# I missed that Richard Sher (host of Says You!) had passed away **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 2, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036 "2015-03-02T19:35:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/1 "2015-03-02T19:35:00Z")
I don’t think it was a widely-publicized death when it happened, but it was announced during the airing of the most recent episode that it was Sher’s last appearance. He was 66. I nearly lost it at the end when they played him ending the show in the usual way, with his son Ben. I also have no idea how many folks here listen to Says You, but I would hope some do. It’s a (humorous) language quiz show, closely modeled on the BBC’s “My Word”. In the words of Sher himself, it’s a game of ‘bluff and bluster, words and whimsy’. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/2 "2015-03-02T19:53:17Z")
Damn. I hadn’t heard about this. I miss a show now and then, but I’ve been listening for years. Sent in some questions, but never had one get used. Even been to a couple tapings and met Sher and his family. Every week, more radios are tuned to “Says You!” than any other appliance. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/3 "2015-03-02T20:34:02Z")
I’ve been listening for several years. For the curious, [here](http://www.saysyou.net/)’s a link to their website. It says that they are intending to continue the show, presumably with a new host/ess. So now I have to wonder who it will be. Maybe one of the original panelists will step up, and they’ll get a new regular panelist. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/4 "2015-03-02T21:00:12Z")
Oh, that’s terrible news. I love that show. Attended a taping here in Nashville a few years ago and it was a blast. I’m glad they’re carrying on with the show. ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/5 "2015-03-02T21:09:12Z")
The single smartest game show in radio or television IMO. I feel like the smartest person in the world when I can get ONE of the questions right, much less many of them He was always a warm host too… ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/6 "2015-03-02T21:25:17Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > The single smartest game show in radio or television IMO. > > I feel like the smartest person in the world when I can get ONE of the questions right, much less many of them I still remember a round of “cryptic heads of state” (or something like that) and the clue was “get the most money for that collie” and I just had to let out a groan. Haile Selassie (highly sell Lassie) ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/7 "2015-03-16T00:42:07Z")
Recent announcement (which you’ve probably heard if you caught the show) was that Barry Nolan will be hosting shows, with recordings in April. But it always seemed like Sher must have come up with a lot of the content, and that will be missed. Even when it occasionally was a real stretch. In fact I think it’s always great when there is something that strains pronunciations/definitions, as you don’t feel too bad for missing it. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/8 "2015-03-16T05:18:06Z")
> [@panamajack](#): > > Recent announcement (which you’ve probably heard if you caught the show) was that Barry Nolan will be hosting shows, with recordings in April. I heard that. I’m not sure if that’ll be a good choice or not. Seems like the host’s job is to give the questions and then give the panelists room to be funny, and I never got that vibe from Nolan. I did have a thought that they should give each of the panelists a shot at hosting and see who does the best. (It’d probably be three shows each, since they tape three shows at a time.) > [@](#): > > But it always seemed like Sher must have come up with a lot of the content, and that will be missed. Even when it occasionally was a real stretch. In fact I think it’s always great when there is something that strains pronunciations/definitions, as you don’t feel too bad for missing it. That’ll be missed as well. Of course they use questions submitted by listeners, but I’m not sure if there are enough (and of sufficient quality) to make up the whole show on a regular basis. I sent in a couple questions, but never had one used. I had the idea once to submit an entire series to be their April Fools show, but to turn their usual categories on their heads; what’s the similarity between two words, or reverse odd-man-out, and give a definition and two of the panelists have to make up words to match. ---
**Author:** ![tcvt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e4f/32.png) [@tcvt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tcvt)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/9 "2015-05-31T23:47:12Z")
Hearing the show hosted by someone other than Sher makes it apparent how integral he was the the tone and enjoyment of the show, at least for me. I’d like to hear Tony Kahn or Fletcher Wiley take a turn at hosting. They both have a calm delivery, as did Sher. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/10 "2015-06-01T00:28:06Z")
Yeah, the new guy is kind of twitchy as host. Some of those awful word plays require a lot of gravitas to put them across. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-missed-that-richard-sher-host-of-says-you-had-passed-away/714036/11 "2015-06-01T01:12:15Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > I heard that. I’m not sure if that’ll be a good choice or not. Seems like the host’s job is to give the questions and then give the panelists room to be funny, and I never got that vibe from Nolan. I feel a little prescient. The show used to be six people trying to show off their cleverness, and one guy feeding them straight lines. It kinda seems like Barry is still trying to show off, but he needs to step back and be the straight man now, make the questions a little less difficult, and let the panelists shine. Tony or Flash might work as host, or perhaps Carolyn. Would any other _Says You_ fans here be interested in collaborating on some questions? I’ve had a few cases where I’ve thought of categories but couldn’t come up with six questions for them. Or I thought of resubmitting some of my old questions in case Barry liked them better.