KillerQ

Hey all,

Is it just me, or does every contestant on "Show Me The Money" and "Deal or No Deal" seem to be full of pre-planned one liners, little skits, and melodramatic actions?

Also, the editing (ESPECIALLY in Show Me The Money) give the shows an infomercial feel to them....

I doubt it's simply a "new generation" of contestants -- I just think it's fake.... unless they only pick people that have these annoying quirks naturally built-in!


Just my 3 cents,

Later,

Matt!

joefrog91

I've always thought the same thing. Some of these contestants are just to fake.

brainee

I think game shows using actors for contestants is nothing new. It's funny catching some old game show reruns and seeing familiar faces playing -- of course, their occupations are rarely (if ever) disclosed as being actors. "The Dating Game" was particularly bad for this, having Burt Reynolds, Tom Selleck, John Ritter, and (more remembered) Andy Kaufman. I know Rob Lowe and Kirstie Alley were contestants on other shows. I'm sure they are plenty more we never catch on to by them becoming famous later. The aspiring actors get some airtime, and the producers get a more entertaining show (at least, that's the thinking). I'm sure the gaming contests are legit now (after the "Quiz Show" scandal). But I wouldn't be at all surprised if a lot of the "banter" is prepared to some extent.

While I think this practice has always gone on, I agree that it seems more noticeable these days. The contestants just seem to be trying too hard to be quirky.

Ovid

Not actress' per se, but they are hand-picked and coached before they go on. That's how it used to be. I can only assume it's the same. It's too easy to do this compared to the liability of being caught (think Quiz Show).

Giantrobo

They've been doing this forever haven't they?

Jimmy James

I thought the Dating Game mostly used people who were little known at the time but were pretty upfront about it. For instance, they disclosed very clearly on the Steve Martin episode that he was a writer for the Smothers Brothers show. I don't remember now if the Ritter episode GSN also aired on Saturday to promote the Barris documentary was as clear, but it very well may be he hadn't booked anything yet.

brainee

Maybe "Dating Game" isn't the best example for this (not a very standard game show). But Lowe, Alley, Vanna White, Kathy Nijamy and others were contestants on more traditional game shows like "Match Game", "Password", "20,000 Pyramid", "Price is Right".

Jimmy James

Baltimore Ravens HC Brian Billick was also a Match Game contestant.

The now-famous don't really bug me that much. What I find shocking from watching GSN is how many law students are game show contestants. They must set up a table at the big SoCal (or NY back in the day) law schools and recruit.

Gambit

This reminds me of a Deal or No Deal episode I saw a little while ago. There was this girl who had this big story of how she worked various jobs to earn money and her latest thing was collecting cans. First of all, it seemed very strange that this had become her primary source of income and something she enjoyed doing. But then the setup was revealed when they dumped a whole bunch of cans and made her an offer in aluminum cans.

Finisher

Producers are looking for specific personalities and instructing these people exactly how to behave. The fist-pumping, the one liners. Most people on Deal or No Deal act in a similar manner. And Show Me The Money seems to have the same histrionics coach as Deal.

I find it nauseating but I can't fault producers if it pulls ratings.

Teca

I kinda thought of this while I was watching an episode of deal or no deal. They had a female contestant and her favorite color was lime green. Towards the end she was picking high value cases so she gave this poor ass attitude and didn't seem to care anymore. Something I've never seen anyone do on deal or no deal, everyone else I've seen has a smile on their face through out the whole show and they're so open about their personal life.

While I'm still on deal or no deal, has anyone noticed when the contestant accepts a deal howy asks, "If you had went on and picked another case, what would your choice have been?" Model opens case and offer is shown in mere seconds. Is this edited for time or is the banker really just a guy at a pc one clicking the mouse every 10 mins.

Oh yeah, "We don't know what amount is in what case". How do they rearrange the amounts? Someone has to know. Sorry if I was too off topic. I'm just very curious about this game show.

Seantn

The contestants aren't picked at random. They are interviewed thorougly so that the producers can decide what personalities (the most outgoing, for instance) they want on the show.

brainee

Or maybe "law student" is the occupation the actors make up so they sound smart?

Quatermass

To get on those shows (DOND, 1 vs 100, that Shatner abomination), you have to send in an audition tape like the reality shows, so the "contestants" are struggling actors and over-the-top characters who like attention.

Bill Needle

Also anyone can claim to be an actor/actress. All you have to do to be an actor is claim you are one.

"I am an actor."
"I am not an actor."
"I am now a retired actor."

There are more of these type of people in California than anywhere on earth, and this is where the shows are produced and therefore where most of the contestants are drawn from.

Birrman54

I'm pretty sure the offer is based on some sort of math algorithm using the remaining values. Any delays are for drama only.

Jimmy James

I think the formula probably takes into account both number of cases remaining and amounts remaining. This way, they encourage you to take the game to a certain point and end it before the last case.

Shannon Nutt

What bothers me the most about "SHOW ME THE MONEY" is that many contestants seem quite bright early on, then get really "stupid" later in the game...it's almost as if they have a pre-arrangement with ABC that they can only win so much money.

On the other hand it's got Shatner and dancing babes, so to hell with the contestants.

KillerQ

Great Point!

Charlie Goose

It was a dark day for me when I found out that contestants that are told to COME ONE DOWN on The Price is Right, are not chosen at random.