THE PRICE IS RIGHT
The most enjoyable outgrowth from my time announcing CBS’ “The Price is Right” has been “The Price is Right – Live” national tour. In 2012, FremantleMedia embarked on a new way to bring the granddaddy of game shows to America, by taking the show on the road for a two-month tour of mostly one-nighters. What an amazing experience!
 included sports arenas, old vaudeville theaters, college auditoriums, theaters with thrust stages (stages that extend into the audience, beyond the proscenium, with seating on three sides), and massive movie palaces. The Fox Theaters in St Louis and Atlanta both stand out in my mind as examples of huge (5,000 seat), 1920s extravagantly ornate palaces, on a par with New York’s Radio City Music Hall. It was wonderful fun meeting members of our extended family – fans of “The Price is Right!” |
THE PRICE HAS BEEN RIGHT Working with Bob Barker on America’s longest running game show was a wonderful experience in so many ways. The seeds of one fortuitous spinoff from that work were planted at a “Price” taping one day in 2003. Andy Felsher, who’d had a long history with Mark Goodson Productions, was on the set watching the CBS taping, as well as examining the sets and props. He was kind enough to introduce himself, and asked whether I would be interested in appearing in a live stage version of “The Price is Right.” Long ago I learned to never say “no” to any potential opportunity! Some months later, An The show’s successes in those cities led to a run of several years at Bally’s Hotel on the famed Las Vegas strip. I enjoyed spending months, and sometimes years at a time, staying in the hotels or a company apartment, playing to enthusiastic audiences, and developing relationships with the various hosts. Todd Newton and I knew each other well from our two seasons together on “Hollywood Showdown.” I’d done 65 episodes of “The Chuck Woolery Show” with Chuck some years earlier. David Ruprecht and I were good buddies from our years together on “Supermarket Sweep”. I’d worked with Marc Summers on “Couch Potatoes,” and I’d filled-in on “Russian Roulette” with Mark Walberg. Over the years on “Price-Live” those relationships grew, and I had the chance to befriend George Hamilton, Roger Lodge, JD Roberto, Doug Davidson, Jeff Trachta and even Marco Antonio Regil, the host of “The Price is Right” in Mexico.
It’s now been a decade since producer Roger Dobkowitz first gave me a one-week tryout on the CBS show, and since producer Andy Felsher approached me about the live show. I’ve enjoyed all of the adventures, and look forward to the new challenges that develop from my association with America’s favorite game show! |
GSN IS MAKING NEW FRIENDS… AND A FEW OLD ONES
I’ll confess that when I w
I waved goodbye to the Whammies, as I took the show’s first car to be of The excitement was rekindled in 2012 when GSN began re-running “Press Your Luck” starting with episode #1. I had to smile when no fewer than a couple of dozen viewers sent me links to the truly dramatic win at the end of episode #10. Thanks for playing along! |
AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION
A decade after “Hollywood Showdown,” “All New 3’s a Crowd” and the other projects I’ve voiced for the network, I was proud to be back on GSN’s air with new episodes of “Newlywed Game” starring Carnie Wilson. Michael Davies (“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire”) and his “Newlywed” producers took the classic format to new heights that Chuck Barris likely could never have imagined.
You know the urban legend about a “Newlywed Game” occurrence that original host Bob Eubanks denied for years ever happened. The question: “Where’s the strangest place you’ve ever had the urge to make whoopee.” The answer: “The butt, Bob.” Well, it did happen! The contestant actually said “The ass,” and the tape never aired. Those kinds of wildly outrageous moments now seem to happen all the time on the new GSN episodes!
I don’t remember ever working a show where the director and crew are as surprised and entertained as the home audience will be, as the newlyweds are always up for the game of marital hilarity. Tune-in, and laugh along with a whole new season starring Sherri Shepherd, weeknights on GSN! |
LIVE!
No re-takes for us, and no DVR replays for the audience. No wonder actors talk about the thrill of "working the boards" and "legitimate" theater. With television shows raising the bar on production values it's not unusual to do multiple re-takes and pick-ups of the otherwise spontaneous moments that make watching reality and game shows compelling. While I don’t fully embrace the practice, I must admit I enjoy new oxymorons such as rehearsed spontaneity and re-created surprises.
There's a level of danger, a special energy, and a unique bond between audience members and performers when everyone knows that anything can happen at any moment - no re-takes and no replays. I enjoyed that magic appearing in thousands of performances of "The Price is Right - Live." That's why I'm excited about working with an experienced stage actor in a showroom where spontaneity and surprise will energize each and every performance of "Risks and Rewards."
I'm looking forward to teaming with the great John O'Hurley for a tour of casino showrooms as gamblers get to play an exciting game of high stakes for big bucks. "Risks and Rewards" is produced by an old buddy, Matt King; his Game Show America has been a leader in live casino productions for years, and he promises a presentation full of the kind of excitement that few producers know how to create for a live show. I hope to see you caught up in the spontaneous big-money excitement!
DREAMS COME TRUE!
Baseball players hope to some day pitch a world series win for the Yankees. Vaudevillians aimed to play The Palace. Comedians hope for their own sitcom. Entrepreneurs work to start the next Microsoft or Apple. Game show announcers dream of "The Price Is Right".
What a trip in every sense of the word. From being encouraged as a teenager and mentored through a career in radio by Johnny Olson to pursue my seemingly impossible career goals, to standing at Johnny's podium (wearing the same CBS ID badge that he wore 17 years ago as a lucky charm). There I am doing warm-up to the most enthusiastic audiences on Earth, introducing the World's Greatest MC Bob Barker, and bellowing Johnny's phrase "Come on Down" to an audience full of contestant hopefuls in the same studio where John first did some 30 years ago. It was cooler than cool to do those honors for about 50 daytime and prime-time episodes during an 11 month transition period for the show.
From learning the business from Johnny and the old scripts that he would save and give to me, to practicing and honing the skills on a bevy of game shows since 1990, to finally realizing the dream that Johnny first inspired was a thrill that defies description. There's a psychic symmetry to the journey that brings me from watching Johnny to standing in his footsteps so many years later. Equal to the joy is the sadness of knowing that the opportunity was only made possible by Rod's unfortunate illness. The passing of this long-time friend and gifted performer in October, 2003 was a terrible loss. (Please see the "Tribute to Rod" on this site).
My deepest appreciation to Bob Barker, Roger Dobkowitz, Phil Rossi, Kathy Greco, Sue MacIntyre, Syd Vinnedge and all the members of "The Price Is Right" family for their tremendous help and support in allowing me the opportunity to work to honor their standards of excellence. And thanks for bringing me into the larger Freemantle family for work on their new pilots, presentations and “The Price Is Right - Live”. Continued success to Drew Carey and my old “Weakest Link” buddy George Gray. My time behind the mic was a treasured Christmas gift!
LIVE FROM 8H...!
Gene Rayburn talked about his days at a page at NBC in the 1930s, standing in the doorway of 8H, watching in awe as Arturo Toscanini conducted the NBC Symphony Orchestra. In the early 1950s the facility was converted for television broadcasting. In the 1960s, 8H was upgraded for color TV and dubbed the "Peacock Studio". In addition to the origination of countless classic, live hours of entertainment programming, news coverage of presidential elections and NASA space missions originated here. Al Howard remembers staging "Sale of the Century" in that huge studio on the first two-story-tall game show set. A show that required cars to be cut in half to fit in the freight elevator, and then re-welded on the 8th floor. I first met Johnny Olson in 8H; an event that ultimately led me to my career choice.
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<<<CLICK LOGO FOR VIDEO The lifeblood of most radio and TV personalities is comedy. As a morning DJ and from work with talented broadcasters like Joey Reynolds and movie director Betty Thomas (back when she was a comic contributing syndicated radio bits) I must have learned something about delivery and timing. Recently I've had a few chances to contribute to produced comedy bits on Andy Dick's M-TV show and on ABC-TV's live Jimmy Kimmel show. Jimmy is another former radio personality, and his tasty bits have a familiar flavor. Writer Jonathan Bines brought this bit to life and chose me to voice "Saddam Alive!" Just click the Jimmy Kimmel logo and enjoy. |
While my face is only familiar to the uber-fans who bought the plastic toy, my plastic voice is unmistakably familiar. Watch and hear me come to life with the cheesiest game show clips, prizes and stunts on five great episodes of "Game Show Moments Gone Bananas!" VH-1 reaped the sweet fruit from the Mark Goodson vaults with five one-hour specials entitled "Game Show Moments Gone Bananas!" Our friends at Fremantlepicked some of the juiciest clips from "The Price Is Right", "Match Game", "Family Feud", and heaping helping of other classics.  Ben Stein played head chef cooking-up a delicious treat by combining live audience participation games, contributions from a few celeb guests, and yours truly as the voice behind the prizes. The sweet treat was concocted at CBS TV City and aired on VH-1. The shows were then spotted on DVD in some big box stores, and are now at Amazon.com for a few bucks. It's enough to make your banana cream! |
HEY NEICY!
I'm not an "early adopter." It's been years since I've been among the first to buy the latest high-tech toy, or to catch the earliest groundswell for the fastest-rising talent. Now that the wave of popularity has built for Niecy Nash, I'm on board with the rest of America as her stardom seems ready to wash over us all. Will Niecy have a shot at bat?
I worked on the CBS Distribution sales presentation that captures Niecy Nash's magic as an interviewer, advice-giver, comedienne and all-around captivating personality. The live
audience was enthralled and charmed, as was I. In what is now decades in the biz, I've only worked with a few pros who, early in their careers, have the ability to make a real emotional connection through the lens, and seem to have been born with impeccable natural instincts for the medium. Niecy's got all that, and more!
The Niecy Nash Show was fun, colorful, vibrant, hilarious, edgy and entertaining, combining the reality of Niecy’s exciting and crazy life - as a single mother of three, comedian, actress, TV personality and celebrity interviewer - and a talk show with a whole new fresh, fun approach to life, love and relationships. And wait until you hear the amazing story of her life before Hollywood! When she shares insight, it's from having already faced more than any one person's fair share of personal challenges.
Niecy has already starred in two successful TV projects at the same time. She was host and producer of the Style Network’s #1 rated program, the home-makeover show, “Clean House.” And she was the sassy panelist on the top-rated entertainment news program, “The Insider.” Niecy's also co-hosted the Logo Network's "2010 NewNowNext Awards." The early adopters first came to love Niecy on “Reno 911!” “Do Not Disturb,” “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” “The Bernie Mac Show,” “Presidio Med,” “That’s Life,” “Popular,” and “City of Angels.”
She's hot, she's cool, she's sassy, spicy and fresh! No, not some new sandwich at Chik-fil-A, it's Niecy Nash! Thanks to Kevin Gershan, Producer of "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider" for bringing me into the family. Go Niecy, Go!
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“WHAT THE BLANK!”
But what about exploiting some of the elements that made it so great? The next TV generation also has a sense of humor. It’s a different time and different things are funny, but certainly some of what made “Match Game” so entertaining is timeless. There is clearly viability in that format of well crafted, open-ended “questions” with each suggesting a few humorous responses, while laying the foundation for free-wheeling banter among a half-dozen well cast funny-folk. It has seemed that the magic just can’t been re-captured... but... Syndicators and cable channels have made numerous attempts to recapture the lightning. One try at it took place in sound stage 12 on the historic CBS-Radford lot Some great game minds and great comedy minds came together to do the seemingly impossible. The panel included the expected mix of comedians and busty blondes - Martin Mull, Zach Galifianakis and Anna Nichole Smith among them. Host Fred Willard was simply phenomenal in balancing the triad of his humor, the game mechanics, and setting-up the celebs to hit comedy home runs. Added to the format were funny new ways to present the “questions”, and (dig these adjectives) hilarious hi-jinx from Fred’s wacky relationship with his zany announcer. (You knew there’d have to be something self-serving in all this!) A talented crew, a beautiful set and some great celeb panelists helped to make this a pilot that must be seen. In fact, one of the celeb panelists actually HAS a beautiful set, but I digress. The prevailing winds have been steering programmers back to considering traditional games these days, but this pilot seems destined to join the dozens of other great TV ideas that languish in tape vaults, never to be unspooled on-air. It may be quite a while before a new "Match Game" gives us the chance to laugh our (blank)s off! |
In every city where we pulled into town, host Todd Newton, the producers, the crew and I were treated like visiting royalty. The audiences were beyond enthusiastic, they were absolutely manic! Fans lined up early in the morning wearing their home made T-shirts – some incredibly artistic and clever. By evening, the crowd’s expectation had reached its peak. What a thrill to trot out on stage to an overwhelming reception - - to be the recipient of the 40 years of goodwill fostered by the TV show.
dy called. The live stage show had become a reality, and I was invited to re-create my warm-up and announcer roles in Sammy’s (Sammy Davis) Showroom at the Harrah’s Hotel in Reno. The offer was good, and the work turned out to be real fun. Within months the show began to move to other Harrah’s properties… San Diego, Kansas City, Shreveport and Atlantic City among them. 
My involvement with the long running TV program has become the longest association with any one show in my career. Gaming production company Ludia has given me the opportunity to voice several versions of their “Price” games for various platforms, as well as some others of their titles. 
Game show fans are raving about a couple of new hits on the network, as well as one old one. Bob Stewart’s venerable “Pyramid” is back with new episodes, and it scored strong ratings right out of the box. Hosted by Mike Richards, there are a handful of talented friends behind this new hit, among them GSN’s Steve Leblang and Daysun Perkins. And the show’s Executive Producer has said that, as producer, my dear pal John Ricci has been wearing three hats. On my visits I only spotted a single, tasteful black cap. Continued success, guys!
as called to do audience warm-up for the pilot of “The American Bible Challenge” I had to think back over the list of successful bible-based game shows. It didn’t take long, as I couldn’t think of a single one! But host Jeff Foxworthy has been able to work magic in making the world’s all-time best-selling book into a fun game show. Good Lord; it’s a miracle!
The third hit in this trifecta will always hold a spot in my heart. Back in September of 1983, I was called by one of the contestant coordinators who had my name in their files for when new shows yet to debut were looking for players. Little did I know when I was cast for episode #9 of “Press Your Luck” that the show was destined for a long run on CBS. And an even greater surprise came at the end of episode #11 when I became the series’ first champion to be retired after exceeding the $25,000 maximum for winnings. 
fered, a trip to Puerto Vallarta, a fistful of cash, and the warm memories of three fiercely competitive games. Thirty years later, here’s the original “car” slide from the game board!
Created more than 40 years ago in the skewed mind of an eccentric producer, author, songwriter and network employee, Chuck Barris, the enduring “Newlywed Game” format continues to fascinate and entertain America on GSN.
As perhaps television’s first reality show, newly married couples share the most outrageous, intimate, racy and revealing details of their lives as they try to predict how their spouses will answer Carnie’s probing and provocative questions. A new generation of newlyweds reflects society’s new mores as they make an incident that, for years, had reigned as the all-time most outrageous game show moment suddenly seem tame.
Fans loved the celebrity shows; the most popular was likely season 3's Game Show Kings episode with guest host Bob Eubanks questioning the not-so-newlywed players Wink Martindale, Monty Hall, Peter Marshall and their wives!
It's the most famous television studio in the world. From having watched the game shows "What's My Line?","The Match Game" and "Snap Judgment" tape there as a kid, to now having the chance to work on that stage 30+ years later, it's another surreal dream-come-true experience.
Since 1975, studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza has been the home of "Saturday Night Live". The Rolling Stones, George Harrison, Billy Joel, The Grateful Dead and Elton John played on that stage. The massive 8H is the largest studio ever built specifically for radio/TV broadcasting.
"Hi, I'm 'Mr. Game Show'! Ben Stein and I have the party in high gear on VH-1".
There have been a number of attempts to re-capture the special magic of Gene Rayburn’s fabulously successful “Match Game”. It’s arguably the most entertaining game show ever, and even 30 years after it’s heyday the reruns remain top rated on GSN. It’s simply a classic that seemingly can never be re-created, and there have been no shortage of attempts.