The Solution to the FOX "News" 2016 GOP Debate Dilemma

I was listening to the radio on my walk today, listening to The Stephanie Miller Show, about the FOX "News" 2016 GOP debate dilemma. Namely, how do they decide who is going to be on the stage? There are--so far--16 candidates declared, with possibly more to come. Most of them are within the margin of error on any single poll, and any hint of diversity (cough, Fiorina, cough, Carson) could unwittingly get bumped off if they aren't careful.

 

I started thinking about stagecraft, and how it could be done. Then it hit me: 1 vs 100. It was a game show, during network television's post Who Wants to be a Millionaire? game show phase. They managed to make a stage with 100 contestants, and it worked. And then my mind, as it often does, took that several steps down the line. A game show format would be perfect! This is already chaos. Why not make each "contestant" leap for a buzzer? It even solves the problem of candidates complaining that they don't get enough camera time. You have to buzz in, Lindsey!

 

If FOX decided it was still too much trouble to put everyone on a stage at once, why not heats? Put six out there at a time, let a winner be selected, and so on, and then have championship rounds! They could do variations on Celebrity Jeopardy! or if that's too hard, maybe Celebrity Family Feud. Hell, wouldn't everybody like to see Donald Trump on the other side of the boardroom table?

 

My personal favorite is my version of Match Game '74: Ass Game '16, only flip it so that moderators Steve Doocey and Megyn Kelly, emceed by Sean Hannity, ask the questions and the candidates have to fill in the blanks! "Dumb Dora was so dumb [How dumb was she? Thank you for asking], she thought you could repeal and replace ObamaCare with BLANK!]"

 

I think it would be awesome, and I'd pay-per-view to watch it.

Richard Dawson, Dead at 79

Image from source, LA Times

I first knew of Richard Dawson at the age of six or so, through reruns of Hogan's Heroes. Not long after, I became familiar with him (still before the age of ten) through Match Game '74 and later, Family Feud. Richard was one of those great quasi-famous people of the 70s, along with his compatriots Brett Somers, Fannie Flagg and Charles Nelson Reilley. Not A-list by any means, but treasured by pop culture enthusiasts like myself. I'm not a believer of "ever after," but if there is one, I hope that Richard gets to kiss the ladies of his choice there.


[Excerpt]


Richard Dawson dies at 79; host of TV's 'Family Feud'

Richard Dawson, the British actor who went from comedy co-star in the popular TV series "Hogan's Heroes" to his best-known role as the charming host of the TV game show "Family Feud" with his trademark of kissing the female contestants on the lips, has died. He was 79. . .

Read more at: Los Angeles Times

Match Game Star Brett Somers Remembered

Brett Somers, wife of Jack Klugman, and star of The Match Game passed away last week. Of all the pop culture nuggets in my brain, The Match Game was something of a boulder. The show was one of the biggest slabs of orange shag carpeted slabs of cheese on TV in the 70s. I don't know why my brother and I liked is so much--we surely couldn't comprehend the double entendres in the "blanks."

Maybe it was the drunken behavior of stars, Brett Somers, Richard Dawson, Charles Nelson Reilly, and Gene Rayburn. Watching clips today, it is profoundly evident that they were absolutely loaded during these tapings. And Charles Nelson Reilly was even gayer than Paul Lynde, if such a thing is possible. Pure 70s cheesy goodness.

Brett Somers passed away last week, and I'd just like to acknowledge her contribution to the huge filing cabinet of trivial pop culture knowledge in my brain. Rest in ____, Brett! Enjoy.