WWTBAM returns to primetime

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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by Golf »

After a pretty solid first celeb last week, this week’s episode left a lot to be desired. And I’m not at all a fan of rules being ignored.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by talkingaway »

Golf wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2020 5:01 pm After a pretty solid first celeb last week, this week’s episode left a lot to be desired. And I’m not at all a fan of rules being ignored.
I was on your side, then the show's side, then your side again.

Remember that "Celeb Weeks" on WWTBAM are a lot of kayfabe. Everyone gets 32K for their charity, no matter what. So, while I was aghast that they revised the final answer for the first time in Millionaire history, at the moment, she got nothing for it, because it was either the 16K or 32K question (I forget which).

But here's where the producers can use the whole "certain events that had no effect on the outcome may have been edited/recreated" disclaimer that comes on every game show to your advantage. Okay, let her get the question and "win" her way up to 32K, because that's what she'd leave with anyway. But the producer should tell her that she has to lose back down to 32K, even if she knows every question. No leaving with 64K. That way, the end result and winnings are both the same, even if the pathway is different than it should have been. Of course, we don't know what happened, because...suspense. Tune in next week.

Granted, I'm no lawyer, and I don't know the intricacies of S&P for game shows. Maybe I'm suggesting something 100% illegal. But they already did something "illegal" by allowing her to alter her answer, which is the cardinal rule of Millionaire! It's literally the dang catch phrase! Over the years, contestants have lost the opportunity for millions because of it!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI5ijh15OYg

Granted, that example isn't as extreme. And I'll admit that last night she clearly did NOT want to pick the answer she did - she made the verbal equivalent of a typo. But...rules are there for a reason. What would the insurance company say if she hit the million dollars? (Well, I don't know if they bother to insure it for a run as short as this, or if they maybe don't bother to insure it because it's charity and tax-deductible.) I just feel rotten for every non-celeb who clearly blurted out the wrong answer on a $100 question and didn't get an invite back to a "Millionaire Losers Week".
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by Bamaman »

It was $16,000.

I wasn’t a fan of bending the rules, but it is for charity and she gets $32,000 anyway. And if they had everyone there like normal celebrity shows, someone would have known the answer and she wouldn’t have screwed up.

In her spot I would have asked Kimmel.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by triviawayne »

Her game should’ve been over. No excuses for this at all. There were celebrities on the syndicated version that had to get bumped up to the minimum donation, no reason not to do it here.

That said, I hope a producer is reading this because I have one word for them regarding television production...editing.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by gameshowfandanny »

When BuzzerBlog tweeted about a never-before-seen moment on yesterday’s episode and ABC aired a promo, I was expecting it to be that someone would be the first celebrity to win the million. I don’t think they should have accepted it because this happened before with Vassiliki Yianoullis on February 9, 2004.. That time, it was ruled incorrect and Meredith said, “Sorry, you said Final Answer.”
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by LucarioSnooperVixey »

gameshowfandanny wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2020 10:30 pm When BuzzerBlog tweeted about a never-before-seen moment on yesterday’s episode and ABC aired a promo, I was expecting it to be that someone would be the first celebrity to win the million. I don’t think they should have accepted it because this happened before with Vassiliki Yianoullis on February 9, 2004.. That time, it was ruled incorrect and Meredith said, “Sorry, you said Final Answer.”
A. Slam Dunk final answer. Oh! I meant D. Grand Slam.

2013: Oh I see ACHOO. Lets go D, final answer. Oh excuse me C C C.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by merica »

I enjoy Millionaire (regular contestant version); and I didn't mind the Eric Stonestreet round either. But as soon as they allowed whoever that was to change her answer, I turned off the TV and don't plan to watch these episodes again. Her charity was already getting $32,000 anyway; boot her out and put someone else in there. She had to verify "Who was that masked man?", for goodness sake!
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by reddpen »

Bamaman wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2020 8:22 pmIt was $16,000.

I wasn’t a fan of bending the rules, but it is for charity and she gets $32,000 anyway. And if they had everyone there like normal celebrity shows, someone would have known the answer and she wouldn’t have screwed up.
She did know the answer. They'd talked about it for an exorbitant length of time, going back and forth between two options but clearly having settled on the right answer... and then she blurted the wrong one.
triviawayne wrote: Thu Apr 16, 2020 8:43 pmHer game should’ve been over. No excuses for this at all. There were celebrities on the syndicated version that had to get bumped up to the minimum donation, no reason not to do it here.

That said, I hope a producer is reading this because I have one word for them regarding television production...editing.
If you're saying they should have edited out that entire post[en-dash]wrong Final Answer bit, I gotta disagree. She screwed up and knew it immediately, and watching her realize it and then ride that whole emotional wave from despair to grief and then to relief at and gratitude for the judges' decision was (I thought) pretty compelling television. But I almost never watch the show, so maybe there's often this much genuine-seeming human drama.

Now if it turns out that was a fake tear, or added in post a la William Hurt in Broadcast News, I take it all back.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by Golf »

She locked in an answer, that's it right or wrong. No need to edit anything. Sorry, but you're guaranteed $32k for your charity. Are you crying? There's no crying in Millionaire! Next in the hot seat is.....

A properly prepared contestant knows to wait for the host to ask if that's your final answer on each and every question. Even on the first five which was required but always edited out in the prime time version.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by Volante »

Celeb games have different rules. Wolf Blitzer got to stick around for Final, Nikki Glazer can stick around past $32k.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by triviawayne »

Volante wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:07 pm Celeb games have different rules. Wolf Blitzer got to stick around for Final, Nikki Glazer can stick around past $32k.
There is already the different rule of the $32,000 minimum, so no need to have her stick around.

In the end, this is for charity, so this charity may get more than that minimum - that is a good thing and not at all what I have a problem with. The problem is the rule was changed during the game.

The Wolf Blitzer rule was already there prior to the incident taking place; as was the "say final answer and you're locked in" rule.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by triviawayne »

Golf wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:48 pm She locked in an answer, that's it right or wrong. No need to edit anything. Sorry, but you're guaranteed $32k for your charity. Are you crying? There's no crying in Millionaire! Next in the hot seat is.....

A properly prepared contestant knows to wait for the host to ask if that's your final answer on each and every question. Even on the first five which was required but always edited out in the prime time version.
When I mentioned editing, I only meant that if they wanted to change the rule mid-game, they should've known there would be huge controversy, and they could've avoided it all by editing.

Totally agree with waiting to be asked final answer and never being the first to say it. When I was on, I don't remember if they told us to say "final answer" ourselves during the first five questions, although that is the norm in how the game was played at the time. I refused to do it, and when I was expecting to be asked on my first question, Chris just gave me a certain prompting look to say the words...I figured that was good enough to accomplish what it was I was looking to accomplish, and that was to avoid this type of error.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by Volante »

triviawayne wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:13 pm
Volante wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:07 pm Celeb games have different rules. Wolf Blitzer got to stick around for Final, Nikki Glazer can stick around past $32k.
There is already the different rule of the $32,000 minimum, so no need to have her stick around.

In the end, this is for charity, so this charity may get more than that minimum - that is a good thing and not at all what I have a problem with. The problem is the rule was changed during the game.

The Wolf Blitzer rule was already there prior to the incident taking place; as was the "say final answer and you're locked in" rule.
The archive doesn't have any details about the first Celeb game it happened in, so don't know if Alex even remarked about it:
http://www.j-archive.com/showgame.php?game_id=2586
So, was it in place before the first time it happened? Or was it decided at the moment?
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

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triviawayne wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:18 pm
Golf wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 2:48 pm She locked in an answer, that's it right or wrong. No need to edit anything. Sorry, but you're guaranteed $32k for your charity. Are you crying? There's no crying in Millionaire! Next in the hot seat is.....

A properly prepared contestant knows to wait for the host to ask if that's your final answer on each and every question. Even on the first five which was required but always edited out in the prime time version.
When I mentioned editing, I only meant that if they wanted to change the rule mid-game, they should've known there would be huge controversy, and they could've avoided it all by editing.

Totally agree with waiting to be asked final answer and never being the first to say it. When I was on, I don't remember if they told us to say "final answer" ourselves during the first five questions, although that is the norm in how the game was played at the time. I refused to do it, and when I was expecting to be asked on my first question, Chris just gave me a certain prompting look to say the words...I figured that was good enough to accomplish what it was I was looking to accomplish, and that was to avoid this type of error.
The huge controversy being 7 people bent out of shape about it on this board? Or is the world crumbling elsewhere over this and I've missed it?
Last edited by jeff6286 on Fri Apr 17, 2020 7:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by jeff6286 »

triviawayne wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:13 pm
Volante wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:07 pm Celeb games have different rules. Wolf Blitzer got to stick around for Final, Nikki Glazer can stick around past $32k.
There is already the different rule of the $32,000 minimum, so no need to have her stick around.

In the end, this is for charity, so this charity may get more than that minimum - that is a good thing and not at all what I have a problem with. The problem is the rule was changed during the game.

The Wolf Blitzer rule was already there prior to the incident taking place; as was the "say final answer and you're locked in" rule.
So now we learn Wayne has read both the detailed rules of Celebrity Millionaire, and also the rules of Celebrity Jeopardy! You have impressive sources!
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by talkingaway »

I don't see the problem in Celebrity J! of letting celebs play along with FJ!. If one celeb gets booted, just "give" them enough to play along, but not enough to get into 2nd place. If two neg out, let them play the Prisoners Dilemma for 2nd and 3rd place money, even if one got a higher negative score - FJ! is cooler and more important than the regular clues.

But Celebrity Millionaire is a completely different game. I wouldn't mind if Kimmel (and/or the producers) had said, "Okay, we'll give you a mulligan, but in return, we're only going to let you play up to 32K." And, I guess the charitable component of the games does warrant a little bit of bending the rules. But they already bend the rules with allowing for audience chatter (or, in this case, single-person chatter) for all questions.

What gives Millionaire its flavor is the tension and the tagline "Is that your final answer?" The analogous thing to do with a Celeb J! game would be to dispense with the answer-and-question format for celebrity shows, and just have 61 questions where you give answers - no more "What is" or "Who is" as responses. It's still a game show, but it's not the game show we know.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by Golf »

Something I think we can all agree on, the blatant ignoring of the most important rule of the game is one of the many reasons why celebrity games suck.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by triviawayne »

jeff6286 wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 7:26 pm
triviawayne wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:13 pm
Volante wrote: Fri Apr 17, 2020 4:07 pm Celeb games have different rules. Wolf Blitzer got to stick around for Final, Nikki Glazer can stick around past $32k.
There is already the different rule of the $32,000 minimum, so no need to have her stick around.

In the end, this is for charity, so this charity may get more than that minimum - that is a good thing and not at all what I have a problem with. The problem is the rule was changed during the game.

The Wolf Blitzer rule was already there prior to the incident taking place; as was the "say final answer and you're locked in" rule.
So now we learn Wayne has read both the detailed rules of Celebrity Millionaire, and also the rules of Celebrity Jeopardy! You have impressive sources!
Considering I was able to tell you what was going to happen through an entire season of Millionaire before it aired...I would agree they are quite impressive.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by goongas »

I would have edited it out and reshoot if they want to bend the rules. There was no studio audience that would rat them out for doing so. It made me upset for a moment because they wouldn't do that for me if I made a mistake like that, but I just shrugged. I agree with Jeff, there are more important things to worry about in the world. I don't find these contestants interesting to watch in the least, but I hardly ever do...I would have thought Kimmel would have gotten some of his famous friends to appear.
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Re: WWTBAM returns to primetime

Post by Woof »

And yet... here we all are talking about WWTBAM again. If the purpose of this exercise was to generate publicity, they’ve succeeded. There’s no such thing as bad publicity, after all.
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