Gordon: And no, you don't get to be tormented by Andy Dick.
Chico: Just Gordon... from time to time.
Gordon: People pay good money to get tormented by me.
Chico: But seriously, fall's coming, we're busy, so if you can help out, we'd love to hear form you.
Gordon: Absosmurfly. We transition from recapping shows to recapping the GSC 3, which occurred this past Sunday, August 15 in Burbank, California. We all get to ask questions to everyone else about the convention. Chico, start us off.
Chico: 1) Obviously, the highlight... Bob Barker and the panel of legends.
Thoughts?
Gordon: My highlight is when Betty White called Bob out, telling him that she will explain the rules of TPIR to him. Classic.
Jason: It was all so... surreal to see the legends all in the same room
together, and some of them taking some jabs.
Josh: That was brilliant.
Jason: Yeah, absolutely.
Chico: So it was basically a roast show?
Josh: Nah, they had a purpose. But they just threw those in along the way.
Chico: Ah.
Gordon: It was an excellent remembrance show, with quips abounding.
Jason: Not exactly a roast show, but ya gotta throw some comic relief in
there, it's show biz!
Chico: Of course.
Jason: Everyone has stories to tell, and it's best to tell them while you
still remember them, and those stories can be passed on.
Joe: Indeed.
Gordon: My favorite story was when there was an elephant pooping on the
stage, and Bill Cullen saying, 'Next Week, we'll have the Republicans come in and give us their opinions.'
Chico: True. Next, Aldo?
Aldo: 2) You got to meet many celebrities off the air, whose personality was right on the button to what you expected? Who wasn't?
Gordon: Good question.
Jason: Excellent question....
Chico: Agreed.
Jason: I think Frank Nicotero was on par to what I expected, he was very
personable.
Aldo: Bob Barker is god to me, many disagree.
Gordon: I thought Betty White was exactly as she would be - very nice in
person. I was very surprised to how personable Frank was - especially him giving us props at the taping. Frank was surprisingly cool. Joe?
Joe: I do like Frank a great deal. I got the impression from SB's interview
with him that he would act as he did. I was hoping I'd get a bit more time to talk to Dick Clark, but obviously he had to run.
Joe: 3) What do you think Paul Bailey and the gang can add next year to make the GSC that much better?
Gordon: Pay the hosts of the Game Show Tournament!
Jason: LOL!
Aldo: Take Aldo with them
Chico: Pay my airfare?
Joe: lol
Gordon: Seriously, I don't think it's as much as what they can do at the
convention as much as it would be to let everyone know about it. I think it needs to be advertised earlier and maybe in the L.A. Area.
Joe: Definitely. More people would make this event shine.
Gordon: I think people in the know are fully aware of it. I think it's time
to go main stream and let the mainstreamers know about it. I think you would get more people if they did that.
Jason: Very true, we need to get more people out here. But we also gotta let people know how much of a blast we all had out here, and share all the great times we shared.
Gordon: I think everything else went fine. I thought Paul did a great job
with it. It was a (bleeping) blast.
Jason: I'm sure you will all agree that it's not just the convention that
made the trip, it was getting to meet fellow game show fans and getting the chance to bond with one another....
Gordon: Absolutely.
Chico: Jason, you're up.
Jason: Alrighty. 4) Who would you like to see show up at the awards for
next year, and who deserves to be honored? (yes, it's like a two-part question, but I want to hear what you guys think).
Joe: Bob Barker for the Edwards award, no question.
Chico: Hmm... Wouldn't mind seeing Todd Newton there... I know he's still
getting his trial-by-fire on TPIR Live, but you know...
Joe: I'm going to see Todd (and Randy West) today at the San Diego show.
Jason: ......you are?
Joe: Yes. I am.
Jason: ....and you didn't tell me? :-P
Joe: You already went!
Gordon: Do you two need a room?
Joe: no
Jason: Heh, no. Well, let me know how it turns out, aiight?
Joe: I will.
Gordon: Ahem... I think Barker deserves the Edwards Award, Allen Ludden
deserves the Cullen Award, and I would love to see Meredith Viera show up or Regis Philbin or Chuck Woolery.
Chico: One of those dream meetings, you think. Okay, Gordon, #5.
Gordon: 5) As we know, this past Friday was the last show of Millionaire at Disneyland. The attraction will be replaced by a ..ahem... Rock and Rollercoaster. I saw both Joe ($64,000) and Jason ($300 because he didn't know what a Christmas Card was) play the game. What will be your fondest memories of the show?
Chico: The coaster freak in me says "Yes!" but the game show fan in me says "No!"
Joe: Seeing the one Million Point winner that I got to see. I was sure he'd
choke, but he won.
Jason: BTW, Joe..... heard you were the very last Phone-a-Complete-Stranger.
Gordon: The Phone-a-Complete-Stranger, by the way, is Disney's answer to the Phone-A-Friend, where they find someone who happens to be hanging by the Millionaire set and ask them the question to help.
Joe: I saw one other person lose, and and I heard that God-awful "loss of
doom" cue. The implication of the cue alone makes one sick to their stomach. Yep. I was the last Phone A Complete Stranger, and I helped the last player win a polo shirt at 32,000 points.
Jason: Yeah...........
Gordon: Ooooooooooohhhhhhh. Shiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrrrrrt
Jason: Well, some of MY fondest memories. One of them was definitely when Joe & I went on the same day and had our little "competition" going on where we both got polo shirts and reached the same level Also, the first time I was in that Hot Seat in season 2 when Mark hosted - you never forget your first time.
Chico: Gee, Meredith said the same thing... 6) Your favorite games at the
Congress?
Joe: TPIR and Sale of the Century. No question.
Gordon: I would say my faves in terms of how they played out would be TPIR, Talkabout, Split Second, and High Rollers.
Jason: TPiR, and that kick-a** game show thingy with all the different games, including the Wonderwall.
Gordon: Mike Berger's Game Show creation is an annual highlight of the GSC. It's an awesome piece of machinery.
Aldo: 7) What reasons can you give someone who is thinking bout going to GSC but isn't sure about taking the trip?
Gordon: You get to play the games that you watch and you would get to
audition for the shows that are already on the air.
Jason: You get to bond with your fellow game show brethren.
Gordon: Adding to that, when I went last year, I was concerned that the game show winners would be people who were stuck up because they won a lot of money. It couldn't be further from the truth. Almost all of them are normal people who love to talk and play games. That is how I met Jason Block, who is just as friendly in real life as he was on the shows.
Jason: And you get to meet such great legends
Joe: 8) Besides the convention what was your favorite thing to do?
Aldo: That's easy, going to the casino.
Gordon: I think the second most fun would have to be winning a combined total of over $1,200 at the casino. With the TPIR visit as a close third.
Jason: .....profit in our pants!
Aldo: Keep that to yourselves, gentlemen.
Gordon: We did keep the profit to ourselves =)
Jason: 9) Alright, do you think the GSC could be organized a little better
next year, or do you like the way things were run in the first place?
Gordon: I liked how it was organized. If anything, there should have been
more organization on maybe giving people options to go as a group to TV show tapings.
Chico: So you had to organize those yourselves (obviously, but did you make like a day of it)?
Gordon: It was spread to one taing a day. Wheel on Friday, TPIR on Monday and Street Smarts on Tuesday. If we could have gotten a 20-40 person group, we could have gotten on TPIR without pulling an all-nighter. In terms of the conference, I liked how it was laid out. Joe/Jason, any opinion on that?
Joe: There was a bit of confusion in many instances where the tapings were concerned.
Jason: The conference was laid well, although it seemed like some of the
timed events went longer than expected, and after the luncheon, most of the people just kinda went off and did their own thing and chatted with others.
Gordon: The luncheon ran around an hour later than expected.
Chico: Fact of life, nothing will start or end on time.
Gordon: but the extra hour was worth it.
Joe: Actually most of the people came to see us, I think. We had a huge
turnout during the second half of the tournament.
Gordon: It seemed like it. There was no down time at the tournament - there were almost always people there and ready to play
Gordon: 10) What show in the Tournament would you like to see there that you didn't get to play?
Jason: .....Jeopardy. Simply because I'm quick in the buzzer, and have a
plethora of useless knowledge.
Joe: Ah.
Jason: Of course, that comes from College Quiz Bowl experience.
Joe: I secretly would have like to have played Bullseye, myself.
Aldo: Ha ha, ill join you on that!
Chico: 11) Any non-game show activities you guys were together for?
Joe: The casinos, the poker game, and to go see Alien vs. Predator.
Chico: So sorry to hear that...
Gordon: I actually liked the movie.
Joe: AVP was a great flick.
Chico: I just didn't think it did the comic justice.. Kinda like the LXG movie.
Gordon: For what it was, it was good - you just had to go in thinking more
about the story than the lack of gore.
Joe: I never read the comic, so I thought the movie stayed closer to the
roots of the films.
Jason: Casino, poker night... and my comp is freezing up, so I will brb.
Aldo: 12) There wasn't any reality shows there at the GSC. Do you think some people like that should show up and discuss shows?
Joe: Two words for you, Aldo: "Reality bites."
Gordon: I am biased, but why not? Reality show is a part of a game show
genre, so bring it on. I think that if you added genres, it could only strengthen the convention. What do you think, Chico?
Chico: I think telling the difference between competition and "un"scripted
garbage is key to embracing series like Survivor, Apprentice, etc.
Gordon: Survivor, Apprentice, In. Average Joe - Out.
Chico: At the root of every good reality series is a game element. No
question about it. We'll get to that later! I got a board at the big finish and
everything :-)
Joe: Survivor STILL sucks.
Gordon: Survivor is awesome
Aldo: Survivor sucks, Fear Factor rules
Chico: Have to give it up for the Factor as well :-)
Gordon: Fear Factor definitely rules.
Aldo: As we video games players say, FF PWNS.
Joe: Fear Factor sucks too. If it wasn't for the gross-out stunt, I might have a higher opinion of it, but otherwise, it's crap.
Aldo: Hey man, that's the point of that show.
Joe: Okay... 13) Do you think the GSC would benefit from a second day of
events?
Chico: Yep.
Gordon: Yes.
Chico: Two days of peace, love, and prizes :-)
Gordon: And more tournament stuff.
Joe: Oh yeah.
Gordon: 14) While we're on genres. What's your opinion of adding Card or
video games into the mix? Or games on video games, like Starcade?
Chico: Card games I have no big problem with. Any issue I would have... is
simply the fanboy trying to come out. I have to show that b*** who's boss now and then :-)
Aldo: Video gaming has a huge following, a 20 billion dollar industry dubbed recession proof, why not.
Chico: That... I would have a problem with.
Gordon: Explain
Joe: I dunno. Video gaming didn't work on GSN.
Chico: Unless it was structured around a previously-determined competitive element (vis a vis Video Power, Starcade, etc)
Joe: Starcade I wouldn't have trouble with. It's a game show. (Hell I'm
hosting it at next year's GSC.)
Chico: Hi-Score did it best, I think
Gordon: E3 and GSC don't mix?
Joe: Nope.
Chico: Nah. Although I wouldn't mind seeing Morgan Webb at GSC either :-)
Joe: Good point. Of course, I wouldn't mind seeing Webb as the co-host on
Sale of the Century, for that matter. After all, Webb won a webpoll on
Playboy.com as to which of the TechTV cuties should do a spread in Playboy.
Gordon: She can give me an Instant Bargain any time.
Chico: 15) How do you see GSC as a place to pitch ideas?
Joe: Hey, I got to be part of the pitch session. They did like my format!
Chico: Okay, explain how that works.
Joe: Abstracts are sent to the session coordinator (Lori Bailey). She then
selects the best and then passes on the abstracts to the pitch panel (which
included Jeff Mirkin, Aaron Solomon, Caleb Nelson, Randy West and others). The pitchers are then given 5 minutes to pitch the show and 5-10 minutes to get critique from the panel.
Chico: Okay, an example, if I may... You remember Fasttalkers, the show I
created back in the day, right? (can't believe 99 is "back in the day") How far do you think that would've went?
Joe: I think the panel would have liked it.
Chico: And they go to the producers or they just think it's a good idea with
those ideas there?
Joe: I think it's more critique than anything else. I do suspect that if I
did a full pitch, Mirkin might have tried to get the show for Fremantle.
Jason: 16) What one moment would symbolize how this whole weekend went? If there was one moment =)
Gordon: Us drawing to a 9 in Super Pan 9 - the feeling that nothing could go wrong. The experience feeling... dare I say... magical?
Joe: That was huge.
Aldo: Were you banking?
Gordon: Yes - we banked.
Joe: My favorite moment: the poker game, hands down.
Gordon: The poker game was great - because we were talking game stuff and playing cards - but yet we were acting like high school students
Jason: The poker game.... :p
Aldo: 17) The places where GSC has been so far is Colorado, Las Vegas, Los Angeles. Shouldn't GSC come to east coast like NYC? I'm sure there are alot of people who miss out because its on the other coast
Gordon: I absolutely agree. NYC, home of Millionaire, would be a great place to put the conference.
Jason: .......no :-P Always in SoCal!
Gordon: You afraid of a little traffic, taxis and subways?
Aldo: You guys already stole the dodgers and the giants so we need to get even.
Chico: Oh yeah
Gordon: Chico - would locale play a difference for you?
Chico: Probably. I'd like NYC or Philly.. Maybe Philly, I don't know. Ideal
situation: Atlanta.. But we can't have that all the time :-)
Gordon: Why Atlanta?
Chico: Because it's only a 5-hour drive for one :-) Difference of atmosphere for another.
Gordon: ahhhh - lol. 18) If you could host your own panel - what would the subject be on?
Jason: Besides Press Your Luck, it would probably have to be sports trivia & knowledge.
Chico: I know what Aldo would do... Fear Factor
Gordon: I would do a live WLTI with my good buddy Chico
Chico: Oh yeah.. Forgot about that! :-)
Aldo: Sports trivia. I can't eat bugs.
Chico: You just like watching other people do it.
Gordon: Nothing wrong with watching people eat bugs
Chico: Wait, I know.. Games from other countries... That would be mine.
Gordon: El Gran Juego De La Oca! Lle-lle-lle...llevatello!
Aldo: Pretty good Gordon.
Chico: May have to talk about that to Senor Jon... Okay, 19) JD, you're EP.
What game would you bring back?
Jason: ......dang these tough questions!!!!
Gordon: The game isn't 20 cheese puff questions
Jason: I mean, going back to the foreign games, I like that Mexico has '100 Mexicanos Dijeron' so that's always a good one to bring back
Gordon: Wouldn't that be Family Feud - which is still on? both in Spain and
the US?
Jason: Yes, it is, however...
Chico: It could be a lot better. We've heard it before.
Jason: PYL I'd like to see, but I think, ultimately, if I had to bring
something back (to the states), it would be Sale of the Century
Jason: and it could really work now
Chico: Good choice. Okay, final question... 20) Make your own question.
Basically, this is your chance to say whatever is on your mind.
Gordon: Id like to see a PYL with the old board and some new snazzy spaces.
Jason: I'd love to see PYL with Tomarken hosting, that old board rules all,
although I liked the new board, as well. The Whammy was pretty big, but didn't seem as monumental.
Gordon: I hated the new board. I couldn't read half of the prizes on the
screen.
Jason: It's always tough to bring something back when you have to compare to the original.
Gordon: It seemed like a low budget PYL rental board.
Chico: You should've seen the pilot... oh goodness.
Gordon: I did see it.
Jason: Ack-ness
Gordon: Change is only good if it's for the BETTER
Chico: Well, switching gears... Next up, part two of the Big Five... And we
announce the results of your vote for part 1.
Gordon: Announce those results, baby.
Chico: Take us to break first... baby.
Jason: Heh.

(Brought to you by the new Go Go Power Rangers Game Show! Amy Jo Johnson hosts as contestants... oh who are we kidding, we're just here to watch Amy Jo
Johnson in her nice tight pink ranger suit all day)

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