# Invent a dumber premise for a TV show than DEAL OR NO DEAL **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 28, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877 "2007-01-28T22:23:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/1 "2007-01-28T22:23:16Z")
I dare you. Go ahead and try. Does the premise exist that is too simplistic, too based purely on greed for money, too devoid of any actual rudimentary skills, too nakedly exploitative of women, to be appropriate for a TV game show? I’m stumped. I mean, even a show where you had attractive women remove articles of clothing if the contestant guessed their value to within 10 dollars, say, would require the skill of knowing the prices of women’s clothing, right? You could have her wearing ten or twelve items of dress, and the risk increases as she gets closer to nakedness, and if you get her completely undressed, you win the grand prize (as her pixiliated body jumps up and down with sheer joy for you). Is this stupider than DeAL OR NO DEAL? I’m not sure. Your go. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/2 "2007-01-28T22:27:05Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] I dare you. Go ahead and try. [/QUOTE] A game show where people allow themselves to be terrorized, ridiculed, made ill, and disgusted for monetary gain. In short, half the programming already wildly popular. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/3 "2007-01-28T22:30:44Z")
Cake, or Death? ---
**Author:** ![mike1dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mike1dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mike1dog)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/4 "2007-01-28T22:30:48Z")
What about the parody of this they had on 30 rock? The briefcase was filled with gold, and the contestant had to guess which one it was. The joke on the show was the model was holding up the case, and it was very obvious which one was full of gold. Looking at this joke, maybe 30 rock should be considered dumber. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/5 "2007-01-28T22:35:18Z")
[QUOTE=Lamar Mundane] Cake, or Death? [/QUOTE] So my choice is “or death?” ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/6 "2007-01-28T22:37:00Z")
The old Saturday morning cartoon _Garfield and Friends_ had a running gag about a game show called _Hit the Buzzer, Win a Cookie_, the rules of which are pretty much summed up by the title. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/7 "2007-01-28T22:39:25Z")
I don’t know if anyone’s traced this concept out but it’s as if the TV execs said, “‘Millionaire’ is great–but we need to eliminate all that ‘knowing the answers’ shit and all that ‘3 lifelines’ stuff and just go to the pure greed itself. Also more pretty girls. But mainly greed. Greed and pretty girls and no skills, yep, that[s the formula. Also that Regis Philbin is too subtle and sophisticated. Let’s find a way to get a dorkier host, okay?”" ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/8 "2007-01-28T22:39:56Z")
The Money Pit A big hole is dug in the ground and hosed down to make it slimey with mud. A million-dollar diamond is tossed into it. 10 contestants jump in together. Whoever can climb out the pit with the diamond is the winner. No other rules apply. Sticks allowed. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/9 "2007-01-28T22:40:10Z")
The worrying thing is that a game show such as you surmise could actually be a big world-wide hit, and earn the inventor a fantastic sum of money through licensing. So I shall keep my goofy ideas to myself! Now what was the address of that TV company again? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/10 "2007-01-28T22:44:23Z")
[QUOTE=glee] Now what was the address of that TV company again? [/QUOTE] Endemol probably need a new brand. I’ve just sent off my pitch for “Celebrity Nude Coin-Toss - with Kris Akabusi”. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/11 "2007-01-28T22:51:35Z")
I know! Give a girl three guys to choose from: one is gay, one is straight but unattached, one is taken. The girl has to guess which one is the available straight guy. Oh, wait… ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/12 "2007-01-28T22:55:53Z")
[QUOTE=lissener] The Money Pit A big hole is dug in the ground and hosed down to make it slimey with mud. A million-dollar diamond is tossed into it. 10 contestants jump in together. Whoever can climb out the pit with the diamond is the winner. No other rules apply. Sticks allowed. [/QUOTE] At this point it would seem appropriate to recommend the final scene of “The Magic Christian,” in which a large number of veddy proper British banker types go diving into a large tank filled with piss, shit & blood to retrieve bank notes from the bottom-fighting each other for the privilege. After that, everything looks a bit tame-and the movie came out in 1969! ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/13 "2007-01-28T23:03:11Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] I don’t know if anyone’s traced this concept out but it’s as if the TV execs said, "‘Millionaire’ is great–but we need to eliminate all that ‘knowing the answers’ shit and all that ‘3 lifelines’ stuff and just go to the pure greed itself. Also more pretty girls. But mainly greed. Greed and pretty girls and no skills, yep, that’s the formula. [/QUOTE] No pretty girls over here but a certain amount of greed. The show is a dumb premise for the viewer. It’s a brilliant premise for the production company. _Deal or No Deal_ remains newsworthy to the extent that the programme continues to be discussed _ad nauseum_ on message boards, including threads _passim_ on this one, as well as in the newspapers. The producers of _Deal or No Deal_ and the broadcasting channels must be rubbing their hands with glee (_sic_). If we all ignored the programme perhaps it would go away. Having said that, I do believe I’ve contributed to every thread concerning the show over the past 9 months or so. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/14 "2007-01-28T23:38:40Z")
[QUOTE=Wolfian] So my choice is “or death?” [/QUOTE] I’ll have the chicken. …tastes of human… ---
**Author:** ![supervenusfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@supervenusfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/supervenusfreak)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/15 "2007-01-29T02:58:06Z")
It’s already been done. It’s called [Card Sharks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_Sharks). For some reason my brother loves this show. _shudder_ ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/16 "2007-01-29T03:59:22Z")
Gosh, I can think of a thousand worse game show ideas. At least “Deal or No Deal” has some math in it. How about “Win A Thousand Dollars For Every Time Your Testicles Are Smashed With a Hammer”? That would be worse. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/17 "2007-01-29T04:09:29Z")
How about this: Really stupid entertainment acts come out on stage and attempt to perform. Three judges have the option of hitting a very large and annoying gong when the performance gets beyond what they can stand. The entertainer wins if he/she completes the act without being gonged. What??! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cleophus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e57/32.png) [@Cleophus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cleophus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/18 "2007-01-29T04:53:25Z")
Well, there’s [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ2P0ssGAk4)… ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/19 "2007-01-29T05:25:37Z")
[QUOTE=DSYoungEsq] How about this: Really stupid entertainment acts come out on stage and attempt to perform. Three judges have the option of hitting a very large and annoying gong when the performance gets beyond what they can stand. The entertainer wins if he/she completes the act without being gonged. What??! 😃 [/QUOTE] That one actually worked–at least until the producer/host’s cocaine habit finally went out of control. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877/20 "2007-01-29T06:58:23Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] I mean, even a show where you had attractive women remove articles of clothing if the contestant guessed their value to within 10 dollars… [/QUOTE] I want to see that show. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/invent-a-dumber-premise-for-a-tv-show-than-deal-or-no-deal/389877.md?page=2)