Before “The Bachelor,” “Dancing With the Stars,” “American Idol” or any of the other network competition shows, there was “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.” The game show was an immediate smash when it premiered in 1999, and was a precursor to the modern unscripted boom.
Soon, “Millionaire” was a regular part of the ABC schedule, attracting up to 30 million viewers and helping skyrocket the Alphabet network to No. 1. But the execs there got greedy, airing “Millionaire” as many as five nights a week. Audiences quickly burned out and by 2002, the primetime edition was canceled. “Millionaire” returned for ABC specials in 2004 and 2009, and lived on in a syndicated daytime version until last year.
Now, with the daytime version out of the way, original executive producer Michael Davies — who first brought the U.K. format to America as an ABC exec — believes the timing is right to reintroduce audiences to “Millionaire.” He even recruited Jimmy Kimmel,...
Soon, “Millionaire” was a regular part of the ABC schedule, attracting up to 30 million viewers and helping skyrocket the Alphabet network to No. 1. But the execs there got greedy, airing “Millionaire” as many as five nights a week. Audiences quickly burned out and by 2002, the primetime edition was canceled. “Millionaire” returned for ABC specials in 2004 and 2009, and lived on in a syndicated daytime version until last year.
Now, with the daytime version out of the way, original executive producer Michael Davies — who first brought the U.K. format to America as an ABC exec — believes the timing is right to reintroduce audiences to “Millionaire.” He even recruited Jimmy Kimmel,...
- 4/8/2020
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
In the world of late-night television, 2017's biggest media story was the fact that, after initial stumbles – and even rumors that he might get replaced – Stephen Colbert's much-hyped Late Show overtook Jimmy Fallon's seemingly invincible Tonight Show in the ratings. (NBC's boyish, game-loving host still has the advantage in the much-coveted 18-to-49 demo, but that lead keeps shrinking.) There were many reasons to cheer this news. From his time on The Daily Show to hosting The Colbert Report, Colbert has proved to be one of the best, most...
- 12/6/2017
- Rollingstone.com
Former game-show star Ben Stein is causing quite a bit of controversy after he called President Barack Obama the "most racist president there has ever been in America" during an appearance on Fox News on Monday. The political commentator made his strange remarks while discussing the Democrats' strategy as they head into the midterm elections. While discussing budget cuts and the focus on Americans' concern on the economy, Ben said: "More people are on food stamps than ever. More people are getting welfare than ever. What cuts are they talking about? And what cuts are they talking about. More people getting government subsidized health care than ever. What cuts are they talking about? It's all a way to racialize voting in this country. This president is the most racist president there has ever been in America. He is purposely trying to use race to divide Americans. Anyone who investigates it...
- 11/4/2014
- by Maria-Mercedes-Lara
- Popsugar.com
After former Nixon speechwriter Ben Stein used his "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Win Ben Stein's Money," and renowned financial journalism fame to launch a critique of Penny Lane and Brian L. Frye's new film "Our Nixon," the filmmakers have responded to Stein's critiques. For the most part, Stein's critique, published in The Daily Beast, accuses Lane and Frye of being Nixon-bashers who used footage widely available to recreate rote arguments against Nixon. He then gets really angry at CNN for "producing" the film. Lane and Frye, in a retort to Stein also published in The Daily Beast, start by getting the easiest accusation out of the way: "Our Nixon" is an independent production licensed by CNN. In other words, CNN had nothing to do with the film until it was finished. Then, the filmmakers explain how a collage film made of found and archival works, in response to Stein's...
- 8/28/2013
- by Bryce J. Renninger
- Indiewire
It's been more than a decade since the 1990s ended, yet the Internet can't seem to go a day without a reminder of the neon slap bracelets that may have been banned from your school.
Yes, we get it. Times are tough and there's comfort in reflection, but enough is enough.
Below, a final goodbye to the 90s to end the nostalgia once and for all. (We're not kidding. There are 1990 items below.)
1. Scrunchies
2. "The Wild Thornberries"
3. Dawson and Joey
4. "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"
5. Mr. Feeny
7. MTV playing music videos
8. Snick
9. The premiere of "Freaks and Geeks"
10. Levar Burton
11. "Daria"
12. "Arthur"
13. "The Powerpuff Girls"
14. "Smart Guy"
15. Comedy Central globe logo with buildings
16. "The X-Files"
17. Rosie O'Donnell
18. Bill Nye
19. "Dawson's Creek"
20. The Mighty Ducks"
21. "Are You Afraid of the Dark"
22. Cornholio
23. Rachel Green
24. Tim Allen
25. "All That"
26. "Beverly Hills 90210"
27. "Step by Step"
28. "The Ren & Stimpy Show"
29. "The Famous Jett Jackson"
30. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
Yes, we get it. Times are tough and there's comfort in reflection, but enough is enough.
Below, a final goodbye to the 90s to end the nostalgia once and for all. (We're not kidding. There are 1990 items below.)
1. Scrunchies
2. "The Wild Thornberries"
3. Dawson and Joey
4. "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys"
5. Mr. Feeny
7. MTV playing music videos
8. Snick
9. The premiere of "Freaks and Geeks"
10. Levar Burton
11. "Daria"
12. "Arthur"
13. "The Powerpuff Girls"
14. "Smart Guy"
15. Comedy Central globe logo with buildings
16. "The X-Files"
17. Rosie O'Donnell
18. Bill Nye
19. "Dawson's Creek"
20. The Mighty Ducks"
21. "Are You Afraid of the Dark"
22. Cornholio
23. Rachel Green
24. Tim Allen
25. "All That"
26. "Beverly Hills 90210"
27. "Step by Step"
28. "The Ren & Stimpy Show"
29. "The Famous Jett Jackson"
30. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
- 7/29/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Late night talk show hosts Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel have made the 2013 Time 100 Most Influential People in the World list. Also making the list is Bassem Youssef, the political comedian often referred to as "Egypt's Jon Stewart."
None of the men have previously appeared on the list, which enters its tenth year.
This year, Fallon and Kimmel have positioned themselves to be the next generation of late night talk show hosts. Last month, NBC announced that Fallon will take over "The Tonight Show" from Jay Leno in early 2014. Kimmel, who has been hosting "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" since 2003, recently moved to 11:35, and will be Fallon's direct competition.
Frequent Fallon collaborator Justin Timberlake wrote an essay for Time describing his admiration for Fallon's comedic chops. He described his own wedding reception, in which Fallon interrupted Timberlake's speech: "[T]hen there was Jimmy, shouting a joke from his seat, sparking an improv...
None of the men have previously appeared on the list, which enters its tenth year.
This year, Fallon and Kimmel have positioned themselves to be the next generation of late night talk show hosts. Last month, NBC announced that Fallon will take over "The Tonight Show" from Jay Leno in early 2014. Kimmel, who has been hosting "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" since 2003, recently moved to 11:35, and will be Fallon's direct competition.
Frequent Fallon collaborator Justin Timberlake wrote an essay for Time describing his admiration for Fallon's comedic chops. He described his own wedding reception, in which Fallon interrupted Timberlake's speech: "[T]hen there was Jimmy, shouting a joke from his seat, sparking an improv...
- 4/18/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
We rejoiced when Boston model/actor Rob Wilson was announced as the The Price is Right's first male model. Hooray for bare chests adorned with price-tag stickers! Wilson will begin straddling jetskis and wielding Plinko chips for a one-week stint beginning October 15, and hopefully he'll do well enough that men become a permanent addition to the modeling staff. In the meantime, we have a few decades of game show brawn to remember:
$ale of the Century's beaming hunks Gregorio Gaviati and David Gibbs want to strike a deal with you.
$ale of the Century: It's the thinking man's Let's Make a Deal! When contestants correctly answered enough questions on this Jim Perry-hosted jam, they became eligible to win prizes for giving up points. If you're shocked to find this 1980s U.S. game show featured male models, consider that $ale of the Century's main gimmick is tempting contestants into buying personal luxury gifts,...
$ale of the Century's beaming hunks Gregorio Gaviati and David Gibbs want to strike a deal with you.
$ale of the Century: It's the thinking man's Let's Make a Deal! When contestants correctly answered enough questions on this Jim Perry-hosted jam, they became eligible to win prizes for giving up points. If you're shocked to find this 1980s U.S. game show featured male models, consider that $ale of the Century's main gimmick is tempting contestants into buying personal luxury gifts,...
- 10/10/2012
- by virtel
- The Backlot
Through the years, Emmy hosts have come from typical showbiz day jobs: singers (Frank Sinatra), actors (Neil Patrick Harris) and all kinds of funny ladies (Jane Lynch, Ellen DeGeneres). But in Jimmy Kimmel, tomorrow's Primetime Emmy Awards will have its first host since at least Johnny Carson who has so completely dedicated himself to being just that: a host. Conan worked for years as a writer. Letterman is a stand-up at heart. But Kimmel's rise through showbiz has been as a radio host (where he hired a 16 year old intern named Carson Daly), a game show host (Win Ben Stein's Money), host of The Man Show and, last April, even the host for President Obama as emcee at the White House Correspondent dinner. (Kimmel...
- 9/22/2012
- E! Online
A few years after Mike and Karen Schilling moved onto Meadowlark Lane in 1977, their doorbell started ringing in the wee hours. Mike would usually wake to find a delivery man with pizza or Chinese food on the doorstep. Other times, an impatient cabbie stood waiting. Eventually, the local Chinese, pizza and taxi vendors all refused to send anyone to Meadowlark Lane.
Then there was the shrub Mike left on the curb for the garbage men to pick up. The next morning, he found the plant on his front step. Back to the curb he took it –- only to find it waiting for him again the next morning. The charade continued for weeks; Mike got so annoyed that he started sleeping on the couch in an effort to catch the culprit. But he never did.
Then, 30 years later, Schilling’s torturers confessed their crimes on national television. He was surprised...
Then there was the shrub Mike left on the curb for the garbage men to pick up. The next morning, he found the plant on his front step. Back to the curb he took it –- only to find it waiting for him again the next morning. The charade continued for weeks; Mike got so annoyed that he started sleeping on the couch in an effort to catch the culprit. But he never did.
Then, 30 years later, Schilling’s torturers confessed their crimes on national television. He was surprised...
- 9/21/2012
- by Joe Satran
- Huffington Post
When So You Think You Can Dance takes a week off, what is there to do? Well, here's what I've contrived: a celebration of the nine greatest female reality and/or game show hosts. Cat Deeley just gets me in the mood to talk about reliable on-screen flair, you know? Without further ado, here's a nonet of distaff emcees who make their respective shows both fun and cool. (And I admit, I'm more sympathetic to game show hosts since they're simply tasked with more work.)
9. Nancy Pimental, Win Ben Stein's Money
Well after Jimmy Kimmel had moved on, Ben Stein shared the podium of his amazing game show Win Ben Stein's Money with the quippy and very underrated Nancy Pimental. She had the even-keel, can-do demeanor of MTV's great lady VJs like Tabitha Soren and Kennedy, except she enjoyed the luxury of being able to spew constant innunedo.
8. Jaclyn Smith,...
9. Nancy Pimental, Win Ben Stein's Money
Well after Jimmy Kimmel had moved on, Ben Stein shared the podium of his amazing game show Win Ben Stein's Money with the quippy and very underrated Nancy Pimental. She had the even-keel, can-do demeanor of MTV's great lady VJs like Tabitha Soren and Kennedy, except she enjoyed the luxury of being able to spew constant innunedo.
8. Jaclyn Smith,...
- 7/5/2012
- by virtel
- The Backlot
Late night funnyman Jimmy Kimmel is coming to primetime for the 64th Annual Emmy Awards. Kimmel will host the awards show telecast on ABC on Sun., Sept. 23.
Kimmel is no stranger to hosting gigs. Now known for his ABC late night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live," currently in its tenth season, the comedian shot to fame as co-host on Comedy Central's "The Man Show" and the host of "Win Ben Stein's Money," for which he won an Emmy. He's also slated to host the White House Correspondents Dinner in April and has previously hosted the American Music Awards and Espy Awards.
Traditionally, Emmy hosts are stars of the network broadcasting the ceremony that year. "Glee" actress Jane Lynch hosted the telecast in 2011 when it aired on Fox, Jimmy Fallon had the honor for NBC when it aired there in 2010 and Neil Patrick Harris hosted the show in 2009 on CBS.
Kimmel is no stranger to hosting gigs. Now known for his ABC late night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live," currently in its tenth season, the comedian shot to fame as co-host on Comedy Central's "The Man Show" and the host of "Win Ben Stein's Money," for which he won an Emmy. He's also slated to host the White House Correspondents Dinner in April and has previously hosted the American Music Awards and Espy Awards.
Traditionally, Emmy hosts are stars of the network broadcasting the ceremony that year. "Glee" actress Jane Lynch hosted the telecast in 2011 when it aired on Fox, Jimmy Fallon had the honor for NBC when it aired there in 2010 and Neil Patrick Harris hosted the show in 2009 on CBS.
- 3/26/2012
- by Chris Harnick
- Huffington Post
Late night funnyman Jimmy Kimmel is coming to primetime for the 64th Annual Emmy Awards. Kimmel will host the awards show telecast on ABC on Sun., Sept. 23.
Kimmel is no stranger to hosting gigs. Now known for his ABC late night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live," currently in its tenth season, the comedian shot to fame as co-host on Comedy Central's "The Man Show" and the host of "Win Ben Stein's Money," for which he won an Emmy. He's also slated to host the White House Correspondents Dinner in April and has previously hosted the American Music Awards and Espy Awards.
Traditionally, Emmy hosts are stars of the network broadcasting the ceremony that year. "Glee" actress Jane Lynch hosted the telecast in 2011 when it aired on Fox, Jimmy Fallon had the honor for NBC when it aired there in 2010 and Neil Patrick Harris hosted the show in 2009 on CBS.
Kimmel is no stranger to hosting gigs. Now known for his ABC late night talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live," currently in its tenth season, the comedian shot to fame as co-host on Comedy Central's "The Man Show" and the host of "Win Ben Stein's Money," for which he won an Emmy. He's also slated to host the White House Correspondents Dinner in April and has previously hosted the American Music Awards and Espy Awards.
Traditionally, Emmy hosts are stars of the network broadcasting the ceremony that year. "Glee" actress Jane Lynch hosted the telecast in 2011 when it aired on Fox, Jimmy Fallon had the honor for NBC when it aired there in 2010 and Neil Patrick Harris hosted the show in 2009 on CBS.
- 3/26/2012
- by Chris Harnick
- Aol TV.
Bueller? Bueller? Try political discrimination lawsuit. "Ferris Bueller" actor Ben Stein is suing ad agency Seiter & Miller, along with Kyocera Corp, for cutting ties with Stein due to his beliefs about global warming.
According to Deadline, the actor/spokesman -- most famous for playing Ferris Bueller's monotone economics teacher in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," as well as hosting the former Comedy Central series "Win Ben Stein's Money" -- signed a $300,000 contract in January 2011 to appear in commercials for Kyocera printing products. Stein would also have to speak at a Kyocera company function. However, the deal soon went south.
The lawsuit states that in February 2011, Grace Yao, of Seiter & Miller, contacted Stein's agent, Marcia Hurwitz, informing her that there had been concerns raised over Stein's beliefs about global warming and if they were "sufficiently conventional and politically correct for Kyocera." (In the past, Stein has called man-made climate change into question.
According to Deadline, the actor/spokesman -- most famous for playing Ferris Bueller's monotone economics teacher in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," as well as hosting the former Comedy Central series "Win Ben Stein's Money" -- signed a $300,000 contract in January 2011 to appear in commercials for Kyocera printing products. Stein would also have to speak at a Kyocera company function. However, the deal soon went south.
The lawsuit states that in February 2011, Grace Yao, of Seiter & Miller, contacted Stein's agent, Marcia Hurwitz, informing her that there had been concerns raised over Stein's beliefs about global warming and if they were "sufficiently conventional and politically correct for Kyocera." (In the past, Stein has called man-made climate change into question.
- 1/12/2012
- by Alex Suskind
- Moviefone
Filed under: TV News, Celebrities and Gossip
Last night, Jimmy Kimmel told Bill Maher a story from his days of co-hosting 'Win Ben Stein's Money,' in which he alleged that Arianna Huffington, after being eliminated from the show, spent the rest of the taping repeatedly squeezing his ass from behind the podium. He went on to call Huffington "crazy" several times, making her the butt of his joke as Bill Maher cringed that his friend's good name was being soiled.
Needless to say, we were intrigued and amused by this shocking revelation. So we reached out to Ms. Huffington, the soon-to-be editor-in-chief of all of AOL's content properties, TV Squad included, for a comment. Her response was, well, adorable:
"I certainly don't remember squeezing Jimmy Kimmel's tush on the set of 'Win Ben Stein's Money,' but if I did, it was probably because my buzzer was broken.
Last night, Jimmy Kimmel told Bill Maher a story from his days of co-hosting 'Win Ben Stein's Money,' in which he alleged that Arianna Huffington, after being eliminated from the show, spent the rest of the taping repeatedly squeezing his ass from behind the podium. He went on to call Huffington "crazy" several times, making her the butt of his joke as Bill Maher cringed that his friend's good name was being soiled.
Needless to say, we were intrigued and amused by this shocking revelation. So we reached out to Ms. Huffington, the soon-to-be editor-in-chief of all of AOL's content properties, TV Squad included, for a comment. Her response was, well, adorable:
"I certainly don't remember squeezing Jimmy Kimmel's tush on the set of 'Win Ben Stein's Money,' but if I did, it was probably because my buzzer was broken.
- 3/1/2011
- by Alex Moaba
- Aol TV.
Filed under: TV Replay
With Bill Maher on his show, Jimmy Kimmel wondered if he had any insight into the "crazy" (his word) that is Arianna Huffington, whom Maher has known since his 'Politically Incorrect' days.
"She did something to me once a long time ago that I've never told anyone before," said the host on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' (weeknights, 12Am Et on ABC). When she appeared on 'Win Ben Stein's Money', "I'm standing at the podium and she started squeezing my a-- during the show, repeatedly squeezing it. And I didn't know what to do. I turned bright red."
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With Bill Maher on his show, Jimmy Kimmel wondered if he had any insight into the "crazy" (his word) that is Arianna Huffington, whom Maher has known since his 'Politically Incorrect' days.
"She did something to me once a long time ago that I've never told anyone before," said the host on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' (weeknights, 12Am Et on ABC). When she appeared on 'Win Ben Stein's Money', "I'm standing at the podium and she started squeezing my a-- during the show, repeatedly squeezing it. And I didn't know what to do. I turned bright red."
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments...
- 3/1/2011
- by Aimee Deeken
- Aol TV.
Update: AlphaBits was changed 4/28/2010 to reflect a change in the James Marsters concert at Phoenix ComicCon. The event will not be for charity as previously reported. Luckily he doesn't work for NBC, otherwise Jimmy Kimmel might be having a bad year. Not only would he likely have to quit the network, but he could never do a "Lost" special since he would be on the wrong network. Instead, Kimmel -- the one-time host of "Win Ben Stein's Money" and a former Tampa disc jockey (hey, I have to be local somehow) -- is on ABC, the same network as "Lost," and because of that, he has an inside track into the finale. Kimmel will host the cast of "Lost" along with executive producers J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, during a special "Jimmy Kimmel Live: Alpha to Lost" airing right ...
- 4/28/2010
- GeekNation.com
Former host of Win Ben Stein's Money and Turn Ben Stein On (and also some less important jobs like scriptwriting for Richard Nixon) has been terminated from the New York Times. Specifically, he will no longer be writing his weekly business opinion column. The company took one look at his other job as a spokesperson for FreeScore.com and found it to be a conflict of interest.
There are a number of ways this could be spun. No doubt the conservative press will consider this a strike against their cause since they have always pegged the New York Times as a liberal newspaper. I do admit that I find the business practices of sites such as FreeScore.com to be suspect (they advertise as free, but further analysis reveals that one has to pay for their services). Perhaps he should have supported a less sleazy one like Cash4Gold.com.
There are a number of ways this could be spun. No doubt the conservative press will consider this a strike against their cause since they have always pegged the New York Times as a liberal newspaper. I do admit that I find the business practices of sites such as FreeScore.com to be suspect (they advertise as free, but further analysis reveals that one has to pay for their services). Perhaps he should have supported a less sleazy one like Cash4Gold.com.
- 8/8/2009
- by Brad Trechak
- Aol TV.
Fox Reality Channel has greenlighted its first original series. The News Corp.-owned channel, which subsists largely on reruns of unscripted classics like Joe Millionaire, has ordered eight hourlong episodes of Solitary from executive producers Lincoln Hiatt (The Contender) and Andrew Golder (Win Ben Stein's Money). Expected to premiere in the first quarter of next year, Solitary subjects its contestants to all sorts of tough conditions, ranging from solitary confinement to sleep deprivation.
- 11/21/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After producing hit reality fare like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Michael Davies has set his sights on scripted programming. Davies' banner Diplomatic has announced the formation of a division focused on scripted development to be led by Ruth Caruso, who was vp creative affairs at Jim Henson Television. The company also has secured adaptation rights to the BBC drama Red Cap from London-based Stormy Pictures. True to the alternative spirit cultivated by Millionaire and other Davies-produced series like Comedy Central's Win Ben Stein's Money, Davies pledged to tweak established genres. "I like challenging the conventions of the medium," he said. "There's nothing more fun."...
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