Tonight's GSN repeat featured yet another disparaging remark from Dawson toward Felsher, and it has me wondering; when exactly was Howard barred from Family Feud anyway? Did Richard mention it on the show?

Tyshaun

Felscher was "barred" from the set sometime in '83. He was made executive producer, and he would not need to be present on the set. Cathy Hugart Dawson, Richard's daughter in law, was made producer.

As I remember, in the late '77 early '78 run, Richard started using his "monologue opening" as a sort of "soapbox" to express his thoughts on whatever was on his mind. Howard felt Richard was using too much time to joke around, detracting from the game, so that's why he upped the game to 300 points.

I think the real tension between Howard and Richard started between 79-80, when the 300 point rule was in effect. Howard told a story in the E! THS of Family Feud that Richard was vacationing in Hawaii and told the staff that he just might stay in Hawaii and leave Family Feud unless they raised his salary. Goodson and Felscher were ready to get rid of him, but ABC granted Richard a very big raise.

IMO they really should've left it at 200 points all along. It's obvious Richard felt restricted having less time to joke around, and it got even worse when the game was upped again to 400 points

The 400 point games, IMHO, are the most enjoyable because it is 100% game play and not a lot of time wasted on up-front interviews. I'm sorry, but I just don't find most families on any version that interesting that I want to hear them keep talking. All the gift presentations, kissing, and cute conversations with 90 year grannies horny for Dawson bored me. If Dawson was so engaging beyond one or two quick quips, he would have been a sensation as a nightclub comic or regular feature on the Mike Douglas / Merv Griffin talk show circuit. I say get to the game.

Felsher got some revenge on Dawson in the E! documentary about FF. Howard ranted at length about Dawson's ego, demands, and general orneriness. Of course, Howard didn't have much good to say about Combs and Louie, either. He came across as thoroughly obnoxious as he tried to depict Dawson.

Interesting to note though, on the final Family Feud, Richard mentions how him and Felsher "went through hell"(I think he actually said him and the staff) or something to that effect. He sure as hell kissed Felsher's rear end on that one!

I'll simply be diplomatic in saying the there are many strong personalities in the biz. Few get to host, produce, or own TV shows without ego, drive and some control issues. It's part of what makes people who they are.

My only purpose in this post is to point out the irony that so many years later Howards's son Andy Felsher and Howard's replacement as Feud producer, Cathy Dawson have been working together every day for many months producing the "Price" stage show. And living, eating and working in a hotel together far from home is more like family than simply a work relationship.

They get along wonderfully; in fact they are good friends. And at the risk of being accused of kissing ass, they are two very gifted people with great sensibilities. Andy understands the "show" in show biz, as does Cathy who handles a tremendous amount of writing, staging and detail work and makes it look effortless.

All true, but it sure doesn't hurt to also kiss some ass ;-)


Randy
tvrandywest.com

Any producer would have trouble getting along with Dawson and Ludden, IMO. You might say they are/were equal opportunity pricks. It's more coincidence than anything that Howard got to work with these two.

Well, yeah, E! ain't exactly the most reliable source. But Felsher himself used most of his time on the FF show to badmouth Dawson, Combs, Louie, and Dawson's daughter. Really, the only exception was when he expressed sadness over Combs' suicide.

Okay, maybe they edited his interviews for just the juicier bits. But I didn't notice anybody holding a gun to Felsher's head as he dumped on all these people. The blunt fact is that he came off looking at least as obnoxious and unlikeable as he tried to make his targets look.

This may be totally unfair and Howard Felsher may be a saint among men. But if you do a lot of trash talk on teevee interviews, it's hard to look sweet and kind.

And this is also a man who came off looking like a world-class pain in the butt. As for how "candid" he was, some of his targets might beg to differ. E! actually did offer a chance to Dawson's daughter to respond to Felsher's attack. Combs, of course, was sadly unavailable for comment, and Dawson has become a semi-recluse with regard to media interviews. Louie didn't appear to have been informed of Felsher's comments.

As for the actual merits of Felsher's complaints, I would say his swipe at Dawson's daughter was completely undeserved, and I was happy to see her reply in a dignified and professional way. His harsh opinions of the three hosts might have been somewhat justified, though I'm sure the hosts would have responded with comments on Felsher's own unappealing personal style.

IIRC, Felsher commented that the decision to install Dawson's daughter as an exec on the show was a "disaster." E! then cut to the aformentioned daughter pointing out her Emmy nominations. She did not attack Felsher personally.

Wouldn't have minded more such give-and-take when Felsher slammed Dawson or Louie. But Dawson clearly didn't grant an interview to the producers of the show, and Louie didn't seem to be aware that Felsher had ripped him for "not giving a damn" about the contestants.

Again, Felsher's complaints may have had some merit. But it would have been nice to see more responses from his targets. And, to put it gently, Felsher did not come off as a particularly easy guy to work with himself.

Did Dawson do this around the time he began not participating so to speak, on Match Game?

I was speaking of when Ira got banned from the Match Game set.

Ah, I see. Anyone have a clue why Dickie wanted Ira banned to begin with?

Hmm, I wonder if the school riot episode from 77, may have had a play in why all this nonsense got started.