Say Something...

Today I wish to observe the passing of a show far before its time. No, I'm not talking about the Catch-Up or Telefishion, but I refer to the untimely demise of Quizmania. The former Fresh Prince of late night TV, Quizmania or QM ran for what seemed for ages giving away money to the worth of $200 over the course of three hours of after dark programming.

Bearing in mind how QM came to be number one, you may now pretend to appreciate how powerful the QM juggernaut was. As we all know to be true, it all started with that awful Big Brother Up Late when the king of meerkat documentary voiceovers Mike Goldman gave his best attempt to make vision of housemates sleeping interesting. Mini games to try and pass the time eventually spun off into The Up Late Game Show starring former BB contestant Hotdogs where highlights included the host pretending to try and solve the puzzle with the viewers, where he would often end up lost in thought despite the fact the answer was written on the little piece of card in his hand.

It wasn't long til Channel Nine decided to break up the phone in game show monopoly with QM. Even though it was the exact same show, there was something different about QM. I guess that would be the fact Hotdogs and his on air sparring partner did not have the prerequisite cleavage late night quiz show hosts so sorely need. Though in one episode, he came awfully close to matching that. The doctors say I shall never see again.

In the end QM managed to outlast Hotdogs and co, and when that other show on Seven tanked, the final victory in the battle of the late night game shows was complete. And so QM came to rule over the graveyard shift for months and months in peace, and all was well. (All was well?! How's that an ending for a story spanning seven installments? May as well end it with something like 'Everything was just peachy, fine and dandy yes sir-ee')

During my casual relationship with QM, I was amazed at the hundreds of ways the hosts found to deny their contestants. The ladder game was the easiest of all, with each open ended question available to all sorts of interpretations. Admittedly I stuck around for a good half and hour when they played 'Boys' Names Starting with 'J'' but that was because I had a vested interest in the outcome. Was my name worthy of being on the ladder? Why not take a wild shot? It is QM after all...

I wasn't even aware there were more than 10 'Js' available for inclusion unless of course, you count the numerous versions of Jason (with or without the 'y', or perhaps any of these thanks to Wikipedia). As a side note, let me say that I'd love a dollar each time someone accidentally/ignorantly calls me Jason. I'd have at least $67 by now, which is a lot depending on which currency I get paid in. Personally I'm gunning for some shiny Microsoft Money so I can get ripped off buying add ons online for the Xbox 360 I don't own.

English grammar is up to scratch there, lest I get flamed by literary critics of the 16I'm not quite sure why QM was replaced really. The show that displaced it, 'The Mint', is virtually the same thing from what I've seen. Money is still given away by hosts running on Red Bull til all hours of the night in revealing outfits. The only difference is that they have Robert "Rob Millsy" Mills from Idol as one of the hosts. And no, he's not wearing a low cut dress thankfully. At least not yet. Rest in Peace, Quizmania. We shalt miss ye. (I hope my olde English is up to scratch, lest I get flamed by literary critics from the 16th century)