Phone-A-Friend gender for female contestants

[SOX404Guru]

Hi! First of all...very impressive chat room!

I'm doing research on the % of times female contestants use female friends vs. male friends. I've dug through transcripts for the first 3 season on a different site, but am unable to get gender data of PAF's on http://www.wwtbam.biz. I'm only interested in the data for October contestants (2005 & 2006). For 2007, I can't get the gender data for the following archived contestants:
Nichole Wolfe
Friday, September 28, 2007

Kim Barrile
Monday, October 1, 2007

Kim Fravel
Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Jaime Gusdorff
Thursday, October 4, 2007

Nancy Pinkston
Friday, October 5, 2007

Marianne Tertan
Monday, October 8, 2007


BTW: If anyone is aware that this research already exists, I'd be very appreciative.

Thank you!

Mark

[MarleysGh0st]

Welcome, Mark!

Marianne Tertan
Monday, October 8, 2007

Marianne called her son, John.

viewtopic.php?t=44

We've had some disruption in our transcripts, due to our old message board being abruptly terminated by its old host on October 2. Transcripts from the shows between Oct. 2 and Oct. 8 are on the interim boards we used as alternates. See, for instance, this one:
http://www.grandslamshow.com/phpBB2/viewforum.php?f=4

What's your research for, if I may ask?


We should be able to track down those dates before Oct. 2, but it might take a little longer.

[silvercamaro]

What's your research for, if I may ask?

Given the baseball-sounding handle, I'm guessing it's for that new field of game-play statistical research, pafermetrics.

[earendel]

What's your research for, if I may ask?

Given the baseball-sounding handle, I'm guessing it's for that new field of game-play statistical research, pafermetrics.

<groan> I love it!

[SOX404Guru]

Thank you MarleysGh0st!!! And thanks for trying to dig up the earlier data.

To answer your question: I'm writing a book regarding gender-based myths women possess. One of the chapters covers the "glass ceiling" and I used the success of men on the show as an example. I want to use the Phone A Friend data to show that even women realize that their most knowledgeable friend is frequently a man. I'm using the data for October for each season of the syndicated series for the PAF data.

I hope that doesn't dissuade you from digging up that info. A gap in my research throws doubt on its credibility.

Thank you again!

[SOX404Guru]

SOX404 refers to section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley act, for which I'm a consultant.

I'm not from Boston, but for some reason I always root for them (and against the Yankees even though I love NY). But I expect the red hot and rested Rockies will win the Series.

[MarleysGh0st]

I hope that doesn't dissuade you from digging up that info.

Maybe someone else will have comments about that, but I won't.

As for some of the others on your list (only one was on the particular alternate board I linked to, and one more was on this "Bored"):

Kim Fravel
Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Kim called TJ, a male coworker of her husband's.

http://www.grandslamshow.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=61

Jaime Gusdorff
Thursday, October 4, 2007

Jaime called her cousin, Dan.

http://millionaire.megabb.com/all-messa ... er-t66.htm

Nancy Pinkston
Friday, October 5, 2007

Nancy carried over to the Oct. 8 show, when she called A.J, who is referred to as a "he".

viewtopic.php?t=43




Request to my fellow transcriptionists: Who did the transcripts on Friday, Sept. 28 and Monday, Oct. 1? Did you save copies of those transcripts that can supply these details?

[Rexer25]

SOX404 refers to section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley act, for which I'm a consultant.

Strange, I thought he was in charge of redirecting requests to the White Sox web site.

(I just know only 2 people are gonna understand this)

My disclaimer is in my signature.

[MarleysGh0st]

SOX404 refers to section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley act, for which I'm a consultant.

Strange, I thought he was in charge of redirecting requests to the White Sox web site.

(I just know only 2 people are gonna understand this)

My disclaimer is in my signature.

Who's the other one?

[pcmaxey]

Nicole Wolfe carried over to the Monday, October 1 show.
She called her friend Rick.
http://millionaire.megabb.com/all-messa ... lfe-t7.htm

Kim Barrile - Monday, October 1.
She called her friend Gary.
http://millionaire.megabb.com/all-messa ... ile-t8.htm

[SOX404Guru]

Thank you pcmaxey, and thank you again MarleysGh0st. Wow, women have used male Phone A Friends over 80% of the time for the 4 seasons I analyzed. I suspected it would be over 50%, but never thought it would be that high. What a revelation! It'll make a great addition to my book's section on Intelligence & Ambition.

I am still in need of 2005 and 2006 October data. Does anyone know where I might be able to find it? The http://www.wwtbam.biz/test.php archives don't give names of Phone A Friends.

I'm willing to pay for the transcripts, even if I have to get official transcripts but I've been unable to locate them on Disney, ABC, or Buena Vista.

Any suggestions?

Thanks again.

[pcmaxey]

I am still in need of 2005 and 2006 October data. Does anyone know where I might be able to find it?

In the files section of this web site: http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/phoenixbored2/
there are two word docs, WWTBAM4 & WWTBAM5.

If you want me to email you what I have just let me know where to send the files.

[Bob78164]

Thank you MarleysGh0st!!! And thanks for trying to dig up the earlier data.

To answer your question: I'm writing a book regarding gender-based myths women possess. One of the chapters covers the "glass ceiling" and I used the success of men on the show as an example. I want to use the Phone A Friend data to show that even women realize that their most knowledgeable friend is frequently a man. I'm using the data for October for each season of the syndicated series for the PAF data.

I hope that doesn't dissuade you from digging up that info. A gap in my research throws doubt on its credibility.

Thank you again!

It occurs to me that there's at least one other possible explanation. Men may be more willing than women to accept the stress inherent in being a PAF. --Bob

[SOX404Guru]

Thanks again pcmaxey! You've already been so helpful that I'll grab those files myself (as soon as the owner lets me in).

Bob78164, nervousness, fear of public appearance and public humiliation were among the reason many websites gave to explain why only 11 of the first 100 contestants were women. Even after they adjusted the double-blind phone quiz selection process, women still represented only 20% of the first 600 contestants.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would turn down being a PAF for this reason, but then again, I find it hard to believe anyone wouldn't jump at a chance to be on "Millionaire".

Mark

[Bob78164]

Bob78164, nervousness, fear of public appearance and public humiliation were among the reason many websites gave to explain why only 11 of the first 100 contestants were women. Even after they adjusted the double-blind phone quiz selection process, women still represented only 20% of the first 600 contestants.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would turn down being a PAF for this reason, but then again, I find it hard to believe anyone wouldn't jump at a chance to be on "Millionaire".

We have examples right here on the Bored. Many posters, and if memory serves it's mostly women, don't want the responsibility of being a PAF. --Bob

[silvercamaro]

It occurs to me that there's at least one other possible explanation. Men may be more willing than women to accept the stress inherent in being a PAF. --Bob

A better explanation may have to do with the time commitment required for being a PAF. PAFS are asked to remain close to the phone for up to five or six hours (and sometimes needing to do it all over again the next day, if the contestant is not seated the first day or is the last contestant of a taping day and carried over before using the lifeline.) Most women with children at home would find that difficult. Older kids might need to be picked up after school and/or transported to lessons (such as music or dance,) sports practices, or other activities. In addition, the "ideal" PAF probably has a desk job that does not require much activity or interaction with others outside reach of the telephone and definitely not on the phone. My belief (meaning I'm not going to go search for statistics to support my intuition) is that a far smaller percentage of women have such positions.

IMO, the time commitment is far more of a barrier for most women than stress.

In my own case as a contestant, my PAF list was comprised of the five most intelligent people I knew -- all with varied specific areas of expertise -- who could promise to stay by the phone. All were men, but I had not considered gender in their selection. In serving as a PAF, I have been on many lists, and I've been called on-air four or five times -- all by men. Only one of those men had what he considered as a "girlie" question -- and, sadly, I didn't know that answer.

[SOX404Guru]

Hmmm, you make a very logical argument silvercamaro. I can see why you were used as a PAF so often.

However, I have to include use the data in my book because the ratio is so high in favor of men, which strongly supports several controversial contentions I propose.

I just hope that your explanation won't be apparent to readers without your insight and experience as a contestant and PAF.

Just curious: How much did you win?

[takinover]

All of the available data doesn't take into account who else was in the room with the PAF that was used on air. My PAF had other people in the room with her (though she didn't need them )

Also just because someone chooses someone as a PAF, doesn't mean that they think they are the "smartest". Each person has their own criteria for how they select who they want to be their PAF. Since I am a guy, I wanted to cover my weak areas which includes many of the "girlie-girl" topics. That is why I had 3 women on my PAF team (I was originally gonna get all 5 women but opted for a little gender diversity). Maybe many of the women are dreading getting something "guyish" so that is why they put more men on the PAF list, not because they think they are smarter.

Editing to add that we all can be equally "smart" with the proper search engine and a little practice.

[peacock2121]

My PaF list had 3 men and 2 women. If I had gotten a medical question or a literature question, I would have called a woman. I didn't, so I called my google PaF, who happened to be a man.

He says he is anyway - and he says he is not short, but we know differently.

Bob##s and Ms Camaro give other reasons for the stats. I am sure there are others as well.

[earendel]

When I got the call to be on the show I began to think of who would be able to fill in the gaps in my knowledge base. I asked several women to be on my PAF team but only one of them accepted. The others gave variations on the "Oh, I don't do well under pressure" excuse - they were good at trivia but didn't think that they could do well in the 30 seconds allotted for the PAF call.

[TheCalvinator24]

My PaF list had 3 men and 2 women. I filled particular gaps without regard to the sex of the PaF.

(Cal, who continues to fight the pointless battle against the misuse of the word "gender.")

[peacock2121]

My PaF list had 3 men and 2 women. I filled particular gaps without regard to the sex of the PaF.

(Cal, who continues to fight the pointless battle against the misuse of the word "gender.")

It can't be pointless - otherwise you would not continue to fight.

[Ritterskoop]

Sex is what you choose. Gender we are born with, mostly.

[Bixby17]

Thanks again pcmaxey! You've already been so helpful that I'll grab those files myself (as soon as the owner lets me in).

Bob78164, nervousness, fear of public appearance and public humiliation were among the reason many websites gave to explain why only 11 of the first 100 contestants were women. Even after they adjusted the double-blind phone quiz selection process, women still represented only 20% of the first 600 contestants.

I find it hard to believe that anyone would turn down being a PAF for this reason, but then again, I find it hard to believe anyone wouldn't jump at a chance to be on "Millionaire".

Mark

I am a female who was on WWTBAM. I've also served as a phone a friend and would do it more often except for the time commitment involved conflicts with my family obligations. I've also tried to be on other game shows as well.

I have little fear of making public appearances and public humiliation.

I got on the show after doing the in person test and audition process. I did not do the phone game process to get on the show because I thought the odds were like playing the lotto, and I don't waste my time on that either. Why waste my time with busy signals for something that is such a long shot?

When they had in person auditions in the city I lived in, it was convenient and I figured that it was a more realistic shot to be able to get on the show. And that proved to be right for me.

Sports radio host Jim Rome says the reason that women don't call sports talk shows is that as a group we are too sensible to do that.

Also, I had 4 male PaFs and 1 group of female PaFs. The reason for that ratio was simple. I am a female and know a lot of the traditionally female trivia areas, so why would I get a lot of female PaFs in an area I already know a lot about? Though I know a lot of subjects that are traditionally male subjects, I also have some weaknesses on some of those subjects, so I picked PaFs accordingly. I also picked someone from the MB who was good at googling, had the ability to do the time commitment and he happened to be a guy.

One of my first choice PaFs who happened to be male couldn't do it because of work conflicts. Some of my male PaFs also expressed concerns about the process and the pressure on them, but I made a point that I just wanted them to try their best.

I think that you can prove a lot of things with statistics, but there are signficant limits as well.

[starfish1113]

My PaF list had 3 men and 2 women. If I had gotten a medical question or a literature question, I would have called a woman. I didn't, so I called my google PaF, who happened to be a man.

He says he is anyway - and he says he is not short, but we know differently.

Bob##s and Ms Camaro give other reasons for the stats. I am sure there are others as well.

[Austin Powers] I'm a MAN, baby!![/Austin Powers]

FWIW, I've been an on-air PAF five times, four times for women and once for a man. My only qualification for such an honor is an ability to Google and a disturbing fascination with popular music. It didn't have anything to do with my gender or height.