Just got back from a taping. While I won't spoil the outcome, here are the brackets for the 2 shows I saw.

Raven Simone Family v. Wayne Newton Family
Joan Rivers Family v. Ice-T Family
Winners square off against each other for $50,000 for charity

Bill Engvall Family v. Larry The Cable Guy Family
Vivica A. Fox Family v. Mo'nique Family
Winners square off against each other for $50,000 for charity.

A few notes on the show....

The set has been changed slightly. There is a runway Roker walks down. His entrance is similar to Match Game 90. There are different sound effects for the survey reveal and fast money.

Roker is a very capable host. He was channeling Ray Combs dancing during various parts of the show. I thought he was very good.

And the best part...

They brought back the classic theme. (thanks to NBC)

Specials scheduled to air sometime in July.

Somehow, this sounds like what an SNL writer would come up with.

Do they still play to 300 points or has that been changed?

They still play to 300 points.

Considering the original release said they may also be friends, cast members, etc., are these real relations?

I have a few minutes before I head out to finish my vacation, so I just wanted to ask this. This upcoming question stems from a lot of comments and emails I get every year through my site when the show's new season starts.

Why do people think adding the classic theme to the show is "the best part"? The classic twangy banjo music isn't going to fit on a modern neon lit extremely flashy set. It's a fun theme and all and it fits on the older less busy sets, but as repetitive and occasionally annoying as the current stuff is, it works on what we have right now. I know it's a well loved theme, but do people actually think the country-sounding classic music is going to work on the seizure inducing set that's present right now?

Best example of this would be Karn's Feud. It should be interesting to see how it fits on this set.

Without the twangy music, how would you associate it with the Hatfield-McCoy family feud?

Given that most family feuds today are over wills, maybe they could use a jazzy version of the Perry Mason theme...

Which is why I've said many times, in the past, that the '94 theme should be brought back and used again. Everyone will recognize the tune as FF's, it's modern, has aged well, and I'd think you'd believe it would better "fit the set," as you argue the theme should. The opening music from '94, especially, I think is one of the best intro cues ever composed and would work fine in a primetime-ish environment.

Some are family members (Rivers family) while some are a mixture (Raven Simone)

Does this mean they did a variation of the current O'Hurley set? Or was an entirely new set done?

Variation of current set

Right, Chris. The average viewer will think the set is the same.

Randy
tvrandywest.com

There are no average viewers here, for sure. And I always wear my sunglasses watching the current version of "Feud"

'Cause the current theme blows, and the original theme doesn't.

(Totally a matter of opinion, of course...but in this case, I think said opinion is the explanation.)

Now, if they used the '94 theme, I think that would be the best of both worlds.

My feelings exactly...I've always been stumped as to why they didn't go w/that theme when O'Hurley took over, given Fremantle's recent attempts to give his version a more classic feel the past 2 seasons, since the 94 music (IMO) maintains the "classic" vibe while keeping the show in the modern era.

Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious "Chuckie Baby")

Of all versions of the current theme, I HATED the Anderson one. I liked the Karn intro-it was perfect for the roll-call, but HATED the closer. I do like the current theme somewhat, but it appears I'm the only one.

I don't think going back to the 94 theme would work, but a brand new reorchestrated theme (or synthesized) would be just fine.

Here's the full lineup....

The last 2 episodes look like they're going to be the most interesting ones to me, especially ep 5.... and ep 6 could be hilarious...

Ed McMahon's gonna be pissed when he finds out he can't pocket the money for himself.

Eps 1,5, and 6 are going to be must-watch (and probably save) for me.

"Girls Next Door"? Extreme giggity. :)

Episode five, the obligatory NBC plug-fest, is the only one that will really do it for me, and the only one that even come close to replicating the genuinely star-driven network specials of the original version. I'll be amazed if the Office cast doesn't include Oscar Nunez, who's already popped up on Deal or No Deal and even J Keith's live version of What's My Line?

If Jason Lee isn't too "big" to do this version, why is Steve Carrell?

Because it'll be on after "Get Smart" comes out.

/Anne Hathaway--rowr!

I dunno. The Rock's in it, which means it's pretty much consigned to failure.

/"Hey, I made Doom..."

A little browsing this evening netted this from bestweekever.tv, the niece of Joan Rivers blogged about their experience on the show. There are also a few pics (looks like the wood tones around the big board are gone and there are 'stars' added in the back, other than that, I can't tell too much)

http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/06/04/live...s-niece-reports

Do be careful about the above link -- spoiler alert.

Throw tomatoes at me all you want, but...I'm actually looking forward to this. It looks like it'll be fun, and it cant be worse than some of the matches that Primetime Feud threw on us, or syndicated either.

/please John, no more Celebrity look alikes
//or figure skaters either

Unless they came from McDonald's.

Botulism!!

Could be. Seeing the response 'Password' has been getting here (and I like it a lot) it will be good if Freemantle can score two this summer.

Salmonella?

<BUZZ!>

Here are the full teams...



\I'm sorely disappointed....

\\I mean, Jet? I'd rather have had Phoenix...(I knew Crush wasn't going to be available because she was training for her fight at the time they were taping)

\\\Phoenix has a lovely pair of....wings (literally- it's part of her intro)

Apparently cue cards aren't allowed by the families. That's why Hogan ain't there.

That and "brother" isn't likely to be up on the board repeatedly.

Name a brand of typewriter.

Who's a relative you wouldn't want to kiss?

Name a TV psychologist. (Not sure how tightly they judge. Dawson would give it to him.)

Few notes:

Margaret Cho has 2 assistants? Must be a LOT of supermarkets she's getting invited to cut the grand opening ribbon at.

Vinny Pastore vs "Girls Next Door"..... Kudos to Vinny bringing his EX-Wife to play for charity. Now, who wants to bet whether Roker will take the "Big Pussy" vs "Small Pussies" punchline bait.

/Crass, I know, but you know SOMETHING like that is going to be said.

The NBC site is up now.

http://www.nbc.com/Celebrity_Family_Feud/

Nothing new to see except that the logo is shinier,and the podiums are black.

And now a new date June 24th. I guess the promos will be on NBC soon.

Yup, ad ran during "Most Outrageous Moments"(episode number 1,000,954,698 :D ) last night.

/At least Feud will cut down on M.O.M. a little bit

Yeah, that's a shocker, they bumped DOND's last episode of the season in place of Feud. What the hay?

I thought the world stopped for Howie and his case models, no matter what.

With Feud airing on NBC now, doesn't that put it in the class of airing on all three of the big three in it's life, like Password and Match Game?

When it airs? Yes, it would.

Don't forget that TPIR was on ABC from '63 to '65...

With a special footnote somewhere to mention that the syndicated Dawson "Feud" aired on the NBC O&O stations.

Basically, "Feud"'s starting a week early to not just beat back the premiere of "Wipeout" on ABC, but also because Fox is giving "Moment of Truth" the night off on the 24th to do what I think will be the "Hell's Kitchen" season finale by double-pumping at 8 and 9 (unless the first hour's either a recap or a repeat of the episode airing tomorrow night, in which case the season finale will be July 1 as originally scheduled):

http://www.thrfeed.com/2008/06/reality-collisi.html

Also, it gives "America's Got Talent" a better lead-in a week early against Chef Ramsay and the premiere of "...Japanese Game Show" on ABC.

NBC has updated the show site...there's now video there, but if you're extremely spoiler-phobic, you might want to avoid them (I will say I'm now looking forward to one episode in particular...)

Looks good, I wasn't looking forward to this, but it looks better now...

I couldn't disagree any more.

So, they used the old theme. Great. Then, they hacked the hell out of it up to make the oddest sounding stingers I've heard in a while.

And, is it me, or is every question sex-related?

I 'was' looking forward to this. Not now. Pass.

No, that's definitely a "new" face-off cue. A really sucky face-off cue.