Details on Scripps’ “Let’s Ask America,” Seeking Skypers
Last month, we reported that Scripps stations around the country would be replacing Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! this fall with their own syndicated fare. We have details on one of those programs, a polling-based game show called Let’s Ask America, along with information on how to get yourself on as a contestant if you’d like.
Recently departed G4 host Kevin Pereira leads the action here. The game begins with four contestants playing live via webcam. Each of them is given the same two questions, both with two different choices. After each question is read, the contestants write their answers down and everyone who is correct earns money toward their score. After two questions in this round, the lowest-scoring contestant is eliminated. And if there’s a tiebreaker… have you ever seen the Skype Scavenger Hunt on Jimmy Kimmel Live? That’s how ties are broken.
Round two is done just like round one, except with two three-choice questions. They eliminate and round three has two four-choice questions. The highest-scorer after round three is the only one who keeps any earnings and goes to the final round. The contestant is given the final four-choice question and the corresponding answers. He must bet a portion of his winnings on the final question. Aaaand I’m sure you can figure out the rest. It’s just like Final Jeopardy.
I don’t exactly see this taking the syndicated world by storm, but if you’d like to give it a shot and get a chance to win money at home for guessing what people are saying, you can apply at the Let’s Ask America website. Give them your details and if they’re interested, they’ll get back in touch with you about scheduling a Skype audition. The show is starting in the Phoenix, Tampa, Baltimore, Kansas City, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Tulsa areas so you might have a better shot at getting on if you’re in one of those parts of America. Look forward to this coming this fall and maybe we’ll see one of our Buzzer readers giving it a shot via Skype. The show premieres September 17th. Check out a 30 second preview:
I’ve seen worse ideas for a show…but it sounds too plain (no real frills) to last long. We shall soon see, I suppose.
Our scripps station WXYZ has news and Entertainment Tonight on at the time when Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy airs and the 2 airs on WDIV here and has been on that channel since 1983 so i do not know if we are getting “Lets Ask America”
Expect Wheel and Jeopardy to replace these again within weeks.. this show just doesn’t look that great.
Can’t see a show with just 7 questions doing well replacing Jeopardy, but got my mom to sign up for it anyway.
Doesn’t look like an amazing show, but I’m glad Kevin escaped G4. Because it is on so few markets, I doubt it will last long.
One minor note: why is Safari always the browser of choice whenever commercials advertise a website?
I am definitely thinking about auditioning for this show. I can defiantly follow the pulse of America and make it all the way to win the game. Plus to represent Ohio will be great.
I have to speak up on this, usually I don’t. I live in Baltimore and Wheel has been on one channel since the beginning of the syndication and it’s going to be replaced with this crap, scripps and our local station will hear me, probably wont do much.
Another local station will pick up Wheel and J!, so the most you’ll have to do is watch a different channel.
At least the announcer is saying it’s a game show in the commercial. Some networks think that saying the words ‘game show’ in an advertisement for an upcoming game show is bad advertising for it.
(Note: I received a call from the show two days ago about doing an audition. I sent them my info yesterday, but I have not heard back from them as of this posting. Also need to get Skype and a webcam, but that’s another story :) )
There’s a good article at CNN.com regarding the future of daytime, and its recent problems developing new hit shows, as well as stubbornly producing copy after copy of a proven format, hoping something becomes a smash (such as the next wave of talk show glut). Near the end of the story, once expert notes that perhaps “the right game show,” one that does “something traditional but a lot better” could revive the genre and all of daytime.
Based on that 30 second clip and Chad’s description, “Let’s Ask America” is not that show.
You have an opportunity to break the mold and do something exciting and “clickable,” especially given that this show (and “The List”) are replacing WOF and J! in seven markets. What do we get? A seven-question game show. So you’re replacing a game that features up to 61 questions (J!) with a show that has about 10% the content?
One thing I do like is the Skype audition — this is something that modern TV game shows need to be doing to get out of the rut of recruiting out of southern California to find contestants.
Hopefully, LAA will get the message through these auditions and through message boards that, if they want to succeed, we need more “game” to go along with the “show.” How about finding a way to ask, say, 20 questions a show?
This is somewhat like the short-lived Paranoia because viewers were also a part of it, am I right about that?
i just got a call to be a contestant! gonna represent washington the good ol northwest. win money from my computer chair??? why not!!!!
Living in Baltimore watching Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune at 7 & 7:30 pm has been a staple for too many yrs. to remember. I know myself and lots of others are terribly disappointed. Hope both shows flop so our shows come back.
Completely missed this post, but in Holland ‘Game of Fame’ was tested in a pilot week; a bit bigger than this one, with 96 contestants. But also a game show with players through skype and Internet only. If you want to see the pilot, you can watch it here: http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/afleveringen/1280588
Channel 7 will be airing it on Saturday nights at 11:30 pm here in detroit