Subject: Messageboard Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 00:15:27 +1000 From: Mark Longmuir To: Mark Longmuir Mark: Best first game? (11-Sep-1999 09:42:52) dana: strangely enough, i think my first game was AUTHORS - with tony slattery as a "gadget catalog"... (read on for more answers to life's questions) (11-Sep-1999 15:55:04) Scott R.: I vaguely remember my first taste being Superheroes where Colin was Captain Poultry and Brad was Cliché Boy. Oh, did I laugh heartily! (n/t) (11-Sep-1999 16:49:45) dana: oooh i love that one... brad in his tight black jeans and dorky white sneakers :) (and colin in that shirt that looked like he threw up on it... :) (n/t) (11-Sep-1999 18:56:45) Molly: My first Game (11-Sep-1999 19:48:35) Muran: Re: Best first game? (12-Sep-1999 00:34:34) Emile: Re: Best first game? (12-Sep-1999 11:58:23) Matt: Re: Best first game? (13-Sep-1999 02:29:06) -- Mark Longmuir - longmuir@labyrinth.net.au Homepage: http://www.labyrinth.net.au/~longmuir/ Whose Line is it Anyway? - http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Lot/8451 "Stop tap dancing, you fool!" --------------------------------------------------------------------- [Inside The Web] [Image] [Get FREE Message Board] [Image] Whose Board is it Anyway? Best first game? Saturday, 11-Sep-1999 09:42:52 130.194.1.7 writes: The following is a question in 3 parts. You will have a total of 30 minutes to answer all 3 parts, and no more than 20 minutes on a single section. Oops, sorry, it's starting to get up towards that "oh dear, exams aren't that far away now!" time of year for me :) Anyway, I just thought it might be an interesting topic if we thought about a few things such as: 1. What was your first Whose Line game? Did you start watching the first American episode, or decided you'd give the show a go at some point, and so it was the first game of that episode? Or were you channel surfing and one of the games caught your eye (or your funny bone?). For me, I think it may have been the Stand Sit Lie where they were in a tattoo parlour. Heard my brothers laughing, went in and saw the game and was immediately hooked :) 2. What game is the best first game? I.e., what game is a good one that is likely to draw someone in immediately, especially someone who hasn't seen the show before. For me, I'd say Stand Sit Bend/Lie because it's a fast game with a very simple concept, and you can see what's going on straight away (i.e. even joining the game half way through, you get the idea and can enjoy it). Alternatively, Scenes From A Hat because it's so quick fire and so varied in topics. Watching for no more than 30 seconds might give you three or more different (and funny) scenes without needing to understand any complicated sets of rules. 3. Finally, what's a good first game for the show? Which game works best as the first game, to set the tone and build up the energy for the rest of the show? Again I'll pick Scenes From A Hat, for similar reasons (plus it's quite energetic, almost always hilarious, and doesn't get tired as quickly as many other games do when they become a 'regular' fixture). Authors & F&TS are a little slow or less consistently funny to begin with. Questions Only is simple and often funny, but can get a little repetitive after many episodes. So, any other suggestions? Mark Prev Page Next Page Now viewing page 1 of 3 (20-Sep-1999 23:00:03 to 16-Sep-1999 14:18:38) [Image] Message subject: Name: (optional) Email address: (optional) Type your message here: [Get them to Buy It!] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back to main board ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright © Looksmart, Ltd., 1997-1999 All rights reserved. [Inside The Web] [Image] [Get FREE Message Board] [Image] Whose Board is it Anyway? strangely enough, i think my first game was AUTHORS - with tony slattery as a "gadget catalog"... (read on for more answers to life's questions) Saturday, 11-Sep-1999 15:55:04 171.214.115.142 writes: i was just channel surfing... and when i saw it, i remember thinking -- this the kind of stuff we do in theatre rehearsals! and at performing arts camp! i love doing that stuff! it's so funny! 2. What game is the best first game? one that goes quickly -- i.e. Scenes from a Hat, World's Worst, Props, Hats, something of that sort -- it's a lot of different laughs at once! and fewer inside jokes :) 3. Finally, what's a good first game for the show? Which game works best as the first game, to set the tone and build up the energy for the rest of the show? i liked clive's way of getting started with 2 sets of players doing film and theatre styles... it got the ball rolling and was not too complicated, and got the audience involved right away. also i think Scenes from a Hat makes a good starting game... because it gets the players exploring different concepts and thinking in another way, right off the bat :) ohhhh... i love it all, though! dana Prev Page Next Page Now viewing page 1 of 3 (20-Sep-1999 23:00:03 to 16-Sep-1999 14:18:38) [Image] Message subject: Name: (optional) Email address: (optional) Type your message here: [Get them to Buy It!] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back to main board ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright © Looksmart, Ltd., 1997-1999 All rights reserved. [Inside The Web] [Image] [Get FREE Message Board] [Image] Whose Board is it Anyway? My first Game Saturday, 11-Sep-1999 19:48:35 4.16.50.204 writes: I remember seeing WL back in 94 I think at my sister's apartment, and the thing I sort of remember was a game with Paul Merton, John Sessions and Tony slattery. I can't remember the name of the game though. The second game I remember when I first got CC was I think it was Film Dub with something with The Thunderbirds with Sandi and I can't remember who. Molly Prev Page Next Page Now viewing page 1 of 3 (20-Sep-1999 23:00:03 to 16-Sep-1999 14:18:38) [Image] Message subject: Name: (optional) Email address: (optional) Type your message here: [Get them to Buy It!] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back to main board ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright © Looksmart, Ltd., 1997-1999 All rights reserved. [Inside The Web] [Image] [Get FREE Message Board] [Image] Whose Board is it Anyway? Re: Best first game? Sunday, 12-Sep-1999 00:34:34 24.113.57.57 writes: 1. I think my first game was QO... I loved it when they cracked up... I started watching it, only cuz I knew that "Hey! That guy's the tall, creepy one from Drew Carey" 2. I'd also say Stand Sit Bedn/Lie, because it looks so absolutely hilarious, you'll wanna see why someone's doing something so weird....=) Either that, or Hoedown... The Music an dancing's just so Eye catching ! 3. I'd say Props, becuase its a pretty easy game, and it really seems to tell a person overall what the show's about... which is wacky improv! =) Muran Prev Page Next Page Now viewing page 1 of 3 (20-Sep-1999 23:00:03 to 16-Sep-1999 14:18:38) [Image] Message subject: Name: (optional) Email address: (optional) Type your message here: [Get them to Buy It!] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back to main board ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright © Looksmart, Ltd., 1997-1999 All rights reserved. [Inside The Web] [Image] [Get FREE Message Board] [Image] Whose Board is it Anyway? Re: Best first game? Sunday, 12-Sep-1999 11:58:23 207.210.110.151 writes: Well, the first episode I remember watching was the 1991 episode with Josie, Greg, Tony and Jim Sweeney. One of the games that I enjoyed most was the Expert Translation one, where Josie was talking about Sheep in Albanian. Strangely, this game was later cut out on subsequent airings on Comedy Central. Needless to say, the next time I saw it, I knew that something was missing.... ...god bless TCN! Emile Prev Page Next Page Now viewing page 1 of 3 (20-Sep-1999 23:00:03 to 16-Sep-1999 14:18:38) [Image] Message subject: Name: (optional) Email address: (optional) Type your message here: [Get them to Buy It!] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back to main board ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright © Looksmart, Ltd., 1997-1999 All rights reserved. [Inside The Web] [Image] [Get FREE Message Board] [Image] Whose Board is it Anyway? Re: Best first game? Monday, 13-Sep-1999 02:29:06 195.92.194.74 writes: My belief is that any episode of WLiiA? needs to start with a game involving all four contestants. That way, we can be introduced to them all as swiftly as possible and there's no hanging around in case your particular favourite per ep is not involved immediately. Authors, Scenes From A Hat and Questions Only make this ideal, though I would plump for Scenes From A Hat. Not only do I do this because it happens to be my favourite game anyway, no matter when it's played, but also because it is simple and visual and shows off the sharpness of the performers more than most other games. I am in awe of anyone who can do a funny line or action a matter of seconds after Clive has read what could be a rather mundane idea from a piece of paper. It has also been responsible for absolutely classic, priceless moments more than any other game, possibly barring Hoedown and Party Quirks. Mention SFAH and you think of Paul's ingenious put-down of Josie at the Weight-Watcher's Party, or the Humping The Tony, or Ryan's brilliant Practical Joking Gravedigger, or Chip's Arguing Over The Tip. For great one-liners/instant action humour on WLiiA? you'll struggle to beat those. SFAH also works because it is gentle and non-elitist, so even a viewer with a lower than average IQ can still get the joke. This is the problem I feel with Authors, which allows the performers to be both deep and amusing but if you've never read Hemingway or Conan Doyle or Tolkien or Grey, then the whole thing is going to go over your head, particularly if John Sessions is involved. This is why I feel Paul and Tony were the best at Authors - both realised that using less upmarket or non-literacy aliases like the AA Handbook or My Little Pony would appeal to the masses as well as provide laughs and comic satisfaction for themselves. Questions Only is a good alternative to SFAH, but there is a problem with the laugh element. True, it's amusing to watch the performers squirm and struggle as they try to put each line into a question, but skilled participants in this game (Caroline and Greg in particular) have it so sussed out that their questions may not regularly raise a laugh, though it may act as a nice set-up for their performing partner to leap in with a good line. QO is one of those games where it's funnier when things go wrong, which is good for the audience but not good for the programme makers, who want to win viewing figures for skill rather than pressurised incompetence, or the performers themselves, who want to be good and professional and look like they have earned their right to appear. Superheroes is another game which has started shows before, if I recall correctly, and like SFAH it puts the performers quick wit to the absolute test with little time. Each contestant has to be funny the moment they are given their alias by the previous one, and sometimes that doesn't happen if the alias isn't imaginative or inspiring enough. Steve Frost was made into Erotic Film Director Guy by Ryan and struggled with it, not only because he found it difficult to get into character, but also because he and the others were overshadowed by Ryan's own Leg Humping Man, who completely stole the whole scene. This is another problem with Superheroes - it is a game for all four yet more often than not, one person's display totally dominates the scene. I always felt a bit sorry for Greg in Superheroes as he had to be the audience's suggestion - and Junk Man, Jelly/Jello Man or Psychic Man were hardly inspirational tags for such a seasoned and practised improviser. I recall one New York ep where unbelievably, the show began with a March. Not only do I feel the collective singing rounds belong at the end of each half of the show as a crescendo provider, the ill-timing of this was borne out by the fact that the March, which was about Taxidermy, was absolutely rotten. Josie went on too long, Greg copped out by doing half a verse and Mike was his usual cleverly rhyme-doting self but not actually funny with it. Remarkably, it was Sandi, never renowned for her songs, who saved the game from ending up on the cutting room floor altogether, I believe. Can you imagine a Hoedown beginning a show? So often is it the high point of WLiiA? that many people may think it won't get better than that and switch over. Songs belong at the end - they are the ultimate test of a performer's ability - be funny AND get rhymes in very limited time (Hoedown, March, Gospel, Rap) and sing in tune to a backing track you've not heard before (Psychiatrist, Bartender, Prison Visitor) - that is some task! As usual, I've written an essay rather than a swift paragraph on my convaluted and over-the-top opinions, so I'll conclude again that the first game needs to employ all four people and should make them look both sharp and funny at all times. QO or Authors or Superheroes can make you look unamusingly clever at best or very silly at worst if you don't get it right. I can't recall a bad round of SFAH, whether played at the outset of the show or not, so that's the game I believe should start each show, if they play it all. Sadly, they haven't for a while, which I think is a real shame. Matt Prev Page Next Page Now viewing page 1 of 3 (20-Sep-1999 23:00:03 to 16-Sep-1999 14:18:38) [Image] Message subject: Name: (optional) Email address: (optional) Type your message here: [Get them to Buy It!] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Back to main board ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copyright © Looksmart, Ltd., 1997-1999 All rights reserved.