This was the one of the MDS tapings of this set that I attended. Maddy was supposed to, but wasn't feeling well.
After we ran into a guy who thought his stuff stunk and all in the line (no, not a prospective audience member -- one of those twentysomething punks that you see all the time) and proceeded to tick off all the guys and hit on all the gals for about SIX HOURS (using every swear word in the book for his every third word...), I don't think Maddy would've made it.
Once the Million Dollar Game was announced, she told me tonight that she wouldn't have.
A bad off-day for the crew and all -- this was not one of their better efforts, and you saw only
some of the issues. Not meaning to be too much of a party-pooper, but there definitely needs to be some tightening of the screws over there, because, I think, you could kinda tell things were coming apart in the Showcases.
Well, with that, here's the game-by-game, with some of the stuff you didn't see:
One Wrong Price: I think basically everybody in the place that I could hear was wrong. We were all kind of amongst ourselves about whether it was the Cooper convertible or the Cooper wagon. Nope.
Million Dollar Plinko: Oh, I knew it was coming -- I knew it was coming from the way that Drew was beginning to describe the whole process. Urgh. Urgh. Urgh. Yes, I
tried to be the good little audience member (even screaming "THAT'S ONE!" on the first chip to hit the $20K), but that's just not plausible unless you make it two chips in the middle for the Golden Shot. And Plinko is just plain over-done. But, as Maddy told me tonight, it really does sound like the bulk of TPiR viewers think the show began when Plinko did.
Roger,
ENOUGH ALREADY WITH THE PLINKO!!!Predictably, just like the last time that they did Million Dollar Borko, the show went downhill from there...
Pocket Change: Drew goofed. When they did it originally, Drew actually asked the contestant for the first number in the price. That was a stop-tape to rectify the mess. The moment I saw the 5 in the second spot, thanks for coming...
Then, the 4th IUFB... First, I do believe that's the first totally deaf contestant in the history of the show. Correct me on that. Jeff did a nice thing by basically taking the cue card (yes, all the names were on cue cards for this one) and showing it right in front where the guy could see it. Great guy -- got to meet him after the show.
Of course, they had another stop here. The camera that was supposed to show the bed was pointed at door #3. Of course, this wouldn't be a problem...
Except the bed was behind door #2!! Five more minutes down the drain...
At least this was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed Drew (and probably some of the S&P people as well) to logistically work out just how the guy was going to bid and what could be done with the interpreter and the like.
One suggestion, if Roger reads this: In the future, if a deaf contestant is in CR, write down the bids for his benefit.
Push Over: First thing I had to check was to make sure it was five digits. Once it was, I knew there was only one combination. Way too easy, right?
Tell that to the lady who just stood up there like she was going to keep going and think the bikes were, what, 80 thousand??
So, here's me after about 10 seconds: "ONE MORE!!! ONE MORE!!!!"
(then she does -- and just stands there like she wants to go on and keep pushing)
"STOP!! CEASE!!! HALT!! DESIST!!!"
And then, the one the mics did pick up: "STOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
(Followed by an elbow to the ribs by the poor shlub next to me.)
Then, I forget if it was before IUFB 5 or 6, but
another stop-down, as one of the lights had to be reset. Drew was very understanding and took questions from the audience and was a lot of fun, but I think one could tell that the MDS was getting to people.
Any Number: Ouch. Of course, when Christopher froze out the deaf guy, he did get booed. That bid, though correct strategy and what won him the shot at the SUV, was NOT popular.
Pick-A-Pair: Jeff Thisted is going to get it.
He really is.
I was sitting third row on the right side (left to the viewer) -- balding guy, green shirt, glasses, almost got his arm taken off by the last person to be called to Contestants' Row... Jeff is basically where he usually is at points like this, and that meant he was in front of me.
Contestant picks Salsa, $2.99.
Now, I've bought that blasted deodorant (or stuff like it), and I swear it was only about $3 or so. So I'm screaming for the deodorant.
She picks it -- comes up... $4.19.
Jeff turns his head to me and raises his eyebrow at me, as if to say, "Noooooooooooooooooooooooooo..."
Jeff, you just got on the same list Roger got on when Roger smiled and shrugged after Dennis lost Lucky Seven a year ago!!! Love ya to pieces, Jeff, but you know I'm going to remember that one.
But the MEDICINE was $2.99???
Even 8 caplets??
Showcases: Botched them both. Thought the second one was $100K.
Of course, the entire showcase segment was pretty summarily botched.
So much so, the first one had to be COMPLETELY RESHOT after the show finished.
Not only did the contestant who won that showcase openly cringe at the evening gown (during the reshoot: "Smile... Smile..."), but, when the Corvette was announced, there was about a 12-second delay as the car slowly crawled out and Rich was trying his hardest to hold it as long as he could -- and then just threw up his hands when he finished that line...
(Can't say I blame him...)
It was pretty clear, by what aired, that the whole show was pretty much out of sorts by the time the showcases were going on. I can only hope the second taping went better. Had a great time -- but some work is needed to oil the fine-tuned machine a bit...
MOD NOTE: Consecutive posts merged. The following came in response to the post above. - JC... This show had stop tape so many times..... Especially when Vance was chosen. There was literally about a 15 minute discussion right after he was called ...
The stoppage was because the camera actually was pointed at door #3 and the IUFB (the bed) was behind door #2...
As I said, blessing in disguise, though, because it gave them the chance to deal with how they were going to address the situation with him.
As far as the corvetter, they originaly pushed it SO SLOW.. this was edited, it actually took about 20 seconds from the time Rich said "a new"... until the corvetter actually appeared on stage. ...
"A newwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww...........
......
CORVETTE!!!"
*Rich throws up his hands at the mis-timed entrance...*
