Chico: *scene of space*.... Every year at about
this time, there are myriads of year-end summaries, giving us the rundown of the
year that has passed. This.... is one of them.
Gordon: Yay!
Jason: Alright!
Don: Whoo!
JANUARY! RIP UPN & WB. Long live the CW!
FEBRUARY! Donald vs. Martha!
MARCH! We miss you Peter Tomarken...
APRIL! Texting!
MAY! Soul Patrol vs. McPheever and America's Got Talent!
JUNE! CBS Runs the Gameshow Marathon!
JULY! GSN names its Top 50!
AUGUST! More texting!
SEPTEMBER! It's a racial thing on Survivor!
OCTOBER! It's One versus 100!
NOVEMBER! Bob Barker calls it a day!
DECEMBER! Is... that... your ... Identity?
If it happened in 2006... we were all over it... and now... from somewhere in
America... 2006... is... ON!
Gordon: You mean The Rich List, Show Me The Money and Play2Win didn't make the
year long highlights?
Chico: I only had 12 spots...
Travis: And Donald v. Rosie? Come on.
Jason: I thought Unan1mous would be in there too!
Chico: We'll get to all of that. Trust me.
Jason: Cool.
Chico: Welcome to the 2006 WLTI Year in Review. Alongside Travis Schario, Jason
Block, Don Harpwood... of course my good buddy Gordon Pepper, I'm Chico
Alexander, and we're here to... you know our thing is play... Well today, we hit
rewind.
Jason: (shows giant remote with rewind button)
Travis: (brings in giant finger, a la Monty Python)
Chico: As we look back at 2006, the dizzying highs, the insurmountable lows...
the creamy centers.
Travis: mmmm....centers.
Chico: But first... quick moment for James Brown.
Jason: (bows head)
Don: *Bows head in silence*
(silence)
Chico: Thank you.
Gordon: Thank you
Chico: Now it only stands to reason that we begin... at the beginning.
Travis: Oh come on. That's boring.
Chico: Maybe so... but still. January 1, the nation was held in a grip of Deal
or No Deal, and talk was already beginning about trying to come up with a
syndicated version. As of right now, they're still trying to find a host after
Mandel rebuffed the offer and Arsenio Hall, for reasons unbeknownst, was passed
over. The plan is to get the show on the air in 2007 sometime. Whether or not
that will happen now... is anyone's guess.
Travis: I had e-tickets to go see Arsenio Hall's "Deal". When I called to
confirm them the day before, the electronic voice on the other end told me all
three shows were cancelled.
Chico: Well now.
Gordon: We'd also like to thank 26 models, a variety of animals, recycled cans
and a lime green car as co-stars
Chico: Not to mention a giant tractor. Hot pink.
Jason: And a Pony. How could you forget the Pony!
Gordon: And Brett Favre and...Celine.
Chico: And a dark model holding... donuts.
Travis: ...so would Brett Favre
Jason: Ok :-) But DoND is--a bonafied smash.
Don: Got that right.
Chico: One of the biggest hits to come at a time and a network that's in dire
need of a big hit. And over time, it only got bigger and bigger until... well,
we haven't reached an "until" mark.
Jason: As long as they use the KISS method (Keep it Simple, Stupid), DoND will
be around for a while. And we saw the debut of Vas o No Vas (DoND in Spanish in
late 2006) as well.
Chico: That's right. Meanwhile, just as America was beginning to come down from
Deal or No Deal, we get another season of American Idol. One of the better
seasons to come along in a while, really.
Gordon: One of the better ones - but one of the more anti-climactic ones as
Chris Daughtry gets knocked out in the Round of 4.
Jason: But Daughtry gets revenge with a #1 album. And a hit radio single.
Chico: Which is featured on "Prison Break".
Jason: Some people said it was the best.
Chico: That honor, in my book, goes to season 2.
Gordon: The Best is Season 2, complete with Ruben Vs. Clay, but the most diverse
group has got to be this past season
Jason: Idol gave us Chicken Little, A small town girl who didn't know her
calamari, and the best finale ever.
Gordon: I beg to differ on best finale ever. That also goes to Ruben Vs. Clay.
Chico: Yep.
Gordon: I don't think there was much doubt that Taylor was going to win this
after Chris got knocked out
Chico: This was up there, though. Even though it really was Taylor's to win.
Jason: But even with Taylor winning, the Soul Patrol only managed a #2 debut for
his album.
Chico: Thank you, Young Geezy.
Gordon: From a musical standpoint, there was a number of very good performances
Jason: Daughtry singing "I Walk The Line"
Chico: Katharine McPhee's "Over the Rainbow."
Gordon: McPhees impersonation of K.T. Tunstall as well, complete with bongos and
her on her knees.
Jason: Paris Bennett on many occasions.
Don: Great performances.
Chico: Just great stuff. I liked it.
Jason: And Taylor just letting it all hangout.
Chico: And showing that Southern rockers that look like George Clooney can still
do it.
Jason: LOL
Chico: And then there was... Master P. When Dancing 2 returned in 2005, we had
the arrival of one of the most unlikeliest celebrity dancers EVER...
Gordon: Master P in the beginning of the year, and Tucker Carlson and Jerry
Springer at the end of the year, with Drew Lachey sandwiched in between
Chico: And Emmitt Smith on top. Yes, it was a good year to be both a dancer and
a celebrity
Travis: Indeed.
Jason: And Cheryl Burke partnering both winners this year. Legs of Steel.
Chico: And moves to match.
Jason: My TV was sweating.
Chico: And Dancing proved itself as more than just a summer flash in the pan. It
was one of the top shows of the year.
Jason: Deservedly so.
Chico: Had even Seacrest singing its praises on Idol one night.
Jason: I forgot how.
Chico: On a result night.
Gordon: Can Cheryl Burke do it again in 2007?
Jason: ok
Chico: I think the pressure is on.
Jason: The pressure is on. And she will be touring for part of the year. She
needs to rest those legs for September. Because it doesn't look like it's going
to be on for Feb or May.
Chico: From one end of the ABC reality quality spectrum to the other as the
Bachelor takes Europe by... uh.. force. First it was Paris. Then it was Rome.
And in both cases, the result was the same.
Travis: No no...not force...farce sounds better.
Chico: The chairman will allow it :-)
Gordon: The power of animal products compels you.
Jason: Love for TV...reality (not so much)
Chico: ABC wastes about eight weeks on TV that really doesn't amount to
anything. I mean, both relationships ended up breaking up anyway, there was
nothing to watch on Monday after Deal, and I died a little bit more inside.
Gordon: Unfortunately, it actually got ratings, to the point that we will be
seeing more of it next year.
Jason: That's one sign of the apocalypse.
Travis: They had to put something in there for the bone-headed move of giving
Monday Night Football to their partner network.
Chico: People... listen to me... if you stop watching crap reality... it will go
away!
Travis: Well, yeah.
Jason: Well, it worked for "The One"
Chico: Getting there, Block. Speaking of more crap reality... Skating with
Celebrities, anyone?
Jason: Yuck.
Chico: It's your standard Fox take on an already-established format. In that a)
it was tweaked from a more successful format and b) it ended up really sucking.
But we did get a showmance and a baby out of the deal, so it's not a total loss
=p
Jason: LOL
Chico: Still, though, it was good enough to get the kids to like it... and yet
Fox has not asked for a second season. Makes you wonder, doesn't it.
Jason: Hmmmm
Gordon: Not all crap sticks when you throw it up against the wall.
Chico: Not that serious a gambit, is it? Time marches forward, and during the
games of Torino, we had two Jeopardy! champs come out of the woodwork and become
legendary. Those would be Tom Kavanaugh and Kevin Marshall. Both would go on to
greater glory in the ToC... But more on those two later. Meanwhile, CBS and Time
Warner decided to make honest networks of each other by merging the UPN and the
WB into one entity... the CW. Said entity would have two established favorites
on: Top Model and Beauty and the Geek.
Gordon: Top Model gets 2 cycles in. The Geek gets 1 cycle in with Cycle 3
showing up in 2007
Chico: Right on. The merger proved most lucrative for Top Model, as it continues
to become the giant gorilla the network needs to warrant its continued
existence.
Gordon: And that translates to Syndication, where Tyra's show gets renewed for 2
more years
Chico: Word. On the other side of the coin, it spawned MyNetwork TV, a... can we
even call it a network?
Gordon: Uh....no.
Jason: Not even close.
Travis: My not-a-staticky-channel, maybe.
Gordon: It does have MyGames, if you're into audio and video mutilation.
Chico: Fine then. The "network" had planned to bring "Brainiest" to
America... that shifted to all-telenovela, all the time... How's that working
out for you?
Jason: The ratings are non-existent.
Gordon: its low to the point where they have their own ratings chart and no
other major ratings syndication are noting it as a station. We continue the year
with tragedy, featuring a game show host, a good cause, and a plane.
Jason: This is, in my opinion, the 2nd biggest story of the year.
Travis: I'll agree to that
Gordon: We mourn the departure of Peter Tomarken, who left us suddenly when his
plane crashed
Jason: When I was told this story...I was stunned.
Chico: As was I.
Travis: We all were.
Jason: But he was doing a great deed, as he was flying Angel Flights.
Travis: My game show club at school sent his brother, an English professor at
Miami University in Oxford, OH, our condolences via a card. He sent us a reply
card thanking us for remembering Peter and all he had done.
Chico: He was a class act... and he will be missed.
Don: *Nods*
Chico: hard to move on from such a loss, but we did... as the Donald started to
fight with Martha Stewart. A couple of weeks later, the Apprentice premiered.
Given the events of recent weeks... coincidence? You tell me.
Gordon: I think not. I think it's not surprising when he is in the spotlight and
then his show happens. Martha...Apprentice 5. Rosie...Apprentice 6.
Chico: Yeah, thanks for reminding me how desperate for attention you are.
Gordon: The problem is that I don't think this is going to be in his favor -
especially now that Miss Nevada is going to claim (and rightfully so) that the
Donald should give her a second chance because he did that to Miss USA.
Chico: And that, my friends, is called hypocrisy.
Jason: However, Gordon...according to the Donald...drinking is less heinous than
being topless or semi-lesbian. I think he should have canned both of them.
Chico: Agreed. Since he canned before and forthrightly so. Donald Trump really
dug himself a PR hole here.
Jason: I think so.
Gordon: Yes. He thinks he's doing himself a favor, but the road to Hell is paved
with good intentions
Chico: And ultimately, this show is going to be a casualty, since at recent
memory ... show ain't doing too good.
Jason: 2007 should be the last year of the Apprentice.
Chico: Well, if this last stunt doesn't do it.
Don: Yeah, if it somehow makes it to another season, I kinda wonder who'll be
targeted by Trump a few weeks before THAT one...
Chico: Probably us. =p Luckily we have a law expert that can talk on his
level... ain't that right, Block :-)
Gordon: I think it will depend on the lead-in before it - You're the One That I
Want...but Burnett not only has the win and be happy lose and you're in poverty
stunt in the Apprentice - he has the same one in Survivor.
Jason: It's not a unique trick.
Chico: Nope. Time will tell on this one.
Gordon: Meanwhile, we had another idea - let's resurrect an old show using all
gay judges!
Jason: I've Got A Secret!
Gordon: An All-Gay panel for I've Got a Secret, one of many new shows introduced
by GSN.
Jason: Which lasted all of 13 weeks.
Gordon: That idea - didn't do too well. Another idea, however, not only lasted a
lot longer, but is now one of GSN's strongholds. The idea: call in and win - and
have some busty babes host the show, which will cost you 99 cents to text in.
Jason: Ah yes, Playmania.
Don: And it spawned other shows like it.
Gordon: Let's see... Midnight Money Madness anyone?
Jason: Text2Win
Gordon: Turned to PLay2Win
Jason: MyGames Fever
Don: Don't remind me of Play2Win... I saw the Canadian version of Thursday... It
gave me a headache.
Gordon: Do tell, Don
Don: Pretty much what I heard about the American version, I saw on the Canadian
version.
Gordon: On the last episode, we did apologize to the Canadians for having to be
unleashed to this. We also have sports versions, where people call up for
tickets and other merchandise
Jason: A cheap format that makes tons of money.
Gordon: Very true. Also happening in May - the finales of all of the Spring
shows. We see the crowning of Taylor. If you get rid of an o, you get Tyler, who
along with BJ, wins The Amazing Race 9.
Jason: Hippies rule.
Chico: Yay hippies!
Don: Oh yeah!
Gordon: And at the end of May, we get...Game. Show. Marathon.
Chico: The show you either loved or hated.
Jason: Hated here.
Gordon: Despised, for a number of reasons.
Chico: The good, it showed that a doable Match Game is possible in 2006. The
bad... well... take your pick. I mean, it's far from the worst show of the year.
But still... You either had to try hard to like it or not at all. Shouldn't have
to do that with a game show. But still, Kathy Najimy deserves props for being a
sport about it. She had practice :-)
Jason: Yes she did.
Chico: Also premiering at the end of May, So You Think You Can Dance, Hell's
Kitchen, and... America's Got Talent. America's Got Talent ... wow. We owe our
whole summer to that one show.
Gordon: And Regis Philbin once again helms a successful show.
Chico: It gave us talent that we've seen elsewhere, talent we may not have seen
elsewhere, talent we wish we hadn't seen elsewhere.... and Leonid the
Magnificent.
Don: lol
Jason: And the breakdancing cow.
Chico: And the return to greatness of... the Hoff.
Gordon: We've seen a lot of talent and David Hasselhoff as a breakthrough
talent. Piers Morgan...not so much, but he can make people cry and skewer the
results very well.
Jason: True, but you had the breakout of the one the most gifted 12 yr olds in a
long time. Bianca Ryan.
Chico: She wins the whole kit'n'kaboodle. Makes you think who could be next.
Could be singing quintets. Could be stepping aunties. Could be a burlesque
dancer that likes Snow White... no, wait, we had that :-)
Jason: Michelle L'Amour...
Gordon: Who was more than gracious enough to be with us on WLTI...
Jason: One of the best interviews of 2006.
Chico: That's probably why it did as well as it did... Because anything can
happen... and sometimes it did.
Gordon: Now if only Piers Morgan kept the comments objective, instead of
subjective.
Chico: Let's hope next year. And that brings us... to a break! When we come
back, the rest of 2006, and a peek into 2007... You like that?
Jason: I do!
Don: Yep!
Chico: But first, going into break... You know me... You know Gordon... Jason...
Don... Travis... But we made some new friends this year as well....
Gordon: Yes we did.
(Bill McDonald)
Bill: Ah, Vik. I joked with him about it at the start of the tournament ("We
meet again, Mr. Vik Vaz!"), but by the time we got to the finals, I think we
were both thinking more about the event than about the past.
(Philip Cousin)
Gordon: I know you want to be a game show host. Give me 5 good reasons why
you should take over for Bob Barker.
Philip: I wouldn't want to take over for Barker. I'd just do the LIVE
show.
Gordon: Ok - 5 Good reasons why you should do the live show
Philip: It's in Vegas which is where I live, I got a bunch of clips in my
collection to attract audiences, I'm a nice guy, I know all the games, and I
love to see contestants win.
(Tom Gauer)
Tom: Uh, I loved the "1 vs. 100" process. It was one of my fondest
memories. I would love to fill out the whole application again.
Chico: Really... how'd your tryout go?
Tom: Not so much a tryout, as a run through. I don't believe they were
watching all 100 contestant hopefuls, just three people. They were still
tweaking the game, and I think needed some bodies.
(Andy Pei)
Jason: Has this appearance
happened in the last month?
Andy: yes
Jason: Was the show on Game Show Network?
Andy: yes
Jason: Would the show be Lingo?
Andy: YES!
(Cheryl Jackson)
Chico: Okay. 2) There's a philosophy in this game, "Make it your own". Did
you have a philosophy in mind going into game day?
Cheryl: Yes... I was going to be the first contestant to go all the way
and to prove that I was Deal or No Deal's number one fan.
Chico: Good attitude to have, that.
Cheryl: A female with nuts...or who went nuts (she says while looking at
this FIVE dollar check). LOL.
(Tim Sternberg)
Gordon: Part 2 - Who would your ideal team be?
Tim: To see or be a participant in? To be a participant in, I would say
someone who counters my strengths with my weaknesses. Someone like a Ken
Jennings I guess. To watch, it would be great to see anyone play.
Gordon: Your ideal team - you , Jason and who else?
Tim: You Gordon, you! :-)
Gordon: Me?
Tim: Yep
Gordon: Why me?
Tim: Your knowledge of game shows
Gordon: I guess the fact that I was on the team that dismantled Wayne
Forrester and company 175-5 may have had something to do with that decision?
Jason: Maybe.
Tim: You think? ;-)
(Michelle L'Amour)
Chico: ah. Coolie. Okay, last one...20) It's Michelle Time. Any shameless
plugs you want to throw in, anything you want to get off your chest, anything we
haven't covered, now's the time to do it. Go.
Gordon: <beavis>heh heh heh. He said Chest. Heh heh heh heh</beavis>
Michelle: Good, glad you caught that too. I was getting to that :-)
Gordon: Heh.
Michelle: Plug: www.michellelamour.com I will have some instructional
DVDs coming out soon, probably around the holidays. Go to my website to see what
I get off my chest.
Chico: *stands, takes a bow*
Michelle: You can stand? Guess I'm not doing my job.
Chico: Point, Michelle
(Brought to you by Survivor: Price is Right. You want real drama, offer the
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