Dead Hours: My Year on The Bounce

Big Money, Big Money, No Whammy, No Whammy…STOP!

What happened to game shows?

Not the evening ones, those were always hot beds of anticipation, excitement and perhaps a little too much spectacle. After all when a game of Jeopardy gets going… watch out it may get crazy, especially if it's one of the easier versions where plenty of people get into fights because they actually know an answer. The over heard mumblings of treadmillin' folks during the high school/college tournaments.

And only now do I finally get to see Drew Carey on 'The Price is Right' and I'm a bit under whelmed. Much like when Louis Anderson left 'Family Feud' and was replaced by Richard Karn, I'm just not feeling it. Anderson seemed to hate the whole situation and just want to be out of there for the day. Karn returned it to the standard game show roots of 'fun', enthusiastic hosts. I like my hosts to seem bitter with the situation, which Anderson did so well.

Then again his act did that too. Even his cartoon 'Life with Louis' had that feel of melancholy fondness for his youth… or fictionalized youth at any rate. There was a joy to be had from a melancholy protagonist that wasn't Charlie Brown.

Still gone are the days of the game show hosts that had that over the top dated tv style. Now it's comedians, actors and never forget the monstrosity of 'Who wants to be a Millionaire' with this devil like host of Regis. 'Well you're damned right I want that million but I have no life lines, have no idea what the answer is but I guess I could trade you my soul.'

It's weird to write the lines 'Monty Hall save me from these monstrosities' but there it is. But with 'The Game Show Network', if that thing even exists anymore, showing what was and movies (okay it was a while ago) like 'Quiz Show' revealing the seedy underbelly of these programs were does that leave people like me?

Well I'll tell you: I can name that tune in one note.

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