Alec Baldwin is Reviving "Match Game" This Summer
by Liam Mathews
April 28, 2016


The '70s game show "Match Game" is coming back, with Alec Baldwin picking up the long, skinny microphone originally held by Gene Rayburn as host, Vulture reports.

The new version will air for 10 episodes this summer on Sundays at 10/9c on ABC as part of a game show block that will also include "Celebrity Family Feud" and "The $100,000 Pyramid".

"Match Game" will premiere on June 26 at 10/9c.





It will have the classic format of contestants trying to guess how the celebrity panelists answered the jokey fill-in-the-blank-questions. No celebrity guests have been confirmed, but it's probably safe to assume that frequent '70s guest Betty White will return.

Panelists back in the day often included Richard Dawson and Charles Nelson Reilly (maybe we'll see Baldwin's impression of that game show stalwart).

http://www.tvguide.com/news/match-game-revival-alec-baldwin/

Neat!!!!

I have only one thing to say;NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Sounds like a fun night.

Kind of odd seeing Baldwin doing this. I would have never thought he would host a game show.

I don't like Alec Baldwin at all so I won't be watching it.

Which is a shame because I really liked watching Match Game growing up. It was one of my favorite game shows.

Ed.

Bad choice for a game show host.

Alec Baldwin is Reviving "Match Game" This Summer
by Liam Mathews
April 28, 2016


The '70s game show "Match Game" is coming back, with Alec Baldwin picking up the long, skinny microphone originally held by Gene Rayburn as host, Vulture reports.

The new version will air for 10 episodes this summer on Sundays at 10/9c on ABC as part of a game show block that will also include "Celebrity Family Feud" and "The $100,000 Pyramid".

"Match Game" will premiere on June 26 at 10/9c.





It will have the classic format of contestants trying to guess how the celebrity panelists answered the jokey fill-in-the-blank-questions. No celebrity guests have been confirmed, but it's probably safe to assume that frequent '70s guest Betty White will return.

Panelists back in the day often included Richard Dawson and Charles Nelson Reilly (maybe we'll see Baldwin's impression of that game show stalwart).

http://www.tvguide.com/news/match-game-revival-alec-baldwin/


I can't stomach Alec Baldwin so I won't be watching.

I can't stomach Alec Baldwin so I won't be watching.


Steve Harvey is a lot worse! I can't stand him! :mad:



Speaking of which, I hope this version is better than the Canadian revival which began a couple of years ago on The Comedy Network. See for yourself how awful this is:

Match Game 2012 (Canada) First Episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Ek5KHvvKA)

The rules are a little different than what you're used to so I've included them here just in case one of these ideas show up in the new US version:

How To Play (http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/MatchGame/HowToPlay)

Steve Harvey is a lot worse! I can't stand him! :mad:



Speaking of which, I hope this version is better than the Canadian revival which began a couple of years ago on The Comedy Network. See for yourself how awful this is:

Match Game 2012 (Canada) First Episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43Ek5KHvvKA)

The rules are a little different than what you're used to so I've included them here just in case one of these ideas show up in the new US version:

How To Play (http://www.thecomedynetwork.ca/shows/MatchGame/HowToPlay)


I totally agree with you about Steve Harvey. He is an arrogant ***** in person, too.

I can't stomach Alec Baldwin so I won't be watching.

Agreed.

If one is trying to recreate the magical era we had with Gene Rayburn and the regular panelist in the 1970s, casting Alec Baldwin as the host is already starting off wrong.

I'd tend to disagree. I don't know if Steve Harvey has any children but I bet if he does he's never called his own daughter a "rude thoughtless little pig" like Alec Baldwin has. For that and lots of other reasons the man is despicable. :mad:

Ed.

I'd tend to disagree. I don't know if Steve Harvey has any children but I bet if he does he's never called his own daughter a "rude thoughtless little pig" like Alec Baldwin has. For that and lots of other reasons the man is despicable. :mad:

Ed.

http://www.pajiba.com/celebrities_are_better_than_you/alec-baldwin-is-hosting-a-match-game-revival.php

Alec Baldwin is no stranger to questionable and idiotic life choices. It’s been a while since we had to hear much about them, after his insanely lengthy dissertation explaining the reasons for his departure from public life, back in early 2014. Obviously, no one thought he was actually retiring from anything (and it’s not like he ever fully went away anyway), but it’s been nice to have had a relative break from, or at least slowing of his racism, his homophobia, his paparazzi punching, and his general yet persistent whiny awfulness.

It looks like our Baldwin respite is coming to an end, though, because in addition to the nine projects he has in various stages of development, it was announced today Thursday that he’ll also be acting as host on a revival of the game show Match Game.

Now, I absolutely love Match Game. I didn’t have cable as a kid, so I’m not even sure how I watched it, but there was a period of at least a year where I used to stay home sick (“sick”) as often as possible, and marathon episodes of the fill-in-the-black game show. I don’t know if it was Charles Nelson Reilly’s gigantic eyeglasses, Richard Dawson’s turtlenecks, or just a general fascination with the seemingly incomprehensible ’70s lackadaisical coolness, but I was borderline obsessed.

What I don’t love is knowing that now we’re going to have a public, loud, consistently angry and entitled Alec Baldwin back in our lives. You also have to wonder, for a man who made such a huge deal out of his departure, how does he justify playing host to a game show whose branded legacy is one of pure silliness? The show is only airing for the summer (along with revivals of $100,000 Pyramid and Celebrity Family Feud), so hopefully we won’t have to have too long of a promotional season, seeing his face and hearing his word thoughts in too many interviews. And he’s doing it for charity (his own charity, which supports the arts), which is genuinely cool. I suppose that even if I didn’t expect this “retirement” to last forever, Game Show Host is never the gig I saw this particular Baldwin taking on. At least not in a revival of a ’70s game show. Those hosts had such an air of ease and patience (maybe that was just drunkenness) mixed in with their humor. Those have never seemed to be Alec’s strong suits.

Game show hosts should be friendly, at least on the surface. I don't think Alec Baldwin is friendly enough to be a game show host. It's just that simple.

At least, unlike, say, Family Feud, Match Game was loaded with sexual innuendo back in the '70s, so if the revival goes that direction, hopefully the complaints are limited.

People who hate Alec Baldwin, and won't watch him because he's a liberal, need to keep this in mind. Gene Rayburn was also a liberal, and made no apologies about it. He even brought up his liberal politics on Match Game on occasion. And he was a supporter of Planned Parenthood.

At least, unlike, say, Family Feud, Match Game was loaded with sexual innuendo back in the '70s, so if the revival goes that direction, hopefully the complaints are limited.

Did you know that Valerie Bertinelli was once a guest on Match Game? It was for one daytime week, and she also did a weekly Syndicated episode, both in 1978. Unfortunately, they have never aired again after their original airings, because, apparently, she refused to clear her appearances. But why? Perhaps we'll never know.

Did you know that Valerie Bertinelli was once a guest on Match Game? It was for one daytime week, and she also did a weekly Syndicated episode, both in 1978. Unfortunately, they have never aired again after their original airings, because, apparently, she refused to clear her appearances. But why? Perhaps we'll never know.

I don't specifically remember them, but they are on her IMDB credits. So I'm wasting my time looking for them on BUZZR?

I don't specifically remember them, but they are on her IMDB credits. So I'm wasting my time looking for them on BUZZR?

They haven't gotten there yet, so we have yet to know. Check there, anyways. They never aired on GSN, but maybe they will air on Buzzr.

BUZZR basically only recycles the same game show episodes all the time. It's always just Match Game '78 that they show.

People who hate Alec Baldwin, and won't watch him because he's a liberal, need to keep this in mind. Gene Rayburn was also a liberal, and made no apologies about it. He even brought up his liberal politics on Match Game on occasion. And he was a supporter of Planned Parenthood.

I don't mind watching a game show with a Liberal (I heard that Marc Somers is a Liberal and I'll still watch Nickelodeon's Double Dare and What Would You Do?, he isn't that outspoken.

I dislike Baldwin not because he's a Limousine Liberal, but he's just an arrogant *******...it seems he cares less about anyone but himself!

I don't mind watching a game show with a Liberal (I heard that Marc Somers is a Liberal and I'll still watch Nickelodeon's Double Dare and What Would You Do?, he isn't that outspoken.

I dislike Baldwin not because he's a Limousine Liberal, but he's just an arrogant *******...it seems he cares less about anyone but himself!

My thoughts exactly.

I'm a liberal myself BTW.

I'm not sure why politics was brought into this thread since this isn't the place for it. However, since it has been I'll just say that those who choose not to watch Alec Baldwin and Match Game will do so because they can't stand the man and his political views will have very little (If anything) to do with it. Personally, I may watch out of curiosity but since I'm no fan of remakes I may change my mind. I'm no fan of Alec Baldwin either and politics has nothing to do with it.

My thoughts exactly.

I'm a liberal myself BTW.
I said it already in this thread. Forget politics, he's just not friendly. Is he going to yell at the contestants if they give a silly answer?

I said it already in this thread. Forget politics, he's just not friendly. Is he going to yell at the contestants if they give a silly answer?


No, he will pick up his phone and yell at his daughter. :lol:

No, he will pick up his phone and yell at his daughter. :lol:

Bonus round--"You're a rude, ______, little pig"

No, he will pick up his phone and yell at his daughter. :lol:

Or his brother Stephen!

I may watch just because I like Match Game but I want to like Alec Baldwin but he has some anger issues. He should really address them.

If the contestant doesn't get any matches with the panel, Alec will knock them out.

I'm not sure why politics was brought into this thread since this isn't the place for it. However, since it has been I'll just say that those who choose not to watch Alec Baldwin and Match Game will do so because they can't stand the man and his political views will have very little (If anything) to do with it. Personally, I may watch out of curiosity but since I'm no fan of remakes I may change my mind. I'm no fan of Alec Baldwin either and politics has nothing to do with it.
He brings up politics in every thread. I don't like Baldwin as a person but I do like him as an actor. I know I'm strange. lol

Baldwin was on Jimmy Kimmel last night where he talked about the new "Match Game".

He was asked if he could name any guest panelists and he couldn't, but he went on to say that if you looked at the past "Match Game" celebs. that they were all Broadway people or has-beens so what else did they have going on other than getting all ****-faced on a game show.

Kimmel asked him if any of the original guests would be appearing and Baldwin joked, "Are any of them still living?"

Baldwin was on Jimmy Kimmel last night where he talked about the new "Match Game".

He was asked if he could name any guest panelists and he couldn't, but he went on to say that if you looked at the past "Match Game" celebs. that they were all Broadway people or has-beens so what else did they have going on other than getting all ****-faced on a game show.

Kimmel asked him if any of the original guests would be appearing and Baldwin joked, "Are any of them still living?"

Betty White is the only one...she could probably live forever!

Maybe Baldwin can imitate Charles Nelson Reilly like he did on SNL.

Betty White is the only one...she could probably live forever!

There's several that are still alive including:

Fannie Flagg
Ann Elder
Loretta Swift
Gary Burghoff
Jo Ann Pflug
Patti Deutsch
Elaine Joyce
Joyce Bulifant

Etc....

Yes, but will that draw ratings? I wouldn't mind seeing some of the old faces on Match Game but I don't think a lot of people know who they are.

Yes, but will that draw ratings? I wouldn't mind seeing some of the old faces on Match Game but I don't think a lot of people know who they are.

They have to at least get Betty White. Password did the same thing when Regis rebooted it.

Yes, but will that draw ratings? I wouldn't mind seeing some of the old faces on Match Game but I don't think a lot of people know who they are.
Yeah, Betty White would pretty much be the only living past Match Game panelist these days that would capture people's attention. Not a lot of young folks out there know who Elaine Joyce is, that's for sure.

Yeah, Betty White would pretty much be the only living past Match Game panelist these days that would capture people's attention. Not a lot of young folks out there know who Elaine Joyce is, that's for sure.

I didn't even know that there was more than Betty White who was on the original Match Games left!

I won't be watching, primarily for three reasons.

1. The CBS Match Game from 1973-79 is too embedded into my permanent psyche. Nobody but nobody has ever even come close to matching what they did (no pun intended).

2. As I have to get up at 4:30am for work, there's no way I'll be able to stay up late on a Sunday night to watch.

3. I can not stand Alec Baldwin one bit. I won't watch anything that he is on.

The Match Game was not one of my favorite games so I will pass. With new language in the society, I can see where this show will go. There will be bleeps and frankly I'll stick with Jeopardy.

What did you think of Alec Baldwin's game show debut on the new Match Game today?
Bestie

I thought he did good.

I watched most of the show and though I thought Alec Baldwin was probably a bad choice since he never hosted a game show, he did a really good job. He interacted well with the contestants and the celebrities and brought humor to the proceedings. He also showed pretty good technical proficiency for running a game show, keeping the game moving and getting the show in and out of commercial breaks.

As for the show itself, the producers did the right thing and went back to the classic 70s format that made the show a huge daytime hit. The set was a hybrid of the two sets from that run. The one thing they could have done was increase the prize money. The contestant who wins money in the audience match gets a chance to play for five times their winnings instead of 10. It also would have been nice to bring back the Star Wheel that was also used on the Ross Shafer incarnation. Other than that, ABC has another game show hit. A great way to wrap up the prime time week with fill-in-the-blank fun.

I don't think Alec Baldwin was completely terrible as the host, but I couldn't shake the impression that he was just playing a game show host in an SNL skit.

I don't think the game was as fun overall as the original; possibly a better panel, questions and contestants would have helped.

I hope all the naysayers who said they would not watch continue to not watch and miss out on some decent (for today's TV landscape) game show fun. There was a great mix of the throwback feel of the original MG mixed in with modern elements. Even the one outlandish question (Uranus) was put down by the panelists as a terrible question.

Good revival. The questions didn't go for the obvious jugular like the '98 Michael Burger-hosted version did. The set was a nice mix of the 1973-78 and 1978-82 sets with a modern twist. Alec was good but rough in spots.

Did anyone notice the sound effects they're using and the end of the MG '90 theme as a music cue?

I didn't even know that there was more than Betty White who was on the original Match Games left!

Betty White was also on the original Match Game back in the 1960s when the game was a lot different than the one we all remember other than the fact that Gene Rayburn was also the host.

Match Game 1964 with Betty White and an all celebrity panel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4htP-NbJTnk)


As for the newest Match Game, I thought it wasn't too bad. It's still a LOT better than the Canadian version. Alec Baldwin did well as a host and even showed an ability to laugh at himself when he asked the Baldwin Brothers question. The problem for me was the celebs, especially that JB guy, whoever that is. He seemed obnoxious and clueless throughout the whole show. He didn't impress me at all! I wish they would get rid of him and soon!

I don't like Alec Baldwin at all so I won't be watching it.I dont wanna see it as it will be nothing but re-programmed robots who cannot think for themselves!! (Nothing @ all like the original awesome game)

Your loss.

Ah man!!

Did anyone notice the sound effects they're using and the end of the MG '90 theme as a music cue?

I was surprised to find out that this ABC version has been using the ding that was on CBS back in the day w/Gene Rayburn, and also has been using the TPIR buzzer for a wrong answer.

Agreed.

If one is trying to recreate the magical era we had with Gene Rayburn and the regular panelist in the 1970s, casting Alec Baldwin as the host is already starting off wrong.

In my opinion you can never recreate the Gene Rayburn years of "Match Game". The original panel was hilarious and sweet. Gene Rayburn would always engage the contestants so they could be in on the fun too. You could see that Gene and everyone else genuinely enjoyed being there. That's why Gene Rayburn's Match Game was the best game show ever

Indeed...... EVERYONE TODAY IS RE-PROGRAMMED ROBOTS!!!

Cant think for themselves,etc...... NO FUN @ ALL!!!!!!!!!

Another homage to the 70s version came last night when Alec Baldwin read a question that began "Dumb Dora is so dumb (How dumb is she?) So far in this incarnation, there hasn't been a question about another familiar 70s character Old Man Periwinkle. When Gene Rayburn read those questions, he would read them in character and that was also a key to the show's success.

Hopefully, there will be an Old Man Periwinkle question before the show ends its prime time run and Alec Baldwin would do his best to recreate the character Rayburn made famous.

Problem with both Match Game's is there seems to be too much talking between the host and the panel during the game. It can really get on my nerves.

To me, the banter between the host and the panel has a been a key to the success of the 70s and current incarnations. With two rounds to play as well as the audience and head to head matches, there doesn't leave a lot of time to fill a half hour without straddling games which was true on the 70s version.

To the previous poster, you might not have seen the shows from the Rayburn era where he sometimes banters with the crew. It was also a factor besides the comedy questions that made Match Game a daytime hit and also in syndication.

Why on earth did ABC decide to have Alec Baldwin be the star of the revival of Match Game? I am surprised that this new version of Match Game became a successful hit on ABC and i'm also surprised that it has soared in ratings. I saw the first few minutes of an episode once when I woke up from my Saturday rest and I found the Match Game revival the worst revival of all the game shows. ABC should've gotten a star like Chris Parnell or Will Farrell or even Alfonso Ribeiro to host it and that would have made Match Game's revival very impressive indeed
Bestie

Random thoughts:

Caroline Rhea stole the show when she was on.

Baldwin at times needs to read the question more clearly on the first try.

There have been some fairly big-name celebs on, like Christie Brinkley and Jason Alexander. But the show would certainly benefit from more "headliners," i.e. people who were closer to being superstars. The old series was similar in this regard, but now we're in primetime.

I like the set overall, certainly a lot easier on the eyes than the current "Family Feud" set that totally lacks charm.

This is probably one of the last things he is focusing on right now, but do you think Baldwin will be back as "Match Game" host in wake of recent events?

This is probably one of the last things he is focusing on right now, but do you think Baldwin will be back as "Match Game" host in wake of recent events?

With every question ending in "Blank"? I think not. :eek:

Baldwin’s Match Game Should either take a indefinite hiatus or have someone else to fill in him as Match Game Host on ABC

Baldwin’s Match Game Should either take a indefinite hiatus or have someone else to fill in him as Match Game Host on ABC
Which is what exactly happened last week, as ABC brought it back with none other than Martin Short as the host.

Which is what exactly happened last week, as ABC brought it back with none other than Martin Short as the host.

I like Martin Short a lot better than Alec Baldwin or any of the Baldwins for that matter! Although I think he would have been better hosting "Wheel Of Fortune". That would have so decent, I MUST SAY!

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/53226a32e4b0a11842c6876f/1537208040697-O3GJ7928CVXREMBTJQL5/1984-10-06-107.jpg

Maybe Alex didnt wanna do it??