LET’S MAKE A DEAL: Fair Play on a Statistics Game Show

LET’S MAKE A DEAL returned to filming new episodes for CBS earlier last month. Host and four-time Emmy winner, Wayne Brady, emcee and “box holder” Johnathan Mangum and “supermodel” Tiffany Coyne are all back for fresh episodes currently being shot in Hollywood, Ca.

“Let’s Make a Deal” is a unique type of game show. Similar to “The Price is Right” in that every audience member is a potential contestant, yet different in that the majority of the show is shot in the audience as Brady stands in the aisle and offers cash and prizes with routine games that are presented often by Mangum who is the predecessor of Monty Hall’s “box holder” and emcee Jay Stewart. Next month marks the twenty-one year anniversary of Stewart’s suicide at his home in the Hollywood Hills.

In a game show that is rich in statistics I always wondered how game show Standards and Practices (S & P) come into play with such an unconventional type of show. Most of the prizes are won by process of elimination or just random luck. There is no potential for cheating on that.

But, on the July 18th episode, such an incident occurred that caused for game show Standards & Practices to step-in. Brady selected two costumed gentlemen players, one of which was a “young Jonathan Mangum” look-alike, from the audience to take a stab at playing a common game on the show. Brady joked with the young look-alike Magnum and ask him to briefly give his best game show announcement voice. The two contestants both stood side-by-side as Brady asked them a trivia question about what year was Nestle Toll house pre-made cookie dough invented. They were each given a blank card to write-down their answers.

The problem came when one contestant looked at the card of the other player. An attempt to get a glance at what his answer was. Brady caught the action and told him that it was a big “no, no”. The show was stopped and executive producer with S & P representative asked the cheating contestant to take his seat. Brady commented that he was an example of a bad contestant.

The non-cheating player was given another opportunity to play for money with a new opponent and new question. Viewers at home won’t see this game show faux pas. But, it’s good to know that “Let’s Make a Deal” is true to upholding the ethics of fair game show play. Not like on some other recent game show sets (that I won’t mention) where HOLLYWOOD JUNKET has visited and witnessed many loose rules and guidelines. One such show even had swayed outcomes in favor of the network. It’s always a sigh of relief when we see S&P doing their jobs!

To get tickets to the show and be in the audience for your chance to win cash and prizes, visit: http://www.ocatv.com/shows/show/269

PYRAMID: Enters the 21st Century!

Updated: June 25, 2010

CBS shot a new pilot yesterday of classic game show, PYRAMID hosted by Andy Richter (Conan O’Brien) on the Sony Studio Pictures lot in Culver City.

After a nostalgic reel of past “Pyramid” shows was shown, Executive Producer, Michael Davies opened the day’s filming by stating that they chose to keep the game play the same because, “why mess with perfection”, and that “Pyramid” is the “greatest game show in television history”. The new set, he stated, is without an actual physical pyramid. Producers chose to display the pyramid via seven surrounding screens. That new feature, along with “bringing the show to it’s feet” (contestants and celebrities stand rather than sit) is what he explained has entered PYRAMID into the 21st century.

Gone is the physical pyramid on the new PYRAMID game show for CBS.

HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED:
The game is played in a multiple of rounds. The first round, two players compete for “best of three”. Players must guess seven words based on a number of clues that include physical demonstration given to them by celebrities within sixty seconds. During the second set of word answers, contestants have the chance to win a prize if they guess all seven words. Some prizes given out yesterday were a Bravia Plasma TV, and a Canon digital camera. The third attempt determines who will go to the second round, “the winner’s circle”, which is actually square, to name the six topic pyramid answers in an attempt to win $10,000.

Contestants that are trialing get the option to “double down” first which means their word play is twice as difficult and points earned per correct answer are two instead of one. Then their opponent may also choose to “double down” or not when the game goes back to them.

A new pair of contestants are brought out onto the stage to play best of three. The winner goes on to also attempt to win $10,000. The two winners play for another best of three, then that winner plays for the grand prize of $25,000 in which the player must answer all six categories correctly in order to win. The person giving the clues can only do so in “lists” and are not allowed to use physical gestures in this round. Their wrists are held-down by black straps on the sides of the chair to ensure this. Contestants get to keep the money they earned for the correct answers during the pyramid rounds.

Pyramid tiers are three $200 questions, two $300 questions, and the top and final $500 question.

Moe Rocca played a very physical game by miming a lot of gestures, while Aisha Tyler used smart verbiage while Betty White stole the spotlight from Richter, which if he’s not quick on his feet will happen a lot by celebrity guests, by telling the audience “don’t mind my back.” Then, “don’t mind my front!”. As well as flirting with one of the producers. White had a slip-up while tying to guess a word that caused for a profanity. Of course everyone enjoyed her immensely.

THE HOST:
Andy Richter surprisingly was left to fend for himself most of the day. He was obviously green to game show hosting, but left with little instruction on point updates and often not realizing what to say next. With a little bit more breaking-in though, I think he’ll be fine. We are pulling for him!

Produced by some of the same people as “Million Dollar Password”, the set was very similar as well as the feel of the whole show. Familiar faces from “Deal or No Deal” and “The Newlywed Game” were also seen on the set. Hopefully having a combination of past successful show veterans on staff might just rub off on this new version of “Pyramid”.