FYI,

Norm Blumenthal, the brains behind NBC's Concentration (celebrating the golden anniversary) will be on hand taking your calls for a live 2-hour interview on Stu's Show, Wednesday 9/24 from 7-9ET/4-6PT.

Shokusradio.com is the place.

Just a reminder that this is happening in the next few minutes, and for the next couple of hours.

Blumenthal may not have made a big impression as the friendliest game show producer we've ever come across at the Game Show Congress events, but I'm sure he'll have some stories to tell about one of the greatest game shows of all time, and one that was his baby for most of its incredible run.

You're not gonna believe this, but I happened to listen to the show today. I then dared myself to call him; and after a few busy signals, managed to get through. I asked Norm a question about what it was like to work with Bob Clayton. He said that Bob felt he was "second fiddle to Hugh" while working on the show.

Cordially,
Tammy

That was you??? Wow. It was certainly interesting to hear what he thought of Bob. I also noticed that Michi-Matt made it on.

Certainly a good show. I might have to listen again at some point.

When he was at the Game Show Congress, I tried to ask him about the board games and, as with a lot of his stories, he quickly distracted himself into a different path. This time, he apparently was a lot more forthcoming, but I couldn't hear his answer in the phone and the delay in trying to listen on the computer was too distracting. Now I'll have to catch a replay to hear what he actually said.

Still, a solid two hours, one of Stu's better shows.

Did he tell his tale about kicking Lin Bolen out of the control room?
Also, are Stu's shows archived anyplace or must we be tuned to his interchannel while the program is broadcasting?

No. I asked him about archiving, and he told me that his music-use agreements forbid him from archiving anything, they only allow for live streaming. So no can do.

He did.

I honestly didn't know she killed "Concentration" as well----I thought it was '74 or '75 that she took over NBC daytime.

He has made episodes available for purchase for only five bucks. Though his store only goes up to August, 2007, you could probably contact him directly for a more recent show. The address for ordering is orders@shokusradio.com

Caught the show. Best nerdgasm I've had all year.

Biggest surprise: his compliments to Lin Bolen.

Biggest disappointment: I wanted to hear more about the development of the Milton Bradley home game.

Best fun fact: tie between the recycling of the set between editions of the program and technicians had to dress completely in black so they wouldn't be seen working behind the gameboard.

Also of note: his disgust with Classic Concentration rebuses. He said he didn't like the use of an ear of corn for "ear." I disagree; I think that is clever. What I didn't like about the puzzles was the entire drawing of a thing when only a part of that thing is needed to solve the rebus. Example: the drawing of an human body when only "eye" is needed for the solution.

I tried my best!

A bargain at twice the price, I'm sure.

That's really interesting considering what he told me about music clearances.

I agree with you, I thought that was a horrible example as he was telling it. No matter what he says, part of the challenge of solving a rebus is the possibility that you DON'T immediately understand what the symbol is supposed to be.

To a larger degree, however, I think what you take out of the show (and out of our meeting with him at the GSC, and for that matter his 1975 book) is that he's a man who's disgusted with anything involving Concentration that he didn't personally do himself. No matter what his rationale, resisting things like the move to color television had to have gotten him a reputation as a difficult man to work with. As grateful as I am for a childhood favorite, and as truly inspired a puzzle constructor as he was, I'm not wildly surprised that he didn't really work in television again.

Actually, I disagree. Steve Ryan understands moreso than Norm Blumenthal that sometimes, deception is one of the greatest tools in a puzzlemaker's kit. He'd have Bernie Schmittke draw a face that took up maybe six gameboard squares and conceal the arrows indicating "nose" under only one.

Since Norm wasn't involved, I wonder then who made up the puzzles for the '73 show. Howard Felsher? Buck D'Amore? Mark Dawson?