Jeopardy and Wheel in High Definition
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Games, Prime Time, HDTV, News,
While most of the country will be acknowledging the 5-year anniversary of 9/11, fans of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune will be celebrating the debut of HD programming. That is, of course, assuming those viewers even have an high-definition TV to appreciate the technology.
King World Productions and Sony Pictures Television are spending over $4 million dollars to get the production and sets ready for this big launch on September 11. Upgrades will include wider and more detailed sets. For Jeopardy, this will also include a new video wall to replace the individual TV monitors. But the question is—will the shows’ primary fan base like change?
And more importantly— how will the personalities be affected by the change? Let’s be honest—they’ve been around for a while. Is it really in their best interest to have their features highlighted? Poor Vanna has probably had enough trouble making sure obsessed viewers don’t see her in the same outfit twice, now she’ll have to make sure her dresses don’t come off bland under increased scrutiny. And what about Alex Trebek? If he continues to go back and forth again between his clean-shaven and mustached looks, will we be able to see his in-between stubble? And let’s not get into Pat Sajak’s ‘laugh lines’...
But then again - who cares? We’ll all be focusing on more important things that day, right?
Read More 
| TV Week
Gallery: Jeopardy and Wheel in High Definition
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FOX Adds Primetime Game Show to Roster
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Games, Prime Time, ABC, FOX, NBC,
Not one to miss out on the game show mania, a la Deal or No Deal (NBC) and upcoming 1 vs. 100 (NBC) and Set for Life (ABC), FOX will now be offering their own primetime game show to the mix. The Rich List will debut later this season, produced by the British company that brought you The Weakest Link (ugh!) and Dog Eat Dog (double ugh!). The show will challenge teams of strangers by having them complete lists of topics, from trivia to textbook topics. To add to the excitement, the teams will wager on how many answers they expect they can provide—highest bid gets to complete the list. And of course, if they don’t make their estimated number, the other team goes on to face another team. According to Mike Darnell, head of alternative programming at FOX, “This is a truly original concept, unlike anything else currently on air, which promises to be exciting and addictive viewing.” Don’t expect any famous American talent to host the show, as British morning show host Eamonn Holmes will helm The Rich List.
Read More | Zap2it
Gallery: FOX Adds Primetime Game Show to Roster
Jimmy Kimmel Set to Host New Game Show
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Games, Late Night, ABC,
In addition to Jimmy Kimmel’s late night show, he will also be hosting a game show on ABC, called Set for Life. The new show starts production next week—pitting contestants against each other as they compete to win a monthly cash amount for the rest of their life. Kind of a different twist on game show winnings, but a nice way to ensure that your winnings aren’t spent the second you win them. How much is up for grabs? Well, it appears that millions of dollars are a possibility, with a “last-minute twist” that can alter how much cash is ultimately won. Kimmel is no stranger to game shows, having played sidekick to Ben Stein on Comedy Central’s Win Ben Stein’s Money. That show was so much fun—I wish they still showed it in re-runs. According to David Goldberg of Endemol USA (creator of the game show), “Jimmy’s a very funny and witty entertainer and at his best in front of a live audience. I think he has that everyman quality and a genuine accessibility that should help him as he deals with ordinary people tempting to become set for life.” Well, he’s no Howie Mandel—you make the call on whether or not that’s a good thing!
Read More | Reality TV World
Gallery: Jimmy Kimmel Set to Host New Game Show
Bob Saget Lands Game Show Gig
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Games, Prime Time, CBS, NBC, Talent,
Hoping to join the ranks of fellow comic Howie Mandel, whose Deal or No Deal has broken out of the stratosphere for ratings, Bob Saget has signed on to host 1 vs. 100 on NBC. Catchy title, huh? Well, the concept is that one contestant plays a game against 100 others. The show is set to air during the 2006-2007 season, although there’s no word on whether or not it will be paired with Deal. Craig Plestis, head of alternative programming at NBC said, “Bob is popular with audiences of all ages and is a perfect fit as host. His irreverent sense of humor and comedic timing will keep audiences laughing and glued to their TV sets as the drama of this high-stakes game unfolds.” The game show eliminates members of the group of 100 as they answer trivia questions incorrectly. Depending on how long the single player stays in the game, the prizes will increase in value. His latest endeavor is a parody called Farce of the Penguins, set to be released in 2007 (although I’m not clear on how you parody March of the Penguins); Saget is also the narrator on How I Met Your Mother.
Read More | Zap2it
Gallery: Bob Saget Lands Game Show Gig
Ugh. Seems Danny Bonaduce’s star hasn’t fallen just yet. Following last fall’s train wreck on VH1, Breaking Bonaduce, you would think he wouldn’t be in such hot demand. Well, the Game Show Network (GSN) is ready to take him on as the host of their newest show. Bonaduce will be the host of Starface, a game show where the challenges are based on celebrity gossip. Says Bonaduce of the show, “This is the weirdest show I’ve ever done by leaps and bounds.” I guess Breaking Bonaduce gave him the exposure to get other offers as well—his story will be the subject of an upcoming A&E biography, plus he has had several high-profile radio offers.
Read More | Reality TV World
Gallery: Danny Bonaduce to Host Game Show
Deal or No Deal will begin its nationwide search for “America’s next hopeful millionaire” this week.
The NBC show, hosted by Howie Mandel, puts contestants in a game a chance as they are faced with 26 sealed briefcases containing cash prizes. The catch is that they must select a briefcase without knowing the contents - which can be as much as one million dollars or as little as mere pocket change.
Now the show is looking for new contestants on the show. Candidates needn’t have any skills other than energy, charisma, and an outgoing nature. They must also be 18 years of age and a legal US resident.
Casting calls will be held in the following locations:
July 15: Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Oklahoma
July 22: Alabama, Kentucky, Virginia
July 29: Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee
For more information on open casting: NBC.com
Read More | Reality TV Magazine
Gallery: Deal Or No Deal Casting Calls
A New Daisy to Fill Out Them Dukes
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Games, NBC, Talent, Gossip,
Sorry, Kristin Cavallari. You may have dated her man, stolen her poses and copied her hairstyles…but you won’t be getting Jessica Simpson’s job as well.
The producer of the recent big-screen dud, The Dukes of Hazzard, recently announced two-head shaking things. One—that he wanted to make a prequel to the critically-despised flick. Eye roll, please. And second—that he wanted to cast Laguna Beach star Kristin Cavallari as Daisy Duke. Now anyone who has watched Kristin blossom for a complete nobody to a complete wannabe like I have knows that she has been aiming to be the next Jessica Simpson. And while I don’t really care for either one of them, I was pleased to hear that Cavallari will finally have to steal somebody else’s life. It was announced today that instead of going with another blonde, the producers finally chose a brunette (Deal or No Deal’s April Scott) to fill dark-haired Catherine Bach’s shoes….I mean, daisy dukes.
Read More 
| People
Gallery: A New Daisy to Fill Out Them Dukes
Apprentice Trivia Game
Posted by Eric Chaloux Categories: Games, Prime Time, NBC, Apprentice, The - Donald, Internet,
So did you catch yourself spouting off all sorts of Apprentice trivia today around the water cooler after the series finale? Well, for all you Apprentice fanboys, there is a new Web site that you can visit to test your Apprentice trivia before trying it out again at the office. Here are a few sample questions:
Whom did Donald Trump fire first?
A. Sam
B. David
C. Jason
D. Bowie
What is the address of Trump Tower?
A. 200 East 69th Street
B. 502 Park Avenue
C. One Central Park West
D. 725 Fifth Avenue
In the charity auction, which celebrity experience raised the most money?
A. Disco Bowling with the Fab Five from “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”
B. A day with Regis Philbin, including dinner
C. Private party for 50 at Rocco DiSpirito’s Italian restaurant
D. Holiday party with Carson Daly
Up for the challenge? Head on over to the Newsday Apprentice trivia game.
Read More | Newsday Apprentice Trivia
Gallery: Apprentice Trivia Game
NBC is putting out a new show called Treasure Hunters. Now, for all of you who loved the movie National Treasure or The Da Vinci Code, this show will surely be a must-see. Treasure Hunters is a reality show where two groups of “hunters” are placed at opposite ends of the globe. Each week the groups will track down another clue to help them find the final treasure. These clues will be in different cities in the United States, and even in other countries. The trick is, neither group knows about the other and there will be eliminations based on who finds the clue last. Another interesting detail about the show is that no one knows exactly what the treasure is that they are looking for. The treasure could be anything from money to precious stones, but we won’t actually know until we see it in the final episode.
Gallery: Treasure Hunters
Looks like those gigs in Vegas aren’t keeping Ms. Celine Dion busy enough. On the June 5th finale of Deal or No Deal, Celine surprised contestant Casey Bell (and the audience) with an appearance via a big screen monitor. The news had already spread to the television crowd, but the impressive part of the show was Dion stayed through the entire hour. The admitted celebrity fan of DOND cheered when it was good, squirmed when it was tense and sung (yes sung) when our lucky contestant needed a Dion-sized dose of hope. The stakes were higher than ever on this season ender, as the impressive grand prize amount on the board was an unprecedented five million dollars. The contestant walked away with just over $170,000, though her case in the end was holding over $700,000. But don’t feel too bad for Casey Bell, she and her family were offered an open invitation to come see Celine next time they are in Las Vegas. If your feeling like a little “Deal or No Deal” action of your own, they are still accepting applications for next season. And who knows, maybe Celine will be back too…
Read More | Deal or No Deal
Gallery: Dion on No Deal
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