The word is, we could soon be seeing an updated version of Match Game on cable. I suppose it could be fun to see how our favorite celebrities’ minds work. (Richard Dawson’s was always in the gutter, as in the clip below, which is why we adore him.) But will our favorite celebrities do this show?
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Comments (1-30) of 33 Add your comment
A travesty. Today’s celebs can’t come close to the delightfully rauchy wit and charm of Brett Somers and Charles Nelson Reilly. And today no one (thank god) has hair like Gene Rayburn.
The idea of the Match Game was to get the player and the celebrities to say a real dirty innuendo because as George Carlin pointed out many moons ago, there were certain things that you could not say on television and on the radio. Nowadays while you can’t say the F word and other small yet familiar words on TV and radio, you can get away with some pretty provacative expressions MORE provacative than what was said on The Match Game. In short it would not be as much fun.
Potentially delightful (with the right celebs).
I don’t think you can completely brush off today’s stars, because I believe there are actually some who would fit the bill rather nicely. Seeing Kelly Clarkson in interviews lately seems to agree with that statement, and I’m sure many other delightful celebrities could make the show somewhat interesting. Bring on Tina Fey and the SNL-ers (admittedly a long shot)… William Shatner… Rosie… Ellen… There are plenty.
Today’s idiot culture would RUIN Match Game. Leave it be.
If you had Chelsea Handler or Kathy Griffin in the Brett Sommers chair,
Bruce Vilanch in the Charles N. Reilly spot and Joel from The Soup in the Richard Dawson chair it might work.
While I can’t imagine needing a new version of this show (the old one still holds up today, humor-wise), I would at least be curious to see it if it had the following cast:
Caroline Rhea
Kathy Griffin
Mario Cantone
D.L. Hugley
Betty White
Darrell Hammond
What say the rest of you, PopWatchers? What would be your ideal cast if the Match Game is INDEED getting a revival?
They already did this like 8 years ago. It was awful. It usually had soap actors and Judy Tenuda. Bleh.
aaaand… five minutes of searching later, wikipedia tells me it’s been revived a gazillion times. And it hasn’t worked since the 70’s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Match_Game#Match_Game_.281998.E2.80.9399.29
While I don’t exactly share some of my fellow posters complete outrage at the new “Match Game” I do think that it’s just not a good idea…at all.
I’ve been telling my friends for years that, if they’re going to bring back an old game show, they should bring back “Name that Tune.” There’s been decades’ worth of new music since the old show went off the air, so it could work. I heard some noise about MTV or another network doing something, but I think it would certainly work better than a new Match Game. Especially since the original is still tons of fun to watch on GSN
Since Charles Nelson Reilly and Brett Sommers both recently passed away, I think bringing the show back would be a great way to honor them. And yes, Kathy Griffin would be perfect for the new version.
i love the original and watch it any/every chance I get (which isn’t often enough)…I don’t think i’d enjoy a new version cause the old one was so perfect…viva Match Game 72!
I would love to see an updated Match Game. Nothing can ruin the old show. Tune in to GSN to see it, I do. A new version could work and be fun, if done well and with the right people. A couple of good choices for the new show would be Paula Poundstone and Colin Mochrie.
i’d personally really love to see craig ferguson, jim gaffigan, kathy griffin, bernie mac, wanda sykes, margaret cho and sean hayes on a match game revival. the host would have to be william shatner. or bob barker if they could lure him out of retirement…
I’m nominating Craig Kilborn as host – only because I miss him so. I’m also assuming this is a (not so much) knee-jerk reaction to the writers strike and a potential filler. I do like 95% of all the nominees I’ve read so far here.
HAS to be for cable. Even the old one could not air on Network today, American culture has gotten so much more conservative. And PC — the best best thing about the original Match Game and the Dean Martin Roasts, was that the guests were clearly sloshed!
That said, on cable with the guests I’ve seen listed here I’d watch. Esp. Griffin, Sykes, Cho plus
Alex Borstein
Kathleen Madigan
Joan Rivers
Carrie Fisher
Jane Curtain
Mo’nique
- fill it with progressive, multi-ethnic, filthy women, and I’d totally watch it.
Oh yes, and
Jennifer Coolidge
BETTY WHITE.
If you saw the improv show “Thank God You’re Here”, Mo’nique and Coolidge were great – would LOVE to see Mo’nique do this. The funniest guys were:
Bryan Cranston
Harlan Williams
and in the Charles Nelson Reilly role I’d put
Scott Thompson
As host:
John O’Hurley
My only wish would be to have Jimmy Pardo hosting with many of the guests that he has on his MATCH GAME LIVE! show. Of course if its on a network it will end up with Seacrest and a bunch of other reality TV “stars” as the panel.
Okay – Carrie Fisher or Kathy Griffin as host? And they’d have to give her lots of leeway. A group of possibilites: betty white (still kicking & still fantastic), debra messing, harvey fierstein, tina fey, jerry o’connell, robin williams? And, please, no baldwins
Strepsi is right. The only way that The Match Game can be revived is through cable. Even VH1’s Best Week Ever could never been shown on national television because it’s too risque.
As for celebrities:
Dave Foley
Wanda Sykes
Michael Ian Black
Erik Stolhanske (Broken Lizards)
S’More
Joel Mchale
Amy and David Sedaris
Kathy Griffin
Katt Williams
The last time the show was revived, ten years ago, it was a disaster, because *every* question was risque to the point where answers had to be edited out. The original had about one risque question per show. (Watch on GSN to confirm this!)
The other issue is it took about two or three months to find the proper combination of panelists. The way syndicated and cable shows are taped today, most of the taping for an entire is done in an intense few weeks, which makes this difficult to do.
Of course he would never do it but how good would George Clooney be on Match Game? I could totally see him taking the Richard Dawson role.
For the panel, only f*gs and f*g-hags need apply:
Wanda Sykes
Amy Sedaris
David Sedaris
Kathy Griffin
Harvey Fierstein
Margaret Cho
Kirsty Alley
Jennifer Coolidge
Alex Borstein
Sir Ian McKellen
Kathleen Madigan
Cheyenne Jackson
Paula Poundstone
Joan Rivers
Carrie Fisher
Jane Curtain
Bea Arthur
Charles Busch
Rupert Everett
Caroline Rhea
David Hyde Pierce
Neil Patrick Harris
Boy George
Mo’nique
Scott Thompson
and starring:
BETTY WHITE.
Actually, f**k the Match Game, that’s a killer PARTY.
Jimmy Pardo is the perfect/only choice. Hopefully the network will pick the host based on talent and humor instead of name recognition alone. Good luck Jimmy.
Ok, I will submit the same post I made on another site – Keith Olbermann for the host! You want this to work? Well, he is not Gene Rayburn, but he is smart, humorous, boarderline sarcastic, gets into his role, I would say if we want this to work, NO second rate celebrities, I agree manage how much “risque” questions are asked, and get the right celebrities (love the George Clooney idea, how about Robin Williams as well???) but I like Keith for the host!
Match Game can work with today’s available talent. You don’t replace talent like Gene Rayburn, Charles Nelson Reilly and Brett Somers, you succeed them with the right kind of people. Bruce Vilanch and Kathy Griffin play off each other, just like they did on Hollywood Squares, so those two would make good as regular panelists(2 of 6 panelists), but Match Game would need a host who acts as he’s among the panel, especially Bruce and Kathy. I’m talking about Craig Shoemaker, who has also appeared on Hollywood Squares and has hosted a game show before(VH1’s My Generation). Now, if Fremantle can bring back Dick DeBartolo as head writer and make Syd Vinnedge(current TPiR E.P.) as executive producer, combined with the talent I’ve mentioned earlier, Match Game just might work again. Certainly something to think about.
The only person that should be considered is Jimmy Pardo. He is one of the funniest comedians out there. He is certainly the quickest funny man there is. And the most important aspect of any game show is experience. Jimmy hosts a live version of the show already. How’s that for experience?
It would be a travesty to have anyone else host.
This guy is so correct. Jimmy Pardo hosts The Match Game at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in LA. It was one of the funniest live shows I’ve gotten to experience. Myself, I was pushing for Jimmy Pardo to next host Late Night once Conan moved to LA. Unfortunately, Jimmy Fallon has snagged that role from what I’ve heard. Wrong Jimmy NBC! Pardo’s crowd work and connection with the panel is flawless. Any network would be crazy not to go with Jimmy Pardo and regulars such as Paul F. Tompkins.
Forget about Jimmy Pardo, he doesn’t quite have the spontaneity of interracting with the panelists that Craig Shoemaker would have, especially if Bruce Vilanch and Kathy Griffin were on the panel. If Sony Pictures could resurrect The Gong Show, that would probably be Jimmy Pardo’s department, but as far as Match Game is concerned, it’s got to be Craig Shoemaker. Don’t forget, he, Bruce Vilanch and Kathy Griffin also appeared on Hollywood Squares during the late 90’s, so all three know how to interract with each other. Craig Shoemaker hosting Match Game, with Bruce Vilanch and Kathy Griffin on the panel would make a lot of sense, considering how all three feed off each other. At the same time, since they’re aren’t enough game show hosts with moustaches and goatees, here’s a link to Shoe’s website: http://www.craigshoemaker.com It’s all about what makes the most sense as far as Match Game 2008 is concerned. I’ll get some more info, later.
Jimmy Pardo would be the perfect host. Listen to the Never Not Funny podcast and you’ll se why.
Unfortunately, Jimmy Pardo can’t interract with the panel if Bruce Vilanch and Kathy Griffin were on it-Craig Shoemaker can. Shoe can interract well with Bruce and Kathy, and having all three drive the show would work on a long-term basis. Like I said, forget about Jimmy Pardo-anyone else other than Bruce Vilanch and Kathy Griffin on the panel, and the show won’t work. Have Bruce and Kathy on the panel with Craig Shoemaker hosting, the show will work. The rest of you will disagree, but this makes sense. Any other way, it would just be average.
Brett Somers got on Match Game because her husband at the time-Jack Klugman made it happen,Charles Nelson Reilly & Richard Dawson were NOT Big Celebrities.
Charles had a minor role on Ghost & Mrs.Muir and Richard had a minor role on Hogan’s Heroes.
You had the three “Regulars” and a Female Semi-Regular Chair (#6) that rotated between Marcia Wallace,Fannie Flagg,Betty White,Patti Deutsch and a few others.
The One Male and One Female “Guest” Celebrity at the time were indeed BIG NAMES in many cases,and a FEW Celebs from Big Shows such as Bill Daily (I Dream Of Jeannie),but they also had Zsa Zsa Gabor,Polly Holliday and Linda Lavin (Alice),Jimmie Walker,Tom Selleck among many other even bigger names.
So the Regular Panelists don’t have to be well known but interact put Betty White on as a Semi-Regular and have the Bigger Celebrities in Chairs # 1 & # 4.
As for a Host…What is Drew Carey’s schedule like these days?