Story from Crosswits... (During one taping)"the backdrop set literally fell on a contestant, causing a possible concussion and mass confusion...a lengthy interruption while the stagehands dragged out staple guns and glue, and the contestant took two aspirin."
By 1987, I dont think Dan cared. He was older and tired and sadly wouldnt live long. You are right about David Sparks. Its painful to see competent pros dialing it in.
Gotta love the vintage Game Show Network bug at the top of the All About The Opposite Sex episode. Yes, the show looks blah, but it is a sign of those early days of the network when they appeared to take chances with what they aired (even shows that generally were substandard). Original programming was still far down the pike, as was the de-emphasis on vintage shows & especially the endless rerunning of certain viewer favorites (no fair guessing on what one show that might be). Channel rebranding may be a fact of life these days, but even terrible shows like that make me wish my family's cable plan did not wait until AFTER GSN reinvented itself to start carrying the network & it was now a shell of its beginnings.
David Sparks was not bad to me. Although I will say this. The game Crosswits was very confusing for me as a child, because they hardly mentioned about how the contestants could get the points. Also, I only got to see the score at the end of each round. I never saw "All About the Opposite Sex before. Great review!
Once again, another fine review. I didn't think David Sparks was all that good as an emcee, either, even though he did host only two shows. BTW, when are you going to induct Pat Bullard?
Great Vid. I’ve got some ideas for Gameshow Garbage. 1. Gameshow Marathon 2. TPIR tryout announcer Jeff Davis 3. America Says 4. Big Brother 5. I Survived a Japanese Gameshow 6. Chuck Henry 7. Mike Richards 8. The ABC run of Password 9. The Bullseye/bankroll round 10. Two Player Bullseye 26 weeks or Less 1. Now you see it (both the original and the 89 version) 2. The Better Sex 3. Trivia Trap 4. The 1976 I’ve got a secret
David Sparks worked here in Chicago before "Crosswits" hosting a show on the ABC affiliate called "Eye on Chicago".Trust me, David Sparks fit in Chicago like a California pizza shop in Chicago
SsnakeBite True. Saw always feels like it's going somewhere, like it has a reason behind it, whereas Hostel just feels like "gee, how can we offend 1% of our viewers and 80% of our non-viewest this year?"
About your comments on men’s rights activists… You do realize that the purpose of the induction is to explain why you believe David Sparks was a terrible host, not share your political agenda, eh?
There's no doubt that David Sparks was going to be inducted. He was one of those hosts that was saddled with mediocre-at-best game shows and made them worse. The facts that On a Roll never sold and that the 1986 Crosswits was not in Ralph Edwards' hands were no help whatsoever. The daily prize on AATOS wasn't too exciting either, and given that the teams were competing all week, that means that one team was guaranteed $3,000... that's about $428.57 per person. Again, nothing too exciting.
Heck, even now, I would take $428.57 if someone handed it to me, but that might be just because I hardly ever have that kind of money on hand in my life. But yes, for 1990, that seemed like a very paltry payout on a game show of any stripe. Today, that might not even pay for your plane ticket home. On Crosswits, I am not sure if David was even in it for the check. His tone when introducing the show just kind of sounded like he would rather be anywhere else, paycheck or no. When even that cannot raise your energy level to at least APPEAR interested, therein lies a dilemma.
A mid induction induction? Reminds me of a certain twat from Canada who spouted unsolicited advice and talked about crappy pop songs, Starts with a B. Buckley, that’s it. Mr. Whatshisname Buckley, He got so sidetracked at times that he used to have a “mid-rant rant” on stuff.
Story from Crosswits... (During one taping)"the backdrop set literally fell on a contestant, causing a possible concussion and mass confusion...a lengthy interruption while the stagehands dragged out staple guns
and glue, and the contestant took two aspirin."
DUDE, seriously???
By 1987, I dont think Dan cared. He was older and tired and sadly wouldnt live long. You are right about David Sparks. Its painful to see competent pros dialing it in.
Gotta love the vintage Game Show Network bug at the top of the All About The Opposite Sex episode. Yes, the show looks blah, but it is a sign of those early days of the network when they appeared to take chances with what they aired (even shows that generally were substandard). Original programming was still far down the pike, as was the de-emphasis on vintage shows & especially the endless rerunning of certain viewer favorites (no fair guessing on what one show that might be).
Channel rebranding may be a fact of life these days, but even terrible shows like that make me wish my family's cable plan did not wait until AFTER GSN reinvented itself to start carrying the network & it was now a shell of its beginnings.
8:04: One of the audience members is holding a "B" upside down.
David Sparks was not bad to me. Although I will say this. The game Crosswits was very confusing for me as a child, because they hardly mentioned about how the contestants could get the points. Also, I only got to see the score at the end of each round. I never saw "All About the Opposite Sex before. Great review!
Once again, another fine review. I didn't think David Sparks was all that good as an emcee, either, even though he did host only two shows. BTW, when are you going to induct Pat Bullard?
Maybe in June-July when I wrap up the entire series.
He's got Trump Card, The Challengers, and Super Jeopardy to do, so my best guess-September at the earliest
Great Vid. I’ve got some ideas for Gameshow Garbage.
1. Gameshow Marathon
2. TPIR tryout announcer Jeff Davis
3. America Says
4. Big Brother
5. I Survived a Japanese Gameshow
6. Chuck Henry
7. Mike Richards
8. The ABC run of Password
9. The Bullseye/bankroll round
10. Two Player Bullseye
26 weeks or Less
1. Now you see it (both the original and the 89 version)
2. The Better Sex
3. Trivia Trap
4. The 1976 I’ve got a secret
'76 secret was a special iirc
David fell into obscurity, unlike a former on-air partner, Leeza Gibbons.
On a roll was a 1986 game show pilot
David Sparks worked here in Chicago before "Crosswits" hosting a show on the ABC affiliate called "Eye on Chicago".Trust me, David Sparks fit in Chicago like a California pizza shop in Chicago
But you do realize Saw and Hostel are game shows too, right? :P
Also, Saw is nothing like Hostel. Starting with the fact that it's good and has likeable characters.
SsnakeBite True. Saw always feels like it's going somewhere, like it has a reason behind it, whereas Hostel just feels like "gee, how can we offend 1% of our viewers and 80% of our non-viewest this year?"
What was your opinion on the game show debt with Wink Martendale.. by far the worst game shows ever was the magnificent marble machine
Uh oh, Double Dutch was on the campus of My alma mater, FAU :(
About your comments on men’s rights activists…
You do realize that the purpose of the induction is to explain why you believe David Sparks was a terrible host, not share your political agenda, eh?
There's no doubt that David Sparks was going to be inducted. He was one of those hosts that was saddled with mediocre-at-best game shows and made them worse. The facts that On a Roll never sold and that the 1986 Crosswits was not in Ralph Edwards' hands were no help whatsoever.
The daily prize on AATOS wasn't too exciting either, and given that the teams were competing all week, that means that one team was guaranteed $3,000... that's about $428.57 per person. Again, nothing too exciting.
Heck, even now, I would take $428.57 if someone handed it to me, but that might be just because I hardly ever have that kind of money on hand in my life. But yes, for 1990, that seemed like a very paltry payout on a game show of any stripe. Today, that might not even pay for your plane ticket home.
On Crosswits, I am not sure if David was even in it for the check. His tone when introducing the show just kind of sounded like he would rather be anywhere else, paycheck or no. When even that cannot raise your energy level to at least APPEAR interested, therein lies a dilemma.
*_YoU wIn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_*
I remember cross wits with Tom o Connor in the 90s
A mid induction induction?
Reminds me of a certain twat from Canada who spouted unsolicited advice and talked about crappy pop songs, Starts with a B.
Buckley, that’s it. Mr. Whatshisname Buckley, He got so sidetracked at times that he used to have a “mid-rant rant” on stuff.
it all tad over $140