''The Cheap Show'' is a syndicated

game show A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or Let's Play, demonstrative and are typically directed b ...

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...

that was broadcast in the United States in1978 and 1979. It was produced by

Chris Bearde Chris Bearde (June 18, 1936 – April 23, 2017) was a British-born comedy writer, producer and director best known for his work as a writer on ''Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In'' and for co-writing and producing television specials for Elvis Presley, ...

and hosted by Dick Martin, joined by hostess Wanda (Janelle Price). The show's announcer was

Charlie O'Donnell Charles John O'Donnell (August 12, 1932 – November 1, 2010) was an American radio and television announcer, primarily known for his work on game shows. Among them, he was best known for ''Wheel of Fortune'', where he worked from 1975 to 1980, a ...

Gameplay

Two couples competed to win cheap junk prizes and save their loved ones from

slapstick Slapstick is a style of humor involving exaggerated physical activity that exceeds the boundaries of normal physical comedy. Slapstick may involve both intentional violence and violence by mishap, often resulting from inept use of props such a ...

"torture", which consisted of the show "taking a cheap shot at" them of some sort, with the winning couple having the chance to win real prizes at the end of the show. Main game
There were three rounds, each consisting of one question. Two celebrities composed a panel; a seat was reserved for a third, who was always a "no-show" for some mysterious reason. For each round, the panel was asked a question. One celebrity gave the correct answer, while the other gave a bluff. Each couple was divided, with the female at the contestants' podium, and the male trapped inside "The Punishment Pit". The first answering contestant guessed which celebrity was telling the truth. If she was correct, that couple scored one point and a cheap "prize" (such as an old

bee smoker A bee smoker (usually called simply a smoker or a smokepot) is a device used in beekeeping to calm honey bees. It is designed to generate smoke from the smoldering of various fuels, hence the name. It is commonly designed as a stainless steel cylin ...

or a burned-out hair dryer), while the other player's loved one was "punished" with a pie in his face,

slime Slime may refer to: Biology * Slime mold, a broad term often referring to roughly six groups of Eukaryotes * Biofilm, an aggregate of microorganisms in which cells adhere to each other and/or to a surface * Slimy (fish), also known as the pony ...

or some other sloppy substance. If she was incorrect, her own loved one received his punishment and the opposing couple won the point and the "prize". In the second round, the other couple was given the guess, and the same procedure was followed. The first two rounds were worth one point each, and the third round was worth 20 points - this rendered the first two useless from a competitive standpoint. Whichever contestant had the most points "at the end of three rounds" advanced to the bonus round. The Semi-Colossal Prize Sweepstakes Finale
A wheel was set up in the studio with twelve numbered spaces, each of which corresponded to a numbered envelope on a "prize wall". Each space also had a hole. To determine the prize the couple would win, a large white rat, referred to on the show as "Oscar the Wonder Rodent", was placed on the wheel while it was being spun. The hole Oscar crawled into determined the prize that was won. At this stage in the show, no cheap " booby prizes" were awarded as they were in the main game but the winning couple won standard game show fare such as appliances or trips. In addition, the couple was asked before the wheel was spun to guess the hole they thought Oscar would crawl into; if the rat crawled into that hole, the couple won the grand prize (usually a car) in addition to the prize associated with that space.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Cheap Show, The 1970s American comedy game shows 1970s American satirical television series 1978 American television series debuts 1979 American television series endings English-language television shows First-run syndicated television programs in the United States Television series by 20th Century Fox Television