The Weakest Link and other game/reality shows...

[Milz]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "Neil Ward" <neilward at d...> wrote:
> Scott wrote:
> 
> <<Has anyone seen the new show The Weakest Link on NBC? I understand 
that
> it's yet another British Import right? >>
> 
> Jen said:
> 
> > I watched it on Monday (nothing else on, after all), and I really 
liked
> > it -- they had to answer questions *fast*.  My biggest problem 
with
> > "Millionaire" is how incredibly slow it is; I can't watch it 
because the
> > pace is so boring.   And I really liked the host -- attractive (in 
that
> > Judi Dench sort of way), with a British accent (all the Brits on 
the
> > list can go ahead and laugh at Americans now *g*), and bitingly
> > sarcastic.  Instant crush, on my part.
> 
> The host - Anne Robinson - is the same host as we have in the UK.
> Apparently, the producers of the programme were unable to find an 
American
> host who could be quite so cutting as Anne (scoff: that's what the 
UK
> tabloids said), but I guess it had more to do with the British 
accent and
> floor-length leather outfits than her hosting talents.  She was paid
> something ridiculous to do one series of shows.  They also spent a 
bundle on
> a completely new wardrobe of all-black clothing for her.  Prior to 
this show
> Ms Robinson had hosted a viewer's comments show and then a consumer 
watchdog
> programme, and she's always had a reputation for being cool and 
sarcastic,
> with that little twisty smirk she has.
> 
> The show was quite lame when it first started up - it was shown in 
the
> afternoons, which says it all.  After a while it started to get some 
press
> because Anne Robinson was so rude to the contestants (she was asked 
to do
> that, of course), so they tried it out in the evenings.  That's when 
things
> started to hot up.  At first the contestants had been quite 
pleasant, and
> when they got voted off ("The Walk of Shame" - when they talk to 
camera),
> they would say things like, "I'm disappointed I didn't get further". 
 As
> time went on, the worm turned, and increasingly the contestants were 
saying
> things like, "I think George should be the next to go, because he's 
old and
> stupid" or "I hope Janice doesn't win, because she's a bitch and she 
voted
> me off").  They're also more rude during the game itself, and Anne 
Robinson
> has also got more withering (no doubt, all of this at the request of 
the
> show's producers).
> 
> In the US, they *only* picked people who could be ruthless and 
nasty, and
> they increased the prize money from about £10,000 to $1,000,000.
> 
> The show's catchphrase - "You are the weakest link, goodbye" - has 
captured
> the nation's imagination.  It's even been used in the Houses of 
Parliament
> (I think by William Hague, leader of the Opposition).  Anne Robinson 
is a
> megastar now, but probably needs an armed guard to walk to the 
shops.
> 
> Anyway, that's too much information, as usual.
> 
> Neil

The only TV personality here in the States who could pull off that 
b*tchiness, is Judge Judy, but she already has her own show. (Yes, I 
watch Judge Judy while preparing supper. She gives me something to 
laugh at after a day at work, very therapeutic.) In fact, I saw part 
of an entertainment news program in which Anne Robinson said she was 
contacted to be the 'British Judge Judy' before she was offered 
Weakest Link. There's another British-based show on too, "Chains of 
Love"---haven't had the courage to yet.

I think they increased the money to one million because I don't think 
people would subject themselves to that mocking for anything less than 
a million. 

I agree that Regis' Millionaire program is painfully slow. 

:-)Milz