I’m coming up on a five-year anniversary of these musings, which at least I find to be quite significant. What began as a temporary way to stay sharp and relevant amidst a series of life-changing events, not the least of which unemployment, has now turned into the longest single stint I’ve been associated with since my signature stint at FX and FOX Cable. I’m not sure if that’s reason for celebration or suicide watch. Probably a little bit of both.
During that span I’ve provoked a lot of reactions and complaints–occasionally some positive ones, but for the most part an often lot of negative ones. I’m been ghosted by plenty of one-time friends, particularly ones that would contend Biden-Harris was the most effective and revered leadership team since Roosevelt-Truman. Among those that didn’t see my disagreeing with such a preposterous claim, the character assassination I most often have received has been my obsession with game shows. Because, you know, that’s not exactly top of mind with most functioning adults not yet eligible for Medicare.
To those of you who may have or have had that opinion, I have three responses. One, guilty as charged. Some of my most memorable and professionally successful experiences occurred when I had the chance to be Dracula in the blood bank. Two, it’s a genre that continues to make money for most of those who actually invest in talent and throw more than $1.98 at attempting to produce it. And three, it increasingly looks like there’s gonna be far less likelihood of that happening for the foreseeable future.
We mused last week about the departure of Game Show Network president John Zaccario, a higher-profile victim of a corporate restructuring and a vision from current Sony czar Ravi Ahuja that stemmed from his MBA vision of aligning our organization with where the business is going — not where it has been. As it turns out, that was merely the more visible tip of an iceberg that was significantly melted. I’ve learned through multiple sources that virtually the entire development, marketing and promotional teams at the network are joining Zaccario on the beach. A handful of strategists and operational experts who can keep the lights on will be retained.
In hindsight, it makes the GSN press release put out two weeks ago that bragged about all of the great projects they are developing in preparation for the 2026 upfronts all the more of a throwaway. Most notable among them is a revival of the short-lived TV adaptation of BALDERDASH, with the HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT team and that show’s omnipresent talent Jane Lynch allegedly in tow. Also noted in that press release was an actual original concept called SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO?, produced by a team that includes my long-time friend and top-notch side gig musician Aaron Solomon. Lynch is also prepping for another season at the helm of FOX’s fiscally sound WEAKEST LINK–which Solomon has served as a producer on since 2020. Considering that pretty much everyone other than sales executives aren’t gonna be around much longer, it’s probably fortutious that at least they have something else to fall back upon.
Yesterday, we finally saw the launch of another season of AMERICA SAYS!, one of the network’s few successful original strips in the last decade. It’s been four years since we last saw new episodes of the show–in the interim, emcee John Michael Higggins hosted two cycles of another revival of an otherwise obscure relic, SPLIT SECOND. Few people alive remember its original version that debuted on ABC in March 1972–which was at the time seen as a revved-up answer to the staid noontime quiz shows like the OG JEOPARDY! and THE WHO, WHAT OR WHERE GAME that NBC was rolling out in rather bland fashion. But if you do want to something more about any of them, there is one person who undoubtedly could talk chapter and verse about them–yes, way better than me.
If you’re a regular reader, you already know a lot about Bob Boden, who I’ve been friends with longer than anyone else on Planet Earth. We’ve mused quite a bit about him over the last five years. This past Sunday night, it was ME TV’s turn to spotlight him, as none other than the subject of the seventh season premiere of the one original series they produce, a cuddly little salute to fandom called COLLECTOR’S CALL that’s fronted by none other than Blair Warner from THE FACTS OF LIFE, one-time Tiger Beat heartthrob Lisa Whelchel. If you remember those titles, you’re much more likely to appreciate the fawning that the show devoted to Bob and one of his garages, which over many decades evolved from an office space into a de facto museum of game show memorabilia. As the show’s website crowed:
When Bob was young, his love of game shows began when he and his mom would go to Manhattan to get tickets to see Password. At the time, Bob was watching on a black-and-white TV, but when he saw it live and in color, he knew it was for him. His love of the genre didn’t end with his career — it doubled in size with his massive collection of game show memorabilia. His goal is to preserve game show history through his collection and eventually house it in the National Archives of Game Show History, which he co-founded. He rescued an entire era of game show memorabilia and history from being wiped out — no whammies here!
I’ve been Sancho Panza to his Don Quixote–or more appropriately Don Pardo to his Art Fleming–since shortly after his mom let him go on the subway by himself. Bob was a GSN executive twice, along the way producing the most-viewed original program in the network’s history. During my tenure–where the best I could do was figure out how to launch the most-viewed original game show episode the network produced–he served as the showrunner for THE CHASE, the British import that was its most successful attempt at a big money prime time “shiny floor” show. We were both mocked and even ridiculed by the very people who put their trust in us for being out of touch with modern trends. When I was shown the door, he became persona non grata with the executives who by association apparently wanted to purge any trace of me in the process.
Hence I was especially gratified when COLLECTOR’S CALL game show-ish premise–putting a sticker price on memorabilia via the assessment of a “pop culture expert”–tallied up Bob’s more than 10,000 pieces of tzatchkes and merchandise. Forget WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE. On the basis of his garage alone, Bob IS one. And I’d venture to say his overall net worth is superior to those of our tormentors.
It was a good thing COLLECTOR’S CALL came by when they did, because around the same time that GSN put out their face-saving propoganda Bob was otherwise busy loading a good deal of his seven-figure collection onto trucks bound for the University of Rochester, the home of that aforementioned archives that will eventually serve as an extension of the Strong Museum of Play. There’s a little bit more room now for a functioning office. Just like the halls of Game Show Network. Those development projects? History suggests with similar purges that they’re a lot less likely to see the light of day now that their champions are departing. Hint to those still sticking around: there are seven seasons of COLLECTOR’S CALL that could likely be available for a cable back end–as they say, if the price is right.
Perhaps that’s the lesson to be gleaned from all of this. You can do a lot better with the old than you can with the new. I’ll hope against hope a few more of you–especially those who are and/or know folks desiring to make a few million of their own–bear that in mind when you’re preparing to send me congratulations on my own milestone.
Until next time…