Why were so many game show hosts such lowlifes?

[Andree]

I will put in a good word for Gene. He started out as a radio host in NYC and was fairly popular. My mother likely
listened to him. Maybe that's where he got his sometimes wiseacre persona. I often watch the reruns of Match
Game 77/78 during the afternoon. Gene sometimes makes fun of the contestants, but it's light-hearted instead
of cruel. And back in the day the hosts were a lot more touchy and feelie than they are now. I don't think Gene was
any worse than the others. And he was more literate than most of the other guys (though I realize that's a pretty low
bar). The worst thing about the show was not Rayburn but Brett Somers, one of the unfunniest persons to ever appear
on TV. She'll go on and on blabbing with very little of it being humorous. And by the way, Brett was born in Canada.
What a bore. C.N. Reilly had a funny answer last week. The question was something like What traffic sign would a woman
put in front of her in a singles bar. His answer: Do Not Enter.

[Fedya]

I'm surprised Masha didn't mention Bob Barker and his sexual harassment of the models.

[txfilmfan]

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.

You might want to check again. I don't have cable, but I do have the PBS app, on Roku. It should be available on other platforms too.

[jimimac71]

I have the PBS app on my Apple TV and Fire TV stick.
I would be surprised at any platform without it.
YouTube TV and Direct TV Stream have PBS, but you don't have to go there.
I watch Retro TV frequently.
I loathe most modern TV programming.
That is why I love MeTV.
I am not familiar with game show channels.
Let me know if anyone has Password.
Sometimes B/W rules.

[txfilmfan]

I have the PBS app on my Apple TV and Fire TV stick.
I would be surprised at any platform without it.
YouTube TV and Direct TV Stream have PBS, but you don't have to go there.
I watch Retro TV frequently.
I loathe most modern TV programming.
That is why I love MeTV.
I am not familiar with game show channels.
Let me know if anyone has Password.
Sometimes B/W rules.

Buzzr has Password, but mostly the later incarnations (Password +/Super Password, from the 80s). Buzzr is owned by the successor company to Goodson-Todman (Fremantle), so they have access to those old G-T game shows.

Don't expect to see the older versions of Password, though. While the old CBS primetime episodes from the 60s have been saved, much of the CBS daytime version, and the later version on ABC daytime in the 1970s are considered lost.

Buzzr has also seemed to have moved on from games shows that originally aired prior to 1980, with the exception of Match Game, the 1970s syndicated version of To Tell The Truth. Tattletales and The Newlywed Game also show up on their schedule. They used to show kinescopes of the original primetime What's My Line, but I haven't seen that on their schedule in years. You can watch almost every episode on YouTube anyway - apparently they are all public domain.

[Masha]

I'm surprised Masha didn't mention Bob Barker and his sexual harassment of the models.

It was one person out of the multitude within his reach. The court fined her for failing to supply information pertinent to the case.

I do not consider that a reliable accusation.

[Intrepid37]

I'm surprised Masha didn't mention Bob Barker and his sexual harassment of the models.

It was one person out of the multitude within his reach. The court fined her for failing to supply information pertinent to the case.

I do not consider that a reliable accusation.

For far too many people, the accusation is the proof.

[Sepiatone]

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.

Really.....You never saw THE NEWLYWED GAME? Eubanks hosted that for years. The show continued without him after he left for good in 1988. He was replaced by comedian Paul Rodriguez for a year then subsequent hosts, Gary Kroeger, Carnie Wilson and Sherri Shepherd couldn't make the same mark Bob did as host. And it's mostly a matter of personal tastes. I know a few who think THE PRICE IS RIGHT improved when bob Barker left and was replaced by comedian Drew Carey.

And really, I didn't think Gene Rayburn was all that bad, but not all that great either. The most annoying person on that show was Bret Somers, apparently famous for who knows what(or cares) who always dragged things out by (allegedly) acting like she didn't understand the statements to the point I began to believe it wasn't really an act. But as I never did see the game show from it's beginning in 1962 and only saw it from it's "return" in the '70's, I can't speak to how good or bad Rayburn was as the host back then. Or if he had that ridiculously long microphone back the either.


Sepiatone

[jamesjazzguitar]

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.

Really.....You never saw THE NEWLYWED GAME? Eubanks hosted that for years. The show continued without him after he left for good in 1988. He was replaced by comedian Paul Rodriguez for a year then subsequent hosts, Gary Kroeger, Carnie Wilson and Sherri Shepherd couldn't make the same mark Bob did as host. And it's mostly a matter of personal tastes. I know a few who think THE PRICE IS RIGHT improved when bob Barker left and was replaced by comedian Drew Carey.

And really, I didn't think Gene Rayburn was all that bad, but not all that great either. The most annoying person on that show was Bret Somers, apparently famous for who knows what(or cares) who always dragged things out by (allegedly) acting like she didn't understand the statements to the point I began to believe it wasn't really an act. But as I never did see the game show from it's beginning in 1962 and only saw it from it's "return" in the '70's, I can't speak to how good or bad Rayburn was as the host back then. Or if he had that ridiculously long microphone back the either.


Sepiatone

Yes, Bret Somers was the most annoying. She was also very selfish. Here were middle-class folks trying to win some money and she would give the worst answers that she knew wouldn't match just to draw attention to herself. I would often say; Bret, you B, you should give these people money out of your own pocket!

Richard Dawson was clearly the best player and most helpful to the guest playing the game; he made them money and was very happy to do so.

[Intrepid37]

I think Allen Ludden probably came across as the cleanest. Although, wife Betty was usually present to keep an eye on him, so.....

[Dargo]

Buzzr has Password, but mostly the later incarnations (Password +/Super Password, from the 80s). Buzzr is owned by the successor company to Goodson-Todman (Fremantle), so they have access to those old G-T game shows.

Don't expect to see the older versions of Password, though. While the old CBS primetime episodes from the 60s have been saved, much of the CBS daytime version, and the later version on ABC daytime in the 1970s are considered lost.

Buzzr has also seemed to have moved on from games shows that originally aired prior to 1980, with the exception of Match Game, the 1970s syndicated version of To Tell The Truth. Tattletales and The Newlywed Game also show up on their schedule. They used to show kinescopes of the original primetime What's My Line, but I haven't seen that on their schedule in years. You can watch almost every episode on YouTube anyway - apparently they are all public domain.

Excuse me here Tex, but while you go to the trouble of mentioning both the original 'Password' and also 'What's My Line' here, but yet and considering that Masha's OP's thought in this thread was the idea that so many game show hosts came across to her as "lowlifes", as a counter argument to this thought and to present a more balanced look at this perception of hers, why didn't you also mention the names of these game shows respective hosts Allen Ludden and John Charles Daly?

(...as I'd say these two urbane gentlemen always came across as anything but that type, and so I believe their names should also be mentioned in this thread and considering that there has been others names of hosts with more positive images mentioned previously in this as well)

[Dargo]

And now, here's a name of a game show host who while I wouldn't consider a "lowlife", I just have never found to be particularly funny nor witty nor entertaining all all:

Steve Harvey

(...and so by consequence am unable to understand his success on TV, and which now even includes him playing a "judge" on one of those lame 'People's Court' type of "Reality Shows")

[jamesjazzguitar]

I can't hold anything against Bob Barker; Anyone that kicks the A out of Adam Sandler is A-OK by me.

[txfilmfan]

I can't hold anything against Bob Barker; Anyhow that kicks the A out of Adam Sandler is A-OK by me.

Coincidentally, one of the producers of The Price is Right is a guy named Adam Sandler - no relation to the actor. He's been with the show since sometime in the 1990s.

[dianedebuda]

Really.....You never saw THE NEWLYWED GAME?

I think I may have sampled 10 min of an episode when it was new and found it uninteresting. The only game shows that I can remember liking well enough to watch a few episodes were Password, Pyramid and Concentration. Don't like the Fallon oriented Password regen. For some nutty reason, I tried Weakest Link last year and liked it.