Have you ever noticed that when people are drinking something on tv or movies that the cup is empty. You can tell by the way they do it pretty easily, it’s not natural enough looking to pass full muster.
I’m wondering if there is a reason other than the obvious of spilling a messing up the scene or props, etc.?
I dunno if that’s true. There were the legends out there that the water cups of some of the late night talk show hosts had vodka in them, not water.
It avoids the issue of having to refill the cups after every take to preserve continuity. Also, as the OP noted, it avoids the issue of having spills, stains, and painful coffee burns. On live TV it is no problem as the cups are refilled on every commercial break if needed.
SSG Schwartz
This has been said of Match Game, too, so it’s not just the late night talk shows. 
I’d believe that. It seemed that by the last episode for the week, they were more and more goofy… more and more drunk?
Continuity. You’ll also see it when anyone drinks a cocktail. The drink is at room temperature and the ice cubes are just lumps of clear plastic. Fake life is always easier than the real thing.
I’ve noticed it too, when it’s not continuity that’s the reason - say they’re drinking coffee from a mug or sealed takeaway cup and you can’t see the drink. I assumed the reason was that, if they were really drinking, the mics might pick up slurps and gurgles, and the actor hasn’t got as much control over the timing of his lines if he’s glugging down a drink.
I seem to remember hearing on a Game Show Network documentary on Match Game that they’d film a few episodes in the morning, go to lunch and then film some more episodes. So perhaps the Friday episodes were filmed after a “liquid lunch.”
This drives me crazy when someone is supposed to be holding a cup that clearly doesn’t have any liquid in it. They hold it at an angle which would spill the contents, and they sling them around like they don’t have any weight. I mostly notice this with coffee cups, that’s just not how someone handles a cup of hot liquid.
Yeah. You’d think the prop people would put some sand or something in them, just to solve the weight issue.
Didn’t Jimmy Kimmel do shots of vodka on his first night, get in trouble, then do shots of ‘milk’ from a paper milk carton that was obviously filled with vodka on the second night?
I thought “late night” talk shows were filmed during the day…though that might not affect whether there’s vodka in the cups or not…
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is filmed - well - live.
They might also spill sand all over, but they could put something to add weight that doesn’t spill. The thing I find most noticeable and annoying is empty paper or foam cups sound empty when they place them on a table or counter and it takes me out of the scene and I start thinking about the stupid empty coffee cup.
Actors and actress’ also wear a lot of make-up and and are filmed close-up.
I don’t think the director would appreciate them having shiny upper lip syndrome on every take.
Most game shows film an entire week in one day. Five episodes makes for a slightly long day, but it’s easier for production/stars, etc. to do it all in one day. I could see them imbibing their share of potent potables during an 8-10 hour filming day.
There is also the issue of the actor simply drinking too much liquid if they have to do multiple takes of a scene.
It used to bug me to watch a dinner scene where everyone gets a plate of food placed before them but nobody ever takes a bite. Then the scene iniveitably ends with someone storming off without ever touching their food and drinks.
There is no excuse for not using a weighted mug or cup for a scene. a couple of ounces of plaster of paris in the bottom of a coffee cup would at least make the actor swing it around like it was full.