Why were so many game show hosts such lowlifes?

[Masha]

I have been watching game shows on: TubiTV and: PlutoTV.

Alex Trebek was a jewel. Art Fleming and Bill Cullen were fun to watch.

Monty Hall and Bud Collyer had days when they edged over to being trying.

It is sad to say that I found most to be obnoxious to the point of being nearly intolerable. They were crude feckless narcissists. A short list of ones I find somewhat grotesque:

Richard Dawson
Bob Eubanks
Chuck Woolery
Gene Rayburn
Drew Carey
Jack Barry
Anne Robinson
Ray Combs

Were these people chosen specifically so the audience would hope the contestants would triumph over them?

Was there some other reason their smug, condescending smirks were given a national platform?

[Intrepid37]

Have you been watching the Game Show Channel again, Masha?

[Detective Jim McLeod]

I agree on Gene Rayburn, he would insult contestants' answers and would act like a creeper around the hot women. Plus he thought he was funny but he was not.

[Sepiatone]

The top two on that list are OK by me. But the rest, well......
And you can add Bert Convy to that list.

Sepiatone

[jamesjazzguitar]

I agree on Gene Rayburn, he would insult contestants' answers and would act like a creeper around the hot women. Plus he thought he was funny but he was not.

Gene Rayburn also would mock people accents. Like you said, he thought he was being funny but instead he was insulting the contestant. One time when his joke clearly insulted the contestant, he double down with another joke that just dug the hole deeper. One could see the confusion and hurt in the contestant's eyes. (I believe she was French).

[jimimac71]

Well Masha, the current hosts are the same to me.
In so many ways, TV is just stupid.
Turning up the "Brightness" doesn't help. <grin>
Sounds like you need a little PBS culture.

[dianedebuda]

I have been watching game shows on: TubiTV and: PlutoTV. ... A short list of ones I find somewhat grotesque: Bob Eubanks

I was never much into game shows and don't remember seeing him hosting any, but really liked him doing the annual KTLA Rose Bowl Parade telecast with Stephanie Edwards. With his rodeo background, he brought a lot of interesting horse related tidbits to the show. When we had a big satellite dish, we would subscribe to KTLA each Jan just to see this commercial free event.

[jamesjazzguitar]

Well Masha, the current hosts are the same to me.
In so many ways, TV is just stupid.
Turning up the "Brightness" doesn't help. <grin>
Sounds like you need a little PBS culture.

Generally, I agree with you, but I like John Michael Higgins. I have always found him to be funny, as well as a good actor, and for me that makes him a solid game show host.

[txfilmfan]

I have been watching game shows on: TubiTV and: PlutoTV.

Alex Trebek was a jewel. Art Fleming and Bill Cullen were fun to watch.

Monty Hall and Bud Collyer had days when they edged over to being trying.

It is sad to say that I found most to be obnoxious to the point of being nearly intolerable. They were crude feckless narcissists. A short list of ones I find somewhat grotesque:

Richard Dawson
Bob Eubanks
Chuck Woolery
Gene Rayburn
Drew Carey
Jack Barry
Anne Robinson
Ray Combs

Were these people chosen specifically so the audience would hope the contestants would triumph over them?

Was there some other reason their smug, condescending smirks were given a national platform?

Many had a smarmy used car salesman air about them, IMO.

Network daytime programming is all but dead in the U.S. NBC has only news programs and has effectively disbanded their daytime scheduling block. ABC is down to one soap, a talk show, and a 3rd hour of GMA. CBS has the largest block left with two game shows, two soaps and a talk show. Fox never had a daytime block.

All other programs you might run across during the daytime hours on a network affiliate are syndicated.

[Intrepid37]

Maybe they were hired based on being from the carnival barker family? Loud and vulgar.

[Masha]

Have you been watching the Game Show Channel again, Masha?

PlutoTV has: Game Show Central, Buzzr and PlutoTV Game Shows channels as well as individual channels for each: Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, Deal or No Deal, Family Feud, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?, Let's Make a Deal and The Price is Right.

TubiTV has: Game Show Central and Buzzr and an individual channel for: Supermarket Sweep.

[Masha]

Sounds like you need a little PBS culture.

I am seeking a deeper background of American culture.

It is sad to say that PBS has priced itself out of the market for streaming.

[jimimac71]

Sounds like you need a little PBS culture.

I am seeking a deeper background of American culture.

It is sad to say that PBS has priced itself out of the market for streaming.

I'm puzzled. The PBS Passport is only $5/month or $60/year. Unlocks additional content.
The PBS app lets you watch your local channel.

[Masha]

Sounds like you need a little PBS culture.

I am seeking a deeper background of American culture.

It is sad to say that PBS has priced itself out of the market for streaming.

I'm puzzled. The PBS Passport is only $5/month or $60/year. Unlocks additional content.
The PBS app lets you watch your local channel.

We looked into it a year or so ago and found that PBS requites a corresponding cable television account. To pay for cable and for PBS streaming is excessive for us. We do not have that kind of money to waste.

[jimimac71]

Here are the details:
https://www.pbs.org/pbs-app/
The app will recommend your local PBS channel.
You can change it to something else.