The $100,000 Pyramid with Michael Strahan - Season 4

[tpir04]

Tourist attractions: Eiffel Tower, Big Ben

Kitchen Appliances: coffee maker, toaster

James was great with those gestures when he was describing "Things You Don't Do With A Mouthful of Crackers" which was behind "Putting on the Ritz" (it was today's Mystery 7). That's the best way to do it, he did it well, and the way he carried out the actions had me laughing a lot!

However, I wouldn't have given "Plank" to the one contestant because she didn't say it at the right time! (For those of you that might not know, a category was chosen, and the celebrity passed on the fourth word (which was Plank). The fifth word appeared, and during the course of the celebrity's description of the word, the contestant said "Plank" and they gave to her credit the previous clue, which she passed on.) What would you have done? Is this how it was handled in the Dick Clark era as well? (I can't say I've seen very many Clark episodes, so that's why I'm asking.)

[goldroadfanatic]

However, I wouldn't have given "Plank" to the one contestant because she didn't say it at the right time! (For those of you that might not know, a category was chosen, and the celebrity passed on the fourth word (which was Plank). The fifth word appeared, and during the course of the celebrity's description of the word, the contestant said "Plank" and they gave to her credit the previous clue, which she passed on.) What would you have done? Is this how it was handled in the Dick Clark era as well? (I can't say I've seen very many Clark episodes, so that's why I'm asking.)

In the Dick Clark era, clue-givers could not return to passed words (likely due to a technological issue with returning words to the monitor).  The receiver had to say the word during the course of their round to earn credit for it.  Dick would note this to teams in the event where a win, tie score or a bonus like the Mystery 7 was at stake; a passed word risked forfeiting the bonus or it meant a team may not win or achieve a tie.

In the current version, clue receivers who say the word during the course of their round, even it was passed, earn credit for it. This played out in my episode on June 9, when Leslie Jones said a word I already passed on, but we were credited for it. Also, clue-givers can pass words and return to describing them if time permits, thanks to improvements in technology.

[howierules86]

Actually, on the Donny Osmond 2002-04 version, contestants were not given credit for answers guessed after they already passed on them. All other versions had the rules that goldroadfanatic described above.

[GameShowKid]

I would have said "Tony's Frosted Flakes" as one of my clues for "Things That Are Great". And speaking of great, I would describe at least some of the previously given clues here for this subject (along with Strahan's "The five lakes") that way.

Is this the first time in this version of Pyramid that we've seen a point taken away in the maingame?

[GameShowKid]

On the August 25th episode: At least there was one $50K win tonight.

How long has it been since we've seen a perfect score of 21 in the maingame? Way to go Dana and Kevin. She was a great contestant who got really close to winning $100K.

Interesting how the "info about the contestant" segment was apparently edited out of the first half-hour's game but included in the second. I wonder if Jamal's mother still has the home game and/or the carpet cleaner from her appearance in 1975. Also, to borrow a phrase, Adam Pally: "You are the weakest link!" (in the game).

I really liked Dana's clue of "the food court" for "Parts Of A Mall". And kudos to her for coming up with it so quickly. I thought of "a soprano's voice" for "Things That Are High"; I didn't even consider following Dana's marijuana path.   (No offense.)

For "People In An Office" I came up with "the receptionist" and "the boss". And I would have said "elastic bands" and "tires" for "Things Made of Rubber".

[goldroadfanatic]

How long has it been since we've seen a perfect score of 21 in the maingame? Way to go Dana and Kevin. She was a great contestant who got really close to winning $100K.

Tonight was the first perfect 21 of the season.  I leapt from my chair when I saw that happen.

Interesting how the "info about the contestant" segment was apparently edited out of the first half-hour's game but included in the second.

I wonder if it's due to time constraints or interview length/content that is the determining factor of whether or not it makes the air.  My interview (and Jaclyn's) was cut from the final broadcast, and I was surprised to not see it on TV.  However, if this schedule is accurate, my game will be rerun on the first half September 15's episode.  I wonder if the contestant interviews will make that broadcast since I'd imagine they would edit out Michael's announcement that this was the premiere of the fourth season and that the show has already given away millions of dollars, and there would be time to fill.

I wonder if Jamal's mother still has the home game and/or the carpet cleaner from her appearance in 1975. Also, to borrow a phrase, Adam Pally: "You are the weakest link!" (in the game).

It's a shame we can't see Jamal's mother's appearance because it's either wiped (in the case of The $10,000 Pyramid) or in legal limbo (the Bill Cullen-hosted The $25,000 Pyramid).

One thing I noticed was Eliza nearly said "Phone" for "Buttons on a Phone" but she showed great restraint and successfully won $50,000.

It was heartbreaking to see Rachel Dratch freeze in the final seconds of Dana's second trip to the Winner's Circle. If there was more time or Rachel blurted her guess out, Dana would have won $100,000.

In both games, getting only 2 out of 7 in a category was tough to bounce back from.  Though, to their credit, both teams managed to force their opponents to play the sixth subject in their respective games.

I noticed that this episode didn't include a plug for www.castingpyramid.com.  Hopefully we'll learn if the show has been renewed for a Season 5 next summer pretty soon, and they'll start the casting process this winter.

The show is taking a break next week, but it will be back on September 8th.  We're heading into the home stretch of Season 4.

[PGS25]

Tools: Hammer, Screwdriver, Saw
Jewish: Easter, Hanukkah
Cleaning: Mopping, Vacuum, Sweeping
Athletes: Michael Jordan, Michael Phelps, Babe Ruth
Olympics: Medals, Opening and Closing Ceremonies, Athletes
Magicians: Houdini, Lance Burton, David Copperfield
"River": "My name is Mississippi", "My name is Nile", "I'm a body of water".
Dancers: Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Derek Hough

Total Cash won tonight: $83,000. Season total: $1,146,000
Both "Mystery 7s" won.
Dana lost the $100,000 because of "Rain Gear".
Is people a synonym of person?

[goldroadfanatic]

Is people a synonym of person?

It's a form of the word, so it would be illegal.  There is precedent for this; in The $25,000 Pyramid or The $100,000 Pyramid in the 1980s, a celebrity clue-giver used "Poor Persons" for "People Whom You Help" and after a bit of hesitation, the judge sounded the buzzer.  See the 3:00 mark below:

[Richie]

I believe in the 80s Pyramid: the WC Category was PEOPLE WHO EARN A COMMISSION (that one is a money stopper FYI), and Teresa Ganzel said "Certain salespeople" which got the zap by said judge...  Yeah any WC category with people in the subject is a red area....

[GR_Man_9009]

Jewish: Easter, Hanukkah

Easter is NOT a Jewish holiday. Easter is a Christian holiday.

[GameShowKid]

On the September 8th episode: Yes! A $100K winner. And in dramatic fashion, as they had to come back to a subject. Congratulations to Michael, who won $109,000 total. (By the way, I can remember seeing "Famous Deserts" on the lowest row of subjects on an episode of Dick Clark's Pyramid where Dick Cavett read it as "desserts" by mistake.)
 
An unfortunate slip of the tongue though cost Emily, a very good Pyramid player, $100,000. (I liked the way the nearly conquered pyramid looked after her 100K try; a configuration not seen often.)

I would have said "weathered metal" or "red, flaky iron" for "Things That Are Rusty", and "elevator buttons" for "Things You Push", though I did like "your grandma's wheelchair" for that subject. And I noticed that after that clue was given the celebrity said "Things You Shove" before saying "Push". Interesting.  

What shall we say after La La Anthony's trip to the Winner's Circle? I wonder what her contestant partner Michael was thinking during and after that round. "U.S. States!" "What An Axe Might Say" ("machete"?). And how about "a long kite" (along with "a happy dog") for "Things With A Tail"?

[PGS25]

"Cereal": "I am a breakfast food in a bowl with milk, and you eat me with a spoon".
Rusty: Wet metal, an unoiled hinge, The Tin Man.
Shoe: Laces, Heel, Sole, Tongue.
Pickles: Vlassic, Dill, Bread and Butter, Gherkins.
Gems: Diamond, Ruby, Emerald, Pearl
Road: Stop sign, Asphalt, Dead animals, Vehicles
Laundry: Tide, Wisk, Cheer, Persil.
England: Big Ben, London, Queen Elizabeth, Parliament

Total cash won: $135,500. Season total: $1,281,500
The $100,000 drought is finally over.
1 "Mystery 7" prize won.
Emily wanted to say "coffee", but said "caffeine" instead and it cost her $100,000.
La La is a perfect example of what happens when you make the game more harder than it is.

[PGS25]

It was not Dick Cavett, it was Barry Jenner.

[GameShowKid]

On the September 15th episode: Bridget and Rosie O Donnell made a great team (earning a perfect maingame score of 21), as did Jeff and Rosie (doing the same). However, Bridget to me seemed overconfident, especially in the Winner's Circle, where some clues were beeped out.

Jeff gave some excellent clues for "Things That Are Packed"; I would have added "FDR's Supreme Court". And for "Things With a Head"? How about "a good beer", or "a foamy beer"?

Like Chris Parnell, I grew up watching Dick Clark on Pyramid, though I am too young to remember seeing the $10,000 version on TV. I wish he was still around to at least possibly consult on the Strahan version.

Scott was another fine player. Congratulations to him on his $50K win and kudos to him for using "hepatic" to describe "Liver" and outsmarting the host. For his "Things That Are Rare", I would have added "a bloody steak".

And what a great $50K moment for Allison. The judge accepted "Things You Do On Your Knees" for "People Who Kneel", surprising both her and myself. Fantastic clue given there: "a proposing husband".

[goldroadfanatic]

Personally, I'm surprised the judge let "The NFL" stand as a clue for "Names of Sports Leagues."  As I saw firsthand on a taping for Season 3 in 2018, when a contestant was disqualified for saying "LED" for "Types of Light Bulbs," I thought Brigette was going to be buzzed on the $1,000 subject. 

I really thought Jeff was going to win $50,000, but "Packed" wasn't coming to Rosie.  I would have added "Your school lunch, your cigarettes, and your school bookbag" to his two clues.  However, he picked up the Mystery 7 trip to Turks and Caicos plus $11,500, not a bad night's work.

Scott and Allison were both excellent players tonight.  Congratulations to both of them for taking the Winner's Circle for $50,000.

Rosie O'Donnell's two games this season were her first appearances on this incarnation of Pyramid since Season 1 in 2016, when she faced off against Kathy Najimy on the premiere and finale for that season.  In her two appearances this season, she won the Mystery 7 twice, and a total of $85,500 for the contestants, which is not bad.

Twelve shows down and one more to go.  Let's end the season with a bang!