Episode 22.10
November 16

Chico: Hey, this is Chico Alexander with a message to all those who were in LA this weekend... "I wish I was with youse."
Jason: So. I. Heard.
Chico: Next year, though... Next year. When we have more money and/or time.
Jason: (kicks self)
Chico: Yeah, kick yourself a little harder. You're not crying yet.
Gordon: Allow me (Kicks Jason)
Jason: OW! Not with the boots!
Gordon: Come back here Jason! I didn't put the steel tips on yet!
Chico: He's got the steel toes. He don't play. And speaking of play, we're not finished with sweeps yet. From somewhere in Gordon's steel toed boot closet... WLTI... is... ON!
Jason: WOOT!
Gordon: Yay! Chico and me, Gordon Pepper, are here. Also joining us this week is our special guest Mr. Jason Block.
Jason: Thanks for letting me in on the fun!
Chico: Always a pleasure. Alright, we've got a lot to cover including part 3 of our special series, 10 Years in 2 Months, but first... something weird happened this week. Something I believe that has never happened in WLTI history. Gordon and I have been doing this show for over seven years now... this is the first time this has happened.
Jason: What is it?
Gordon: Shall we flash back to last week?
Chico: Tape's in the player and ... roll it!

(FAIL-back)
Chico: Okay, so we've picked a final of Zach vs. Gabriel vs. Lindsay. I think Lindsay is going to be odd woman out. I am going to give Zach the edge simply on having the higher Coryat. But it's going to be a two-man match.
Jason: Me too. Zach has the edge.
Gordon: So Jason's picking Zach?
Jason: I am.
Chico: Right after I did.
Gordon: Good. I'm going with Gabriel.
Chico: So we should probably all expect Rachel to win this.
Gordon: Yes
(end FAIL-back)

Jason: You mean...
Chico: Yup.
Gordon: Now our record for picking winners on Jeopardy is pretty subpar, to say the least.
Chico: Very much so. We make no secret of this. We use the power of our collective Jeopardy! knowledge, and then something happens.
Jason: Yeah.
Gordon: But this...would be the most subpar.
Chico: In this case, not only did we completely muff the spread... we actually picked a "joke pick"... and she went on to win the whole damn thing!
Gordon: Rachel was a machine. Granted she did not look like a threat in the first week, but you don't have to be a threat then.
Chico: No. One of the things we like to say around tourney time... "The point of week 1 is to get to week 2."
Jason: And once you get to week 2...it's Katie Bar the door.
Chico: You get there, then you unleash hell. Rachel did. THREE TIMES...
Gordon: It's a lot like poker. Survive, advance, collect more.
Jason: She was IMPRESSIVE. Gordon is right.
Gordon: She shone greatly on her second week.
Jason: Because she went on a tear and ate the boys for lunch.
Chico: No joke. Hey, when you're hot, you're hot.
Jason: It was a two person race for the most part.
Chico: Yep. Aidan was very much a non-factor. He got into the finals, but had a hard time keeping pace with Will Dantzler and Rachel Rothenberg. The final Final Jeopardy!... the category: Historical Speeches.

He said "We look forward to a world founded upon" freedom of speech, of worship, from want & from fear.

Chico: Responses?
Jason: Who is FDR
Gordon: Who are the Aliens from V?
Jason: ROFL Good one.
Chico: We are in peace... always. I'm a 5th Columnist.
Gordon: This is before they show us their new book called 'To Serve Man'
Jason: (blows dust off book). It's called to Serve Man Dinner. LOL. We are geeks.
Chico: (blows more dust off book). "To Serve Man FOR Dinner"
Gordon: We heart the Twilight Zone.
Chico: But Jason had the right question.
Jason: Rachel was the only one to get it right on the Final 2.
Gordon: Rachel, by getting it right, locked Will out. She wins $75,000 for her efforts.
Chico: Rachel gets $75,000 from Sony, and this from us...



Chico: We bow to you, new trivia queen.
Jason: Can't wait to see how she does against the big boys in the T of C.
Chico: I don't believe she gets a pass to the ToC. I think only the College Champ gets a pass.
Jason: Ok. Even so. She rocks.
Chico: Yeah.
Gordon: If she was allowed in, she could surprise. Also surprising is the fact that we WILL have a millionaire by the end of next week.
Chico: The question is... will his name be Sam Murray?
Gordon: It could be. Right now, he is the only person to go after the Million Dollar Question in Millionaire's Tounament of 10. Fortunately for him, he got it right.
Chico: Yep. The question that he answered..

According to the Population Reference Bureau, what is the approximate number of people who have ever lived on earth?
A: 50 billion
B: 100 billion
C: 1 trillion
D: 5 trillion

Jason: Great question. (Locks)
Chico: Yep.
Gordon: Its a good try to figure it out question.
Chico: Answers, please.
Jason: B.
Gordon: I'll say (cringing for agreeing with Jason)...B.
Chico: Sam said, and now I'm quoting.... "What the hell. B, 100 billion, final." All three of you are wrong. It was 106.5 billion. Round it down, though.... it's 100 billion!
Gordon: Sam gets it right, and right now, he has a check for 1 million dollars - unless one of 5 people who are left can answer heir own Million Dollar question right.
Chico: Should one of them go for it and be correct, they inherit Sam's chair. If they go for it and miss, they're back down to $25,000.
Jason: Don't you think Davies and Co were expecting more?
Gordon: No. Who's going to give back 75% or more of their winnings in this economic climate? Especially when these people needed the money to begin with?
Chico: There you go.
Gordon: Because now, you're looking at losing at least $75,000 for a wrong answer. The only way someone's going to go for it is if they know the answer.
Jason: So would you consider the T of T a success or failure?
Gordon: Depends on the ratings. Artistically, I hate it.
Chico: We won't know if it helps or hurts until either this week or next, but it just feels like an ill-fit. You'd be better off bringing in "Hot Seat". Now THAT's a format.
Jason: Right.
Gordon: Yuck. I hate that format as well. You're better off bringing in a game that works. It feels to me like it's Deal or No Deal's UK special all over again, where at the end of the show, they gave the player a 50/50 shot at the million. You play the game, you don't win the money and at the end, you have a 50/50 chance to win the million anyways. This feels added-on and as Jason has said a number of times, this is a way to win the million illegitimately, just like in DOND, where no one has won the million without seeing one of these bad boys: *.
Jason: Yup.
Gordon: Because I'll tell you right now, whoever wins is going to see that from me.
Jason: Agreed. * * *
Chico: I have to echo that. I mean, you have a good game, it sells itself. You don't need all this extra nonsense, and it seems like all this season, the folks have been toying with something that has worked for 10 years now. I don't know about you, but I believe that people have been tuning out because of it. Not in droves, mind you, but come on.
Jason: Nope. What's your saying, Chico?
Chico: IT'S THE GAME, STUPID.
Gordon: I don't think you can make that statement, but I think when the ratings come out for last weeks episodes, we can make a correlation to see if they made a difference.
Chico: We will see. And interesting you mention DOND and Sweeps in the same sentence, G... Imagine if all of your aunts, uncles, brothers, and sisters went to CT and played the game with you. a) That's a lot of Peppers. A peck of Peppers, I believe.
Gordon: Don't even think about introducing brine into this conversation. They don't like to be pickled.
Chico: Gordon's family doesn't like to be pickled... I enjoy the classy drink now and again, but that's another topic for another day. But Deal or No Deal played host to the biggest family reunion a game show ever hosted.
Gordon: I have more than enough Peppers in my family to play. The Hamiltons also have more than enough family members. Hence it's Family Reunion week.
Chico: 22 members of the same family function as the case gallery all week, and it's essentially played like the primetime version. With one person called out to pick from the 22 cases. All I can say to that is... can we shut the box on this show yet? I mean, I'm all about family, but this was just dumb.
Gordon: Not only was the idea dumb, but so was the family selected. Dumb AND greedy.
Chico: So one thing we've learned... Playing DOND poorly is genetic.
Gordon: So we see a Grand Total, Out of a possible 2.5 million, of...$75,000. including 3 people walking off with $5,000 or less.
Jason: (FAIL)
Gordon: Just to show you how bad this week was... The average won before this point per week was $148,689, or double what was won this week.
Chico: That's a hefty sum. That's... that's just sad.
Gordon: so around only 50%. Should They have played the board correctly, they could have walked with $195,000. They definitely should have walked off with at least the average.
Chico: This is true.
Jason: Twas Greed that killed the players.
Chico: Thanks, Sherlock.
Gordon: And twas lack of thinking that killed off Kelly.



Jason: I am loving me some Russell.
Chico: Now last week, we thought that Russell was the moron for playing his Immunity Idol... This week... turns out that he's the most brilliant player ever.
Gordon: Russell predicts that the producers will be hiding another immunity idol around camp. Russell is not only right, but he finds it.
Chico: And not only that.. they're going to keep hiding it. So theoretically, Russell could play the idol... in perpetuity. Unless there's a rule or a loophole I don't know about. You're looking for the loophole, aren't you?
Gordon: No. The loophole is that he has to find it. And since all of them now know that there will be another one hidden somewhere, you're going to see the island this week look like it's been attacked by an infestation of gophers.
Jason: And someone is going to tie Russell down to a tree
Chico: Maybe up with the chicken from a few episodes ago.
Gordon: Maybe not, if the immunity idol is hidden in there. Or maybe they stuffed it in a chicken.
Chico: So as long as Russell finds the idol, he can keep playing it. The trick is to find it. And now that the producers may be getting hip to Russell's game, they're going to do a harder job at hiding it. So Russell needs to enlist a partner... not one of his Russell partners, but a REAL one.
Jason: right.
Gordon: Well part of the problem ere is that the predominant alliance is dumb.
Chico: Right. That's a given.
Gordon: If you know everyone wants you to go after Russell...you don't. You find a new target. They should have assumed Russell has another immunity idol and gone after Jaison.
Jason: They didn't. And Russell was brilliant.
Chico: So good on Russell... Bad on anyone who dares defy him.
Gordon: He wants them all to vote for him. and like morons, they did. If Russell does get to the end game, he deserves it, but also many of the players were played like fools.
Chico: Russell played'em like fiddles.
Jason: Yup, and double yup.
Chico: Can he play Muppets like fiddles?
Gordon: Probably could. There's a couple of Muppet fiddlers out there.
Chico: This is true. And they all live on Sesame Street, I believe.
Gordon: Maybe pick up the Muppet Musicians of Bremen while he's at it.
Chico: I miss that special.
Jason: This week is the 40th Anniversary of Sesame Street. 5th Grader celebrated it last week
Gordon: We celebrate 40 years of Muppets on Sesame Street, and one of our own celebrates $25,000.
Chico: If you missed Wednesday's show, you missed a sweep. Not like November sweeps, but a sweep sweep, as Ben Ziek runs the table for $25,000.
Jason: He only needs one cheat too.
Chico: He could've gone for the Bonus and nailed it.. Didn't though. Can't say I blame him.
Gordon: Now Ben Ziek should sound familiar because he's been on WLTI before. He should also sound familiar because he took Lingo for over $20,000 and was the finalist in Lingo's Tournament of Champions.
Gordon: This is where he wins his $25,000.

( $1000 ) 2nd Grade Math
Ernie bought two hamburgers for a total of $3.14. If he paid with a five dollar bill, how much change will he get?

(silence)

Gordon: It's really not that hard, guys.
Jason: $1.86
Chico: J's right. $1.86. Unless they took my tip. Then I get nothing.
Gordon: Now it would be tempting to say $1.69, with them taking out 17 cents for gratuity.
Jason: Ha.
Chico: But that would just give you an excuse to say... "Dollar 69"
Gordon: It would. But $1.86 is correct! Ben only uses his Peek as he goes to the win.
Chico: That he does. And again, I have no doubt that he could have nailed the Bonus easily. But I don't blame him for not pushing the trigger.
Jason: $25,000 is a lot of money.
Gordon: U.S. History is not an easy category.
Jason: Nope.
Chico: No it is not. I have trouble keeping recent dates as it is.
Gordon: One recent date which I know you have no problems keeping is Veteran's Day
Chico: Of course not. My father... J's father... both veterans.
Jason: Yup.
Chico: And veterans all around the world, worth saluting. And TPIR always does it up right. This Wednesday... no exception.
Gordon: Yes sir. The Price is Right salutes the Veterans by giving the armed forces their own special show.
Jason: And this was yet another great job by the crew at Studio 33.
Chico: Yep. The players... well, they were average. It's been a 40% year so far, and 33% of the players won their games, so... Bout on par, yeah. Let's see... we had... Golden Road. We were all waiting for that.
Jason: With Pyro. Everyone loves Pyro
Chico: Want to get on camera? fireworks. It had a $96,000-plus Winnebago... but Courtney Robinson didn't get close to it. Got a nice desk, though.
Gordon: 2 is actually a good number to see as winners on these special shows. Most of these special shows this year has only had one winner.
Chico: Yep. The two winners. William Warner and Brandi Hicks. William wins a trip to the Swiss Alps in Pick-a-Pair. Brandi wins $12,000 in Plinko. But Brandi's not done yet!
Jason: Oh no?
Chico: We have a really fat-stacked Showcase. First up, a private-jet to Cabo San Lucas and a ski boat. Jason, do you want to bid or pass?
Jason: Passola.
Chico: Gordon, give me a number.
Gordon: Ski Boat is expensive. $61,069
Chico: Alright. Jason, you get a kitchen island, a home theatre seating with HDTV and stereo system, and a Chevrolet Corvette. What's your bid, J?
Jason: $65,000
Chico: Okay. Jason, we'll start with you because that number appears first in my copy.
Jason: Ok.
Chico: The actual price: $73,161. Difference of $8161.
Jason: Not bad.
Chico: Gordon... my brother... from another mother... no other... Undercover... You bid $61,069... Because you're Gordon and that's what you do. We expect nothing less.
Gordon: :D
Chico: Actual price... $61,.... 250!
Gordon: YAY!
Chico: You would've won over $134,000!
Jason: Nice job!
Gordon: Nice! Where's my loot?
Chico: Talk to corporate. Actually, because you know Scott Robinson, you get sweet nothing! But Brandi Hicks gets $87,259.
Jason: She wins a Vette.
Chico: A very sexy Vette. The Hams have their own Veterans' Day Salute.. We have the hamster platoon of the Marines...
Jason: Good formation
Chico: Drew the bookworm's an Airman. Cooper the Mole is digging an Army trench.
Jason: Makes sense.
Chico: Darnell and Mike are the Navy... And as a Coast Guard Liner... Eve.
Jason: I am so proud to be an American.
Chico: Land that I love.
Gordon: And Eve is screaming because she wants to know how the flag of Tratolandia got up there.
Chico: Pirates.
Jason: Darn pirates
Chico: What are you gonna do about the pirates, G?
Gordon: We're going to make them walk the plank and roll that Brainvision Footage
Chico: Jump, you bleeping pirates.

(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. First, I have a green list, or, rather a green light so big it should be a list. First...

Fox has greenlit a new show by the makers of 5th Grader called "Our Little Genius"

Gordon: Ugh.
Jason: yeah. I read about this.
Chico: The way I read it, it's basically "Millionaire" meets "Set for Life". The kids do all the dirty work, while the parents tell us whether or not they want to continue. The top prize... $500,000.... and they plan to roll it out after Idol sometime.
Jason: Kids as mental slaves.
Chico: Nearly guaranteeing that it'll be a hit. Can I get a Big Board, please?

Chico: The category: Idol: The New Super Bowl. This is one of those things that we list a few shows and we say that such a list proves that a show will be a hit if it follows Idol. Let's see... there was Unan1mous... which didn't exactly light up the scoreboards, but didn't exactly bomb either... There was Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, which just took off like gangbusters after Idol. And then there's the darling of Fox's fall schedule... Glee. Can't wait for the soundtrack. And don't forget Moment of Truth. So what does this prove, folks?
Jason: Idol can lead into ALMOST anything
Gordon: Idol can lead you to programming, but it cant make you drink it.
Chico: Yeah. You have to have a nice product to get people to stay. You know what they say around SimCity boards: "If you build it, they will come... if you build it well, they will stay." ... still can't wait for that soundtrack. Second green light...

NBC is rolling out a pilot of Have I Got News for You, which is essentially Whose Line meets current events. With teams.

Chico: It's British.
Jason: Right. Ok.
Gordon: Its a cute fun relatively inexpensive show. That could be fun Friday night fodder.
Chico: It could... if it behaves itself. And by that, I mean, if NBC behaves itself
Jason: That's a big IF.
Chico: Big indeed.
Gordon: It is. It's a BIG if. I however, have a small Datebook
Jason: It's nice looking

This week is the end of the Tournament of 10. It's also the end of the road for a new Project Runway and America's Next Top Model champion. We have some celebrity Jeopardy tournament action, and the usual November Sweeps looniness.

Chico: We like looniness. As an example. This week on Deal or No Deal.. it's "Audience Participation Week". God only knows what that means.
Gordon: Maybe they'll participate in torching the set...oh wait, that's later on in the show.
Jason: Oh man.
Chico: Yeah. Right now, though... I need to get Loaded. So I can burn stuff..
Jason: (hic)

Xbox owners! Good news! 1 vs. 100 got renewed!

Jason: Yay!
Chico: I know you like that, J.
Jason: I have an Elite. I am a Gold Member. I am good.
Chico: Word. Thinking about it, really... but I love my PS3. It gets my Jeopardy!.
Gordon: Does it get you a bunch of dumb people?
Chico: Yes, but then again, so do you, so it's all good.

Are YOU Smarter than...Shayne Lamas, who in addition to her mind-numbing activities in the past, now gets arrested for DUI.

Jason: No. Not cool.
Chico: this is what happens when you get your own show on E!.
Gordon: Just think, Chico, if you applied to be The Bachelor, she could have been YOURS.
Chico: I've seen her in action. No thanks. I get my kicks ABOVE the waistline, sunshine.
Gordon: So you're a breast man.
Chico: Ha...
Jason: LOL
Chico: anyway... who passes out on the Haterade this week?
Jason: (glasses)
Gordon: We have a bunch of shots this week. Let's start with... some zombies



Jason: AH!
Gordon: He makes you scream, doesn't he?
Jason: Yeah.
Chico: Gee.. you think?

According to Buzzerblog.com, Deal or No Deal's production has been shut down. That can't be good news.

Jason: Not good at all. Ratings are down HOW FAR?
Chico: Down to a 1.2. Putting things in perspective... Family Feud usually gets a 1.2. It's always been on the cusp of renewal for as far as I can remember. But if you also remember, Family Feud's also a cheaper show to produce... $30,000 prize budget vs. $500,000 prize budget.
Gordon: Family Feud doesn't average $150,000 a week in terms of cash given out.
Chico: John O'Hurley stays local vs. Howie, Tameka & Patricia commuting.
Jason: Exactly
Chico: So Family Feud can afford a 1.2. They'll probably get picked up next season. Deal... Not so much. Or if they do, it'll tape in yet another city...
Gordon: Can't give out a few million and only have a 1.2 to show for it.
Jason: Remember also, NBC Universal is in big trouble overall.
Chico: Yep. It's barely squeaking by
Jason: And when you saw that Howie Mandel makes $15M a year....
Chico: oh dear. Can we shut the box on DOND now?
Gordon: I would say not yet, but the box is closing. Who wants some more zombies?
Jason: I do.

Add Gimme My Reality Show and Top Design to the list of shows that haven't been in seen in a year and hence are on Augustus' dinner menu.

Chico: That's the rule. No news for a year, a show is presumed cancelled.
Gordon: Who wants MORE zombies?
Chico: MORE?! We're gonna have to grease the trap door.



Gordon: Julianne Hough and Chuck Wicks are done, according to reports.
Chico: Yep,: they're still friends, though.

And Rosie O Donnell comes out to say that her and live-in partner Kelli Carpenter are no longer living in.

Chico: Awww.
Jason: Made.
Gordon: Maybe a trip around the world will help.
Chico: Maybe. This week, we're going to the UK where Simon Cowell may be in a bit of trouble.
Jason: Oh yeah. This is good.

Going to the "X Factor", Simon Cowell said that Jedward were "vile creatures" and that "he'd leave the country if they won". So why in the name of X did he use his save to save them?

Gordon: Simon comes up with a weird excuse such as 'I didn't think the audience would save them'. The audience does and now Simon, who inexplicably changes his mind, is being accused of rigging the show.
Chico: Ofcom received 50 complaints from disgruntled viewers and could start an investigation.
Gordon: Now there are 2 reasons why you'd do that.
Chico: What are the two reasons?
Gordon: #1. I truly believe that the audience will send them packing, so I don't look like the villain.
Chico: The sort of "Taking Credit where No Credit Is Due Approach"
Gordon: #2. What's the one thing that people talk about, besides how GOOD acts are?
Chico: How bad acts are.
Jason: How Bad acts Are.
Gordon: Right. Now who was the worst singer on American Idol in season 6?
Chico: ... Umm.. Sanjaya?
Gordon: Yes! He came in 7th. Who came in 4th, 5th and 6th?
Jason: (Thinking...)
Chico: Phil Stacey... LaKisha Jones... and I can't remember the third.
Gordon: Phil Stacey came in 6th, tied with Chris Richardson. Lakisha came in 4th. The fact is that we remember and talk more about the bad singers than the mediocre ones. So if Simon wants to keep the watercooler conversation going, then you keep the bad acts in for as long as possible.
Jason: Exactly. It's part of the formula
Chico: So you have to keep the bad ones in to keep the buzz up. To spite the game.
Jason: Jedward is the biggest thing in the UK right now.
Gordon: Right - because Jeward is still in.
Chico: Think so?
Jason: Know so.
Chico: Right. For other media hoes, here's Gordon. *plays "Pimpin' All Over the World"*

In this week's Media Ho Report, Meredith Vieira gets to be Kids Ambassador on Broadway, SImon Cowell is TV's Top Earner, Kara Scott is your high stakes poker host... Alan Thicke hosts The Price is Right at Foxwoods, Kathy Griffin's Dance Off gets cancelled before it begins... Miss J Alexander has a baby son (via adoption), Surya Yalamanchili (The Apprentice) runs for public office, and Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood do improv.

Gordon: but NONE of them are the hoes of the week.
Jason: Hoes?
Chico: Who do we have this week?
Gordon: Your hoes are Don Pardo and Bob Stewart, 2 game show icons that are inducted into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame this week.
Chico: They'll be officially put in January.
Gordon: Stewart is one of the people behind the Pyramid Series and the Price Is Right, while Pardo is the Announcer for the original Jeopardy (as well as many other shows). And those...are your hoes.
Jason: Very cool for both
Chico: And that's Brainvision. Shut'er down, J.
Jason: (shutting down)
Chico: Still to come, we go back to the year of the Whammy, the trap door, and Kelly Clarkson... but first?
Gordon: First up, we give you the chance to buy out some game shows. You're reading WLTI. You give us 22 minutes, and we'll give you 22 kids who could beat Chico Alexander in Jeopardy!.
Chico: Hey now... Only one of them can beat me. And no, they haven't called yet.

(Brainvision has been brought to you by Celebrity Pushers. You need celebrities for your shows? We got them! Corbin Bernsen, Stephen Baldwin, Spencer and Heidi. All here and available. We have a special bonus this week: Buy one Lamas, get one free!)

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