“Questions, questions! Give me no answers….”

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– To Cut A Long Story Short (Spandau Ballet, 1981)

I really like this song. Just so you know.

I really like that song. Just so you know.

Today, I wanted to bring you an update on the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page of this site. Over the past few weeks and months, quite a few questions have been rolling in, and I’ve finally got around to answering them all – and subsequently updating the FAQ page – now. You can see all of the Frequently Asked Questions that have ever been asked here (obviously). But right now, here’s a sample of some of the freshest ones, and my answers to them. Enjoy, if you dare…..

What game shows are currently on TV in Australia?
Not that many. There’s Family Feud, Deal or No Deal (but that stopped production a while ago, and the episodes currently airing are all repeats), Million Dollar Minute, Millionaire Hot Seat, a forthcoming, unnamed game show for ITV Studios, which you can audition for here, and the Ten Network has recently announced the forthcoming Great Australian Spelling Bee, which seems to be a game show for kids.
Australia, with its population of 23 and a half million people, just can’t sustain as many game shows as the UK – I mean, look at this list – or the US, where they even have a whole network dedicated to them!
Can you study for a game show? Did you study?
Certainly! Who Wants To Be A Millionaire millionaire Martin Flood discussed this extensively when I interviewed him for this site. In my case, I studied by watching Temptation and getting to know the show inside and out. There’s a more detailed account of this here. Regarding preparing for a game show appearance by studying the general knowledge aspect, I know a lot of people do study lists, and learn lists (and there’s a great technique for doing that in Derren Brown’s book Tricks of the Mind) – that’s one of Martin Flood’s techniques, but the only general knowledge type study I did for mine was familiarising myself with the winners of Time Magazine’s ‘Person of the Year‘, over the years.
If you were just starting out now, what would be the first game show you would go on?
Million Dollar Minute. The format can be learned, there are strategies (as outlined and studied brilliantly by champion Alex Dusek) and it doesn’t leave as much to chance as Million Dollar Hot Seat.
What’s the key to winning? Speed or knowledge?
Both!
Are there any shows that really are just pure luck – no skill required?
Deal Or No Deal is the one that springs to mind here. when you get right down to it, it’s a blind guessing game; what cash amount goes into what briefcase is completely random. there’s no way you can get an edge on guessing what amount is where.
 
If YOU could go on any game show in the world, which one would it be?
I think the original format of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire is a great format, but it’s not on in Australia any more. I’d definitely say Millionaire. I’d study hard, I’d learn the best ways to use those lifelines… it’s only 15 questions to answer to get to that magic million, after all!
Who is the biggest winner (in dollar terms) of all time?
Well, from the research I’ve done, that seems to be American Brad Rutter, who won a staggering $4,455,102 on Jeopardy! and another $100,000 on Million Dollar Mind Game, for a Grand Total of $4,555,102 !
Are there game shows for kids?
Yes, there are lots! See? But if you’re in Australia, the only one happening at the moment seems to be The Great Australian Spelling Bee. A while back, I interviewed Michael Pope for www.howtowingameshows.com, and he had some interesting stories from when he hosted the kids’ game show Blockbusters, back in the 1990s.

As I say, they’re just some of the most recent questions I’ve been asked here at www.howtowingameshows.com. You can find the full list here.

But are any missing? Is there something you’d like to ask me? If so, please do! Any and all questions are more than welcome – just drop me a line at stephen@howtowingameshows.com

Until next time!

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