't want to do is to bite the hand that feeds you.
Gordon: I think talent has won it in every season. America has gotten it right
Chico: Although it took us a while to warm to season 4's winner :-) Heh. Anyway, keep your cups out, because it's time to get loaded.
Gordon: burp
Chico: *sneeze*
Jason: hic
Chico: This week... TV and video games...

EA and Endemol are teaming up to launch a new social networking initiative called "Virtual Me."

Jason: like second life?
Chico: Like Second Life, yeah. Only with sets from Operacion Triunfo, Big Brother, and Deal or No Deal.
Jason: interesting
Chico: The first offering will be Big Brother. Big Brother-based, that is.
Jason: Do we know what else will happen there?
Chico: The proggy will coincide with the next launch of Big Brother. That's all we know so far
Jason: nice
Chico: And a website will go live "in the coming months". And when it does, you'll hear it here.
Gordon: You definitely will
Chico: And when you hear of the first media heurre to come from Virtual Me, you'll hear it here as well. :-) *plays "Area Codes"*
Jason: VMH
Gordon: Virtual hoes?
Chico: Could happen. Hey Gordon, got a question for you.
Gordon: Yah
Chico: You ever see Lauren Jones as a WWE diva?
Gordon: It could happen
Jason: The first and only Rookie Diva Of The Year contest was held on Smackdown PPV No Way Out which Saw former WWE Diva Joy Giovanni defeat Michelle McCool , Lauren Jones and Rochelle Loewen.
Chico: So could she as a Barker's Beauty. Happened this week. Apparently as a replacement for the long-departed aforementioned Nikki Ziering.
Jason: So she was there.
Chico: So she can't wrestle, but she looks hot modeling a fridge. Who else is on the list, G?
Gordon: Also on the Hodometer...

Idol can't do the Beatles, Tim Gunn has a new show called Guide to Style, Carrie Underwood wins more awards, Ant and Dec get even MORE money (another 27 mil) for a UK show, and Regis Philbin will be coming back to TV on April 26th. Glad to see you back, Reeg

Jason: Glad you are feeling better, my man.
Gordon: But none of these are your Hoes of the Week
Chico: Curiosity... piqued.
Gordon: What happens when you get fired from the Apprentice? You fire your clothes, of course. Continuing the long-running tradition of businesswomen gone wild, Kristin Lefebvre gets a contract from Playboy....and gets to be Nekkid.
Jason: Gives a new meaning to Spread Sheet.
Chico: Going from "You're fired" to "You're hot."
Gordon: And those...are your hoes
Chico: And speaking of Mark Burnett joins, Global goes to.. China!

It was announced that the next season of Survivor will be recorded in China, apparently in an effort to push tourism for the upcoming Beijing games.

Chico: So yeah, Survivor: China. Insert comment on clay army here.
Jason: Yeah well.
Gordon: On paper, it's a good idea. Let's see if Burnett can execute on it.
Jason: The Amazing Race was there right?
Chico: Either our version or the Asian one, but Race did enter China. Could be interesting... there's no island to exile... I'm sure we'll work around that.
Gordon: But here's the thing. China wants the good publicity. Do we really think that they are actually going to now be a kinder, gentler China?
Chico: Why not? Kindler, gentler China... meet ugly Americans. Survivor is like what would happen if you took National Geographic and turned it into a game show...
Jason: Well, with the human rights violations and the persecution of the Falun Gong....could get messy.
Chico: That and the Amazing Race, so yeah. Good choice of exotic locale. Can't wait to see it.
Gordon: Should be interesting to say the least. And that's Brainvision. Land the Choppler
Jason: (lands Choppler) Smooth as silk.
Chico: Okay, on behalf of our New York/North Carolina based flight team, we realize you have a choice in air lines, and we thank you for flying Air GSNN. Okay, on the other side of the break, we have presents to hand out, but first, last week, we asked how you liked the GSN/NVC cross promotion. 87% said it was great. The other 13%... just okay.
Jason: Anything to promote education is fine by me. A great week for GSN.
Chico: Indeed. Let's probe our audience some more...
Gordon: This week's Question...

Gordon: When we come back - gifts and a new game.
Chico: This is WLTI, celebrating five years of game show heaven and hell... and purgatory.
Jason: Cant wait.

(Brainvision has been brought to you by Howard's Stern's Detective agency. They'll get to the bottom of all of that secret Idol voting. Also claims to know what McDonald's 'Secret Sauce' is.)

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