# Gene Rayburn dead **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 5, 1999, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776 "1999-12-05T22:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cap\_n\_Crude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Cap\_n\_Crude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cap_n_Crude)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 1999, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/1 "1999-12-05T22:50:00Z")
I found out about this at the same time I heard that Madeleine Kahn had snuffed it. Just thought this game-show guru deserved some mention on his final cancellation. * * * –Da Cap’n “Playin’ solitaire 'til dawn With a deck of fifty-one.” ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 1999, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/2 "1999-12-05T23:28:00Z")
Blatant steal from alt.fan.cecil-adams: “Gene Rayburn is \_\_\_\_\_ as a doornail”. ---
**Author:** ![rubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@rubes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rubes)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 1999, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/3 "1999-12-06T15:04:00Z")
I’ll miss Gene, though, actually, I haven’t seen him in anything recently, other than Match Game episodes from the Game Show Network (god bless DirecTV). I really enjoy(ed) that show (I remember it from childhood). Until I read his obit on [CNN.com](http://CNN.com), I didn’t realize that he was the inventor of the long stem microphone he often used. ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 1999, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/4 "1999-12-06T15:31:00Z")
_whitetho: Blatant steal from alt.fan.cecil-adams: “Gene Rayburn is \_\_\_\_\_ as a doornail”._ [list][li]rusty[/li][li]pointy[/li][li]stiff[/li][li]metallic[/li][li]cold[/li][li]cheap[/li]common ---
**Author:** ![Inky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d78d45/32.png) [@Inky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/5 "1999-12-07T06:41:00Z")
Paul Lynde: I’d have to say “Stiff” Gene. Ahar! Ahar! Ahar! I just like saying “Stiff”! ---
**Author:** ![Inky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/d78d45/32.png) [@Inky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inky)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/6 "1999-12-07T06:44:00Z")
Charles Nelson Reilly: Stiff, Hard, hell I’ll take 'em any way I can get them… ---
**Author:** ![BunnyGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BunnyGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BunnyGirl)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/7 "1999-12-07T06:51:00Z")
What? Madeline (sp) Kahn is dead??? When did this happen? I guess this is what happens when I fail to watch “Entertainment Tonight” ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/original/2X/e/e489c3b7d8fce19c4b355dd4fc3f88cc39c34b87.png) [@system](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 1999, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/8 "1999-12-06T20:11:00Z")
Hey, I posted this on the old AOL boards, but there are so many more folks over here, this would be a better place to post it. Way back in 1978 or thereabouts, I was a contestant on Match Game PM (one shot at winning, no returns even if you win, double the money offered in the daytime show). Of course, this was before VCRs. If any of you get the Game Show Channel, and happen to see me (19-yr. old, mousy brown shoulder-length hair, white short-sleeved blouse with an embroidered design on the front, dark brown elephant pants, going by the name Jill Baldwin) in the process of winning, would you PLEASE tape it for me? I’d love a video of my first TV appearance, and would gladly repay you for your tape/time/help. * * * **StoryTyler** _I am too in shape! :::muttering::: Round is a shape._ ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 1999, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/9 "1999-12-06T22:18:00Z")
First Ray Combs, now Gene Rayburn. When will it end? Who’s next? Bob Barker?! ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/10 "1999-12-07T02:04:00Z")
Brett Sommers: “I said _boobs_, Gene!” Patty Deutsch: “I said _boobs_, too, Gene.” Paul Lynde: “That’s _disgusting_! But I said _boobs_, too. Love ya, doll!” ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/11 "1999-12-07T02:32:00Z")
From SNL: After mentioning that Gene was dead, Colin Quinn said, “in lieu of flowers, the family requests that those who wish to remember him should send _blank_.” Well, I didn’t make the joke. ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gene-rayburn-dead/11776/12 "1999-12-07T06:46:00Z")
Inky said “[Charles Nelson Reilly](http://mindspring.com/~vincegonzales/hall.htm)”. Blatant self promotion 😉 * * * “Teaching without words and work without doing are understood by very few.” -Tao Te Ching