|
 |
|
w |
|
|
 |
PART 4 - THE AFTERMATCH...
August 12, 1998
Back to work at "Home Improvement." I had called the production coordinator
the day before to let him about the good news. I walk in and everybody from the
writers to the productions assistants to the executive producer himself come over
to congratulate me and ask me how the experience was. I also got the prerequisite
teases of people asking for their share of the booty. Later on that day, a couple
of the P.A.s say that something went screwy in the office kitchen and that they
needed some help. Being the dutiful intern that I am, I quickly follow them to the
kitchen. Something is weird though. The lights are off. I still follow
them in. The lights turn on and I see most of the production staff in front of me
yelling, "Surprise!" They open up a box to reveal a cake congratulating me on my
win! I also get a nice greeting card to signed by everybody on staff. But there's
still more partying to come...
A Callback?
A couple of weeks after the taping, I get a call from Kevin Belinkoff. He wants
me to come into help test out some "Match Game" questions for future episodes.
I would get paid for my assistance. I, of course, jump at the opportunity.
So, a few days after the call, I make a return to CBS Television City.
I enter the Artists' Entrance and who should be there but Jay Wolpert! He
recognizes me and asks me if I'm there to test questions. I say, "Yes!"
Jay then walks with me up to the offices. In the midst of the elevator ride
he mentions that he's seen my website. One thing he says to me is, "So you
didn't like 'Hit Man?'" Whoops! He was cool about it though. I chat a bit with
him about how much I loved "Whew!" and "Double Dare." While we're chatting,
I think to myself, "I'm actually having a conversation with Jay Wolpert!"
The elevator stops at the floor of the office and I fill out some forms
acknolwedging that I cannot divulge any question material tested that afternoon.
If I do, I can be sent to federal prison! A few other people (including
former "Jeopardy!" champ Bob Verini) walk into Jay's office and we run through
about 20-30 questions. Jay and some staffers take note as to the answers given
and how many different answers were given. If only one or two different answers
came up, the question was thrown out. If the question had too many answers it
was thrown out. If a question had about 3 or 4 answers, it was designated as a
Round Two question. When the testing ended, we were all thanked and given a check
for our services.
Late August 1998
The official a.t.g-s "Match Game" victory party. Thanks to the kindness of
Brian Hamburg and his parents, the victory takes place at his parents' place.
Onhand to join in the celebration are David Hammett, Tony Harrison, Aaron Solomon,
Andy Wheeler, Jade Mills, Randy Amasia, Brian Hamburg, Carl Knecht, and Chris
Clemenston. Tony mentions that he auditioned for "Match Game" and they were using
my episode as the sample episode for the auditionees to watch! Cool!
The night consists of food, drink, and of course, game shows. We all watched a
few foreign versions "Jeopardy!" After that we get a few good games in
of 25 Words of Less, Password '75, and last but not least...Match Game! I even
supply a few questions myself. To top things off, I get a cake decorated with a
Super Match board!
Back to college...
Well, I was told by Dawn that there was a possibility that my episode might be
the series premiere, but that she'd call me before my show aired. Because
the show is syndicated, my big worry was that "Match Game" wouldn't be airing in
a place where my friends or relatives lived. Fortunately, the two markets in my
life (Boston and South Florida) carried double-runs of the show at decent hours.
Boston had it at 5 and 11 PM. South Florida had it at 10 and 10:30 AM.
I even get interviewed by "The Harvard Crimson," (Harvard's newspaper) about my game show
adventure. The story makes the front page and features a photo of me holding my
"Match Game" card and a copy of an 1975 "Match Game" home game.
So, begins another round of waiting...this time to find out when my show will
air. However, even before the show starts airing, people are telling me that
they've seen me on TV. It turns out that a clip of me jumping up and down
during the Super Match win is being used as part of the promo. Not only that,
but the promo is on a website by the production company making "Match Game's"
promos. Soon after, my face starts showing up in print. A shot of me running
to hug Vicki is part of the collage of pictures used for the print ads for the show.
Ironically one of them shows up in a TV Guide issue featuring Tim Allen
(Sept. 19-25, 1998)!
Word starts buzzing around the alt.tv.game-shows group about whether or not
that is me in the ads. Keep in mind that I had not yet told the newsgroup about
my big win. I had only mentioned that I appeared on the show. After it becomes
evident that it is me, I let the cat out of the bag, but I say no more.
People will have to watch the show to find out what happened. The big question
though is: "When would they find out?" I highly doubt that it would be in the
premiere week because the ads have been touting George Hamilton as one of the
regular panelists, but he wasn't on my episode.
I finally get a call from Dawn saying that my "Match Game" episode will be airing
on Wednesday, October 7 as the second episode in double-run markets. No word as
to when it would air in single-run markets. So, my friends and family in places
like Boston, Chicago, and South Florida would see it. Unfortunately, my L.A. posse
wouldn't get a chance to see the show...at least for a while. I call everybody to
notify them about the airdate.
And I start planning for a "Match Game" viewing party up at school. Since the show
would be airing at 11 PM, it would be perfect for a big study break/party up at my
pad. I prep big time and stockpiling on food and drinks. The biggest preparation
would be, however, for what would happen before the actual show. You see, to get
people in the mood for the episode, I figure that it would be nice to play a couple
of games of "Match Game" before the show airs. I start coming up with some
questions of my own and start rifling through some old "Survey Says!" fill-in-the-blank
questions that were thrown out. And in my own little bit of obsessiveness,
I cook up a program on Director to replicate the category board and the
Super Match board from the real show. But wait there's more!
I print up copies of the logo to put on the back of the question cards
and buy blue index cards for authenticity. Finally, I edit together a mix of the
wanky think music for the "celebs" to write their answers to...Crazy, yeah...But
how many times would I really be able to do this with a bunch of non-game show
fans?
Note: Yeah right...This was before I moved out to L.A. and ended up doing
an even bigger-scale Match Game 2001 party with people dressed up as celebs from
the 70s version!
October 7, 1998
The day is here. I get a call in the morning from my mom saying that she saw
the episode. The first thing she points out is how skinny I looked and that I
should eat more. Another thing she asks me about is the judging. She was
wondering why they were lenient on Julie's answers. This wouldn't be the first
time I'd be asked about this that day...
I check out alt.tv.game-shows to see if people put up any posts about
the episode. And sure enough a thread started about it. The posts focused on
two things...One is my extreme energy on the show and the other is the
"underwear/thong" ruling. Little did I know that my episode would cause a big
debate around a.t.g-s. A majority of people called foul on the judge's ruling
on "thong/underwear" and "beef/Big Mac." A number mention that such a ruling
would have never happened under Ira Skutch's watch during the 1970s version of
"Match Game." This adds to list of criticisms leveled against the new "Match."
Already, the show had been blasted for its set and choice of regulars. The show
seemed to be turning into a whipping boy for die-hard game show fans.
Now, what would my friends think?
At around 10-ish that night, my friends start piling into my room to get
a good seat for the big show. We decide to start the mock "Match Game."
Everybody picks up the concept of the game pretty quickly.
10:59 PM...We flick the TV to Channel 68 (WABU) and I hit the record button.
The opening spiel begins. This is it! My national TV debut is about to begin!
Paul announces the celebs. Then, Paul introduces the contestants. "Mandel Ilagan"
[WILD CHEERS FROM MY FRIENDS] and "Julie Schup" [LOUD BOOS FROM THE ROOM] I get a
bit of teasing from people about my smile. One friend syas that that he can tell
that I'm living my lifelong dream. People are shocked by my Round One performance.
They ask me if I was worried. However, the big hubbub happened (unsurprisingly)
from Julie's answers. My friends also called foul on the judge's ruling on
Julie's answers for Round 1 and 2. Then, for the final Super Match, the room
bursts into cheers as I make my mad dash around the stage of Studio 33 hugging
everyone in sight.
So, what was the general consensus of my friends about the show? Well, for the
most part, they said that I was great, but they didn't like the show. One big
comment was, "Geez, that's a short game!" Another friend said that that was
the first and last time that he would be watching the show.
For the next week or so, I get some E-mails and calls from friends mentioning
how they saw me on the show and how they got a kick out of seeing me get all crazy.
Ah, nothing like those 15 minutes of fame...or 22 to be exact!
Stuff since then...
Well, curiously, the show aired yet again in double run markets as the
second show during Christmas Week. I had a little mini-fiesta in Florida
similar to the one at Harvard to give all my friends a chance who didn't
get a chance to see the show to watch my madness. The show didn't end up
airing in single-run markets until May! Eeek...Not too good especially
considering that by then, "Match Game" had already been shuttled off to the
graveyard hours or even cancelled!
I did graduate from Harvard in June 1999 and the following month I moved out
to Los Angeles to pursue a career in television production. My big hope is
still to host and produce a game show! My first job upon moving to LA after
graduation was as a page at CBS Television City.
Even though I was only there a few times the previous summer, CBS TV City does feel
a bit like home especially considering that I grew up watching many of the shows
that taped like "Match Game", "The Price is Right", and "Press Your Luck."
In fact, every now and then I would get recognized by some CBS staffers and Pearson execs
as "that 'Match Game' guy." Guess keeping on that big smile helped out after all!
I continued to serve as a page until September of '99 when I became a production
assistant and soon after that a researcher and after that a writer for the FOX
prime-time game show. Now, you'd think that my "Match Game" story would end there.
Well, not so fast Charlie (Nelson Reilly??) To add to the growing coincidences, the
head writer of "Greed" happened to be a writer on "Match Game." He was the guy who
wrote the Mayor McCheese questions on my episode. And top things off, I had a
little reunion with Harv and Jane when the "Greed" offices moved to KTLA, home of
"Win Ben Stein's Money" (where Harv and Jane currently work)! What a small world
this game show biz can be...
And continuing further in this "circle of game show life," after "Greed" was
cancelled, I was brought on to help out as a segment producer on the pilot
of the new "Card Sharks" at Pearson Television. Many people at the office
still remembered me from "Match Game!"
After my work on the pilot, I was promoted to a manager of development, a
position I still hold today. Since then, I've had even more "Match Game"
reunions. Kevin Belinkoff worked as the executive producer on the"Card Sharks"
pilot. Michael Malone, the stage manager of "Match Game," now works as
a producer on the new "Card Sharks." I've even bumped into Michael Burger
a few times as well. Needless, to say, it's quite surreal now being on
the other side of things...
FAQs - I get asked several questions often about
my "Match Game" experience. Click the link to get the answer to them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
