What Makes a Good Game Show Contestant?
Monday June 29, 2009
From the other end of game show casting, we, the viewers, get to watch these carefully selected contestants play the games we love. Sometimes casting is just perfect and we have people we can root for, and seem to excel at the game. Other times, however, the contestants are annoying, unable to comprehend the game, or otherwise disappointing.
To cut casting staff some slack, we should point out here that there's no guarantee that the person who auditioned for the show will be the same person on screen when the pressure is actually on. Still, when the contestant really doesn't know what's going on around him or her, it becomes a real problem.
As a viewer, what do you look for in an enjoyable game show contestant? Would you rather the contestants be easy on the eyes, seem to need the cash, or be able to play the game? Or is it something else entirely? You can choose more than one answer, and if you select "other," please share your criteria in the comments section.
Comments
All I ask for someone who knows how to play the game well, has a semblance of a brain in his/her head and who won’t annoy the crap out of me. Just be yourself, only on a slightly amplified scale.
Totally agree Chad. Too many people take it way over the top, and sometimes you have to wonder if production is encouraging them to do this.
Having spoken with someone who was a contestant on the program, I know for a fact that they are on Catch 21:
“I swear, the casting director on that show is completely anal about the contestants being loud and animated. She harps and begs and threatens that she’ll never put you on another one of her shows if you don’t please her. They actually have the contestants rehearse how they’re going to “yell” their answers, as her motto is “yell the answer with confidence – if you’re right you come off great, and if you’re wrong, you’ll give a good reaction.” Then, she made me promise that *if* I got to the end round, that when Alfonso runs through the amounts ya can win, that I say/yell the amounts along with him… so, whatever. I feel kinda sorry for her too, as so many of the players on that show don’t know what the hell they’re doing and have made such stupid moves with the cards, which of course reflects badly on her with the producers.”
You’ve got to be able to play it. If you don’t know how to play it, don’t sign up, and don’t sign up until you know how to play it. That really should be the law.
That’s too bad about the contestant coordinator on Catch 21. They should never be mean.
When my husband and I were on the Newlywed Game, we were losing at first. I think the coordinator was worried that we looked too “down” and kept assuring us that we were doing great. When we started picking up points, it was easier to get excited. And they loved it when I threw my arms around my husband and hugged him each time we got an answer right. In the end, we won the game.
A contestant who doesn’t know how to play is a disaster. You have to play a mock version of the game before you get picked. I’ve been on two game shows, and during every commercial break, they remind you of what’s coming up next and what you’re expected to do/say.
I love to see someone who has fun with it and has a sense of humor…it is a game.Wheel of fortune contestants are always shown clapping for each other…which is great because it makes it more of a “we are happy for everybody” show.
Well what Chad said really explains a few things. I remember watching Catch 21 and noticing that people sometimes make stupid mistakes, maybe it’s because they are too focused on being loud and excited.