Misleading dialogue on game shows...

[b_masters8]

Have you ever heard of any misleading dialogue on game shows, particularly when it comes to gameplay or rules? I've heard some, like for instance on The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime w/the late Jim Lange; during Jim's rules spiel, when he explains how the clues to the master puzzle are guessed, he says for a couple (or the player playing for that couple) to buzz-in if they know, and if they guess correctly, they win $25 (or whatever small sum of money for that round). Why would he say that, especially given in the rules that you had to win the game overall in order to actually keep that money?

He should have said, "You've scored $25, and a right to try to solve our master puzzle."

[Flerbert419]

"What goes in the mailbox?"

[b_masters8]

"What goes in the mailbox?"

Which, I would imagine, confuses a lot of players of Pay the Rent on TPIR, because they think it's lowest to highest, when the game is really about making sure that the total of each level is higher than the preceding one; such has, I would also imagine, confounded a lot of players.

[GuyWithFace]

I do not recall the exact wording, but on National Bingo Night the contestants were told that they had to finish their task before someone in the audience got a bingo, otherwise the audience member got a smaller prize.

This was misleading in that if the task was completed, then (and only then) was it mentioned that if an audience member got a bingo on that final turn, the onstage contestant still lost (presumably because the latter prize was much cheaper than the former).

[GSNSmashFan3]

if they guess correctly, they win $25 (or whatever small sum of money for that round). Why would he say that, especially given in the rules that you had to win the game overall in order to actually keep that money?

You could say the same thing for, like, 90% of all cable game shows.

[supersaver87]

This was misleading in that if the task was completed, then (and only then) was it mentioned that if an audience member got a bingo on that final turn, the onstage contestant still lost (presumably because the latter prize was much cheaper than the former).

That scenario ended up happening on the very first game on the premiere. That really made for bad TV.

[b_masters8]

You could say the same thing for, like, 90% of all cable game shows.

Because of the lack of prize budgets, or the unwillingness on the producers' part to pay out from same?

[GuyWithFace]

^Yes.

That scenario ended up happening on the very first game on the premiere. That really made for bad TV.

Precisely. Ties going in favor of only awarding the smaller prize (a "mere" $5,000 for an audience member, whereas the onstage contestants were playing for five-figure prizes or cash) screamed "cheapness" and suggested that this series would not be a particularly fun watch.

I did continue watching to play the home viewer element (printing out cards in hopes of getting a bingo and hence a prize), but turned off the program completely upon learning that this was in fact a seeded instant-win sweepstakes with draws edited out (as opposed to the excessive amounts of filler and padding).

[kyle82]

"With wonderful awards for smart shoppers". Uh, no. You're guessing numbers.

[GuyWithFace]

^This reminded me of another one:

"Welcome to the show where smart shopping leads to money in your pocket." This was the opening line of Save to Win, a format that involved trivia, using three of the five senses, memorizing a list, and blindly picking two groceries in hopes their hidden dollar amounts match -- none of which, last I checked, involve shopping intelligently.

[GRWHAMMY the 2nd]

Double Dare 2000's Triple Dare said it'd triple the bucks, but wasn't it more like 6 times??

[someguy23475]

How about Allen Ludden saying, “It takes three to win” on Password Plus? You can possibly win two puzzles and take the match, and sometimes they play four puzzles. Bill Cullen was much more accurate stating $300 won the match.

[Casey]

How about Allen Ludden saying, “It takes three to win” on Password Plus? You can possibly win two puzzles and take the match, and sometimes they play four puzzles. Bill Cullen was much more accurate stating $300 won the match.

I think he usually said it like "We have $100 over here and $100 over here.  It takes 3 to win" - Not particularly misleading or confusing...

[COINBOYNYC]

Not misleading in the sense that the contestant and/or audience were led to believe one thing but the reality was another, but I never liked it when Richard Karn said "I'm going to double the points" on Family Feud, as if he were doing it because he felt like it.  It would be as if Bob or Drew said to the top winner in the Showcase: "I'm going to let you choose if you want to bid on this showcase or pass on it and wait for the next one" regardless of what the rules said.