Post by WarioSajak on Mar 10, 2013 1:35:47 GMT -5
Posted to CLW83.com here. Quoting Carl Chenier on the Game Show Forum:
Anything in quotes was said by Harry:
-Harry thinks the tri-state area is the biggest group of Wheel fans, ergo the NYC trips.
-Harry's never defined his contestant database as anything but "Will they be a good contestant?" [There's a lot of factors that make up a good contestant, including knowing how to play the game.]
-TPTB are fine with Wheel giving away $9-10 Million per year.
-The show gives away cash, cars, trips, electronics(?), "and other good stuff"(??). No idea on this one...
-The digital extensions are fundamental to Wheel's growth. Wheel wants to be with its fans where they are, "Whether it's Facebook, or Twitter, or Pinterest, or whatever comes down the pipe."
-Wheel Watchers Club was inspired by Frequent Flyer Miles. SPIN ID started through focus groups who wanted to win prizes. They just passed the 8,000,000-member threshold, too.
-Harry was notified of Charlie's death through Mark Corwin, who learned it through Charlie's wife.
-The process of getting to Jim: they auditioned dozens of announcers, wanting someone who was not only a great voice and a good successor to Charlie, but also had a personality that fit the show.
-Harry praises Charlie before saying "We had to move on." [The whole dubbing issue is completely ignored by both sides.]
-They try to introduce elements that add excitement and drama without affecting the core gameplay itself; people seem to love the Mystery Round.
-Harry mentions that Wheel's nearly 40. Didn't see that coming.
-The ½ Car concept began in 2008-09 at a workshop with international Wheel producers. The French version's producer adapted it from Harry's idea, albeit differently (they were similar to the MDW), and worked rather well.
-There's about 14 international versions now? Didn't know that...
-Altering the Bonus Wheel: just swap out the $100,000 envelope for the $1,000,000 one.
-When asked about whether there will be another $1,000,000 win, Friedman replied "Stay tuned."
-All the puzzles are on disc. Rob Roman [sp?], Ken Wyner [sp?], everyone on the staff contributes puzzles including Pat/Vanna. Rob presents them to Karen Griffith, and the two give them one pass-through before giving it to Harry for additions/deletions/suggestions before it goes to the studio. [tl;dr -- Harry's responsible for the crappy puzzles because he approved them.]
-The Wheel slot machines on-set for Vegas tapings are checked by the Nevada Gaming Board to make sure they're not working.
-Harry won $1,000 from a Wheel slot machine, but once he realized what would happen if he legitimately won the jackpot he walked away and hasn't played one again.
-Alex Trebek is fine.
-Jeopardy! Season 30 is still in the planning stages.
-There's no online test for Wheel, and there probably won't be, because it's more accessible than Jeopardy! in terms of finding/selecting players...and format. Harry goes on to mention the Wheelmobile and its turnout. "Jeopardy! is a different animal."
-Harry's closing words: "It's downright mystifying that a TV show could continue to thrive after 30 seasons, and that doesn't happen without a wide, broad, deep fanbase who are as loyal as they are active." [...You said earlier that Wheel had been on for nearly 40 years, and it was popular from Episode #1. I should know -- I've seen the Nielsen ratings.]
Altogether...I don't know. I shouldn't have expected Jason to address the dubbing, the bad puzzle writing, or the broken nature of the Trip Puzzle...but not one discouraging word was said about either show. A further problem is that Friedman acts like Wheel's perfect when it clearly isn't, and the interview emphasizes the chrome at the expense of the decaying material underneath.
====
Leaving this here from CU for a reason.
---If the "spoiler" came from Harry, the Executive Producer of the show, it's fair game to post, since it's out in the open, and clearly he's okay with the public knowing. Just use the "spoiler" tags so people don't have to read it...that's what we have them for.
The fine folks over at Game Show Newsnet recently recorded an audio interview over the phone with Harry to talk about Wheel's 30th anniversary and some very interesting aspects of some of the newer gameplay put in place. Harry may or may not drop a hint or two about Jeopardy's upcoming 30th anniversary also.
If you can, please spread the word about this one, guys....Jason Block did an excellent job conducting the interview.
If you can, please spread the word about this one, guys....Jason Block did an excellent job conducting the interview.
Anything in quotes was said by Harry:
-Harry thinks the tri-state area is the biggest group of Wheel fans, ergo the NYC trips.
-Harry's never defined his contestant database as anything but "Will they be a good contestant?" [There's a lot of factors that make up a good contestant, including knowing how to play the game.]
-TPTB are fine with Wheel giving away $9-10 Million per year.
-The show gives away cash, cars, trips, electronics(?), "and other good stuff"(??). No idea on this one...
-The digital extensions are fundamental to Wheel's growth. Wheel wants to be with its fans where they are, "Whether it's Facebook, or Twitter, or Pinterest, or whatever comes down the pipe."
-Wheel Watchers Club was inspired by Frequent Flyer Miles. SPIN ID started through focus groups who wanted to win prizes. They just passed the 8,000,000-member threshold, too.
-Harry was notified of Charlie's death through Mark Corwin, who learned it through Charlie's wife.
-The process of getting to Jim: they auditioned dozens of announcers, wanting someone who was not only a great voice and a good successor to Charlie, but also had a personality that fit the show.
-Harry praises Charlie before saying "We had to move on." [The whole dubbing issue is completely ignored by both sides.]
-They try to introduce elements that add excitement and drama without affecting the core gameplay itself; people seem to love the Mystery Round.
-Harry mentions that Wheel's nearly 40. Didn't see that coming.
-The ½ Car concept began in 2008-09 at a workshop with international Wheel producers. The French version's producer adapted it from Harry's idea, albeit differently (they were similar to the MDW), and worked rather well.
-There's about 14 international versions now? Didn't know that...
-Altering the Bonus Wheel: just swap out the $100,000 envelope for the $1,000,000 one.
-When asked about whether there will be another $1,000,000 win, Friedman replied "Stay tuned."
["Stay tuned." was also used by John Nathan-Turner in regard to Doctor Who, and it usually meant something big was coming -- i.e., "Stay tuned." = "Yes." Given that the Culver City tapings are done, there seems to be a $1M winner that hasn't aired yet.]
-All the puzzles are on disc. Rob Roman [sp?], Ken Wyner [sp?], everyone on the staff contributes puzzles including Pat/Vanna. Rob presents them to Karen Griffith, and the two give them one pass-through before giving it to Harry for additions/deletions/suggestions before it goes to the studio. [tl;dr -- Harry's responsible for the crappy puzzles because he approved them.]
-The Wheel slot machines on-set for Vegas tapings are checked by the Nevada Gaming Board to make sure they're not working.
-Harry won $1,000 from a Wheel slot machine, but once he realized what would happen if he legitimately won the jackpot he walked away and hasn't played one again.
-Alex Trebek is fine.
-Jeopardy! Season 30 is still in the planning stages.
-There's no online test for Wheel, and there probably won't be, because it's more accessible than Jeopardy! in terms of finding/selecting players...and format. Harry goes on to mention the Wheelmobile and its turnout. "Jeopardy! is a different animal."
-Harry's closing words: "It's downright mystifying that a TV show could continue to thrive after 30 seasons, and that doesn't happen without a wide, broad, deep fanbase who are as loyal as they are active." [...You said earlier that Wheel had been on for nearly 40 years, and it was popular from Episode #1. I should know -- I've seen the Nielsen ratings.]
Altogether...I don't know. I shouldn't have expected Jason to address the dubbing, the bad puzzle writing, or the broken nature of the Trip Puzzle...but not one discouraging word was said about either show. A further problem is that Friedman acts like Wheel's perfect when it clearly isn't, and the interview emphasizes the chrome at the expense of the decaying material underneath.
====
Leaving this here from CU for a reason.
---If the "spoiler" came from Harry, the Executive Producer of the show, it's fair game to post, since it's out in the open, and clearly he's okay with the public knowing. Just use the "spoiler" tags so people don't have to read it...that's what we have them for.
