We now know on which game shows most folks here would like to appear as a contestant.

Now comes the million-dollar question (no lifelines left): If you could host one game show in all of TV history, what show would you host?

I choose TPIR, just as I did in the previous thread. I also choose, as in the previous thread, to host it in the early to mid-80s, when I'd have more time to spend with the contestants. I'd prefer to run shows with looser formats that allow more time for chitchat and joking around with the contestants. I don't want to get stuck behind a podium asking one question after another. The variety of games and contestants on TPIR would keep it interesting, whereas I would get bored with a format like J! very quickly.

I now throw it open to the crowd for your own responses to the question.

Pyramid, again. Lots of interaction, the opportunity to watch and play along with a great game, and the idea of being able to build up that anticipation and belt out a hearty "Here is your FIRST subject!" appeals greatly to the announcer in me. :)

Plus you get a damned cool podium. :)

Hmmmm. Just one, eh? Remember that, folks. He just asked for one.
Here's my one: Jackpot.

Last time I said I'd like to be a contestant on any form of Password. Now as far as HOSTING a show goes, it'd have to be Press Your Luck.

Just from reading the first few responses, it seems that some of us would like to host the show we'd most like to be on......and I'll continue the trend.

Although "Press Your Luck" would be a very close second, I'd have to say the show I'd most like to host is "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".

I'd love to host Weakest Link and tell off some of the idiots they had on the show. Kinda like this board, at times.

Well, you know...if I can only pick one, I'd have to keep it in the quiz type family. One show I'd want to host would be Twenty One, for two reasons: 1) I was a fan, and 2) the gameplay, for the most part, is fairly solid.

Having just obtained a copy of this ULTRA-RARE show in my collection this past summer, I'd love to be host of Video Village, maybe I could persuade Michael Burger to be my "assistant mayor" and have Dean Goss as "Deano the Cop."

Cordially,
Tammy Warner--the 'Teresa Ganzel of the Big Board!'

I'm going to stand by the "$ale of the Century" because it does take alot of persuasion, alot of speed in asking questions, and the ability to hold suspense...

...and even though I wouldn't be Jim Perry, I'd like to be pretty damned close ;-)

I'd like to get behind the wheel of 'Famiy Feud'.

And probabaly be told after the show 'don't quit your day job.'

Probably "Family Feud"...I'd like to think I'm pretty quick on my toes, and I might get to kiss the la-dieeeees, or pull a Peter Griffin. ;-)

Besides I get to D0UBL3 TH3 P01NTS!!!11!!!!!!1! B3D BATH & B3Y0ND!1!!!

"Tic Tac Dough". I mean... I just watched a tape of Jim Caldwell... and I HAVE to be better than him at it.

Dayum, someone took the Sale idea. I would as well LOVE to host Sale of the Century. It's THE favorite of mine. I hate bragging but I think I have the somewhat potential to read the questions fast and have the intense personality to keep the show moving.

I pick Family Feud. If I had to pick an era (hey, this is fantasy), I'd go with 1978-82, when it was about the hottest show on the tube.

Password Plus, my favorite version of the game.

Host? Good one. I'll go with something that hasn't been mentioned before:

NBC's Card Sharks.

Only one problem. I'm probably not tall enough to reach the Big Bet card.

hoo boy so many, but If I had a choice it'd be Press Your Luck since after watching so many eps, I acustomized my fast talking and upbeat to peter's. I can also remember when working at the local theater, catching myself doing come "PYLisms" in front of customers. such as reading the price or change one digit at a time.

Let's see, a host eh? Being bliind, I'd like to stay away from the quizzers & go to the ones where anything can happen(& they usually do). For me, I'd like to be Monty Hall on LMAD. There's nothing like having to make all kinds of crazy deals to the contestants & watch their reactions when they find out if they won a car or even an extra large T-shirt that read "I Got Zonked On LMAD".

Classic "I've Got a Secret." The chance to do a lot of fun things, a show with Bill Cullen and celebrities...just sounds like an enjoyable time.

original Joker's Wild, no doubt!

I'd pick Pyramid. My interviewing skills leave much to be desired, so I'd need a show where the focus is on the game (it shouldn't be too hard to ask the celebrity to briefly tell us about their latest movie/TV show/book/commercial and then let my eyes glaze over). Plus I'd get to do the post-mortem.

--
Scott Robinson

I'd love to host "Super Pay Cards" Gameplay is fairly simple, easy enough to coax a contestant to make a choice, and if executive producer I'd up the bonus payouts to $250, $2,500, and $25,000. Besides, the set reeks of cheesiness, my kind of show.

price is right

"To Tell the Truth," hands down. I could do the whole show, AND pick up the check, in my sleep.

I do not chime in on this board alot but this topic has tickled my fancy. It is tough to decide to host one show, but if I had to pick a show I would pick something quite fun. If I could pick one show that I could host from the past I would have to select one by decade. It is greedy but great shows have been on during each decade.

50's: 21
60's: Beat The Clock
70's: High Rollers
80's: Chain Reaction
90's: The Price is Right
Now: Family Feud

Each show has an unbelievable quality to them. They are all fun to watch, orignal games, and classic. I picked 21 because in my honest opinion it has never gotten a fair shake on television. Beat the Clock was quirky and fun. High Rollers was as much luck as knowledge. Chain Reaction is one of my all time favorites. The Price is Right is one of the greatest game shows ever and why not host a legend. Family Feud is the game that is quite fun to watch and be apart of. Intereaction is key and comedy is something that is easy to catch in this game.

There are alot of shows that I would love to host. I would like to put my spin on shows like $ale of the Century, To Tell The Truth, Blockbusters, Match Game, Press Your Luck, GO!, Scrabble, Greed, Treasure Hunt, Let's Make a Deal, The Joker's Wild, Tattle Tales, and many others. Mabey one day I will accomplish my goals and host one of these great shows. That is my piece, im out.

Which is why I'd take Card Sharks (Perry) or a new P+/SP.

(Yeah, that's two.....so sue me......)

I would definitely want a show where I have NO idea what is going to happen as the game goes along; that way, it would almost be like I was playing the game along with the contestants. Plus, I'd want to host a show where I could have a lot of fun with the contestants and, of course, with the viewers...:)

Given that, I'd have to go with PYL as my choice. Actually, when I was a kid and I would "practice" trying to be an emcee, I would always do it in the style of Peter Tomarken; I thought he was the coolest host ever.

(Game Show Geekiness Alert!) Actually, now that I'm a teacher, I find myself sometimes even using the same mannerisms that Peter would use during the question rounds! Creepy, huh? :)

Anthony

Wow, I wouldn't. It's nice for getting genuine reactions, but speaking as someone who has broadcasted live, you have enough damned work trying to be interesting and trying to move the show along as it is without having extra gameplay curveballs thrown at you. Better to have an idea of what might happen and SELL it like it's a surprise to the viewers than to have to process it yourself at the same time, I think.

(Taking nothing away from Tomarken, who does a bang-up job on most everything. I'm saying, for example, on Pyramid, I'd totally want to know where the Big 7/7-11/Mystery 7/Super Six was located before the game started, so that _I'M_ not surprised when they come up. I can still sell it and make it look exciting, but why make it harder than it needs to be?)

OK, I'll take one nobody's mentioned--I'd gladly host GONG (just so I could actually hear what Jaye P. said). :)

Doug

And, of course, to see her {OOPS!}

This could make for an interesting debate in and of itself (and since I started the thread, I'm entitled to take it off on a tangent). Would you prefer a show where the host knows most of what's going to happen in advance or one where he's often as surprised as the contestants?

It seems likely that people who want to host shows with more rigid formats would tend to prefer more foreknowledge because they like the feeling of order and control. This isn't a bad thing by any means, and it doesn't mean that gameplay itself necessarily must be dull and rigid. Pyramid is a perfect example of that. (I will say, however, that it was patently obvious that Dick Clark knew where the 7-11 or other bonus was ahead of time because he seldom acted the least bit surprised or even excited to see it. I trust Mr. Lemon could do better and, if not, provide an appropriate smackdown to anyone who commented on his lack of enthusiasm.)

If I were hosting Pyramid (and I would love doing that even though I chose TPIR as my top pick), I would probably prefer not knowing where the bonuses are; but, if I did know, I think I could do a good job of making them appear surprising when they showed up. Since they're such a small part of the game anyway, I don't think the host's foreknowledge or lack thereof really makes much difference.

On the other hand, on TPIR the host has very little foreknowledge. I'm sure Bob has a general idea of the prices of things, especially since so many items show up over and over again, but he isn't told the "answers" in advance. I wouldn't have it any other way if I were the host. It provides spontaneity, and it also makes it far less likely that the host will inadvertently help the contestant.

Another show (yes, I'm breaking the "one show" rule here, but again, it's my thread) I'd love to host is LMAD. Now there's the ultimate example of a show where the host must know everything in advance and yet make it appear that things are happening on the spur of the moment. It has to be one of the most difficult shows for an emcee to pull off, which perhaps explains why only one man, the guy who invented it, has been able to do so.

Are there others among us who would like to host both types of shows, or do we tend to be know-everything or know-nothing types exclusively?

Geoff Edwards is gonna get you! :-p

As well as a member of this forum. :)

That's why I picked JOKER - both JOKER and PYL have a solid, simple framework, but never knowing how those wheels are going to end up at the end of a spin takes what would be a dull Q&A game and gives it something extra. You can have all the smarts in the world - but you're helpless against those wheels. You surrender to fate. You get the best of both worlds - a well-formatted question and answer game where everyone - including the host - holds their breath wondering what those next unpredictable wheel combinations will be, and I can react spontaneously.

I think I'd go with The Price is Right. Hey, I know I can pass the ultimate hosting test...

Producers: Yes, Mr. Williams, do you know Check Game?

Me: Do I? DO I?!?

I could hold my own with the Samoans and have a sharp quick wit...sounds like a bad personal ad doesn't it?

I think that's how Wally Bruner got the job replacing John Daly when WML? went syndie.

Already got a show of my own, thanks.

Still, my dream is a revival of the panel shows. So in my dream, sure, I'm hosting one of those. Probably WML?, which seems to take a little more mental dexterity from the host to make it work right.

Well, if nobody else will do it, I'll take Match Game. You do get the long microphone, after all, and the grand entrance. And what could be more fun?

Hasn't anyone choosed 'Wheel' or 'Jeopardy!'? Dare I say I'd like to give 'Wheel' a spin.

You're the last person who should be around a word game.

My 'choosed' mistake

Hmm, tough decision here. I'd probably have to go with "Scrabble." I've always been intriqued with words and their spellings and such.