2nd season? If so...

[DDP]

when are they taping?

Hope all of you are well...
Greg

[triviawayne]

Who? 2nd season of what?

[MarleysGh0st]

If you're talking about Chris Harrison's second season as host of SyndieBAM--which will be the show's 15th season--we don't know anything more than what TPTB tell us on their website http://millionairetv.dadt.com/
1. "Auditions are coming soon!"
2. "There are no tickets available at this time."

We can guess, if they follow last year's pattern, that there will be a brief and intense taping schedule in which they tape an entire season's worth of shows during the summer, so as not to impact Chris's other show. Before that, they'll probably do some auditions in NYC, which remains so convenient for TPTB, and perhaps they'll do a few road auditions in other cities.

But who knows? TPTB do not honor us with any inside news.

[triviawayne]

If that's the case; last year taping began the last week in May. I wouldn't think his schedule for the bachelor would be any different this year.

That said, seems like they might be cutting it close getting the information out there.

[earendel]

Interesting side note - on today's show one of the contestants was a woman who was expecting a baby. Chris congratulated her and asked when, and she said "January 2016". She wasn't showing, so she couldn't have been too far along, meaning that the show was probably taped in June or July.

[K.P.]

Interesting side note - on today's show one of the contestants was a woman who was expecting a baby. Chris congratulated her and asked when, and she said "January 2016". She wasn't showing, so she couldn't have been too far along, meaning that the show was probably taped in June or July.

Surprised they weren't a little more careful about when they aired that. If it was me, I would have flagged that for an earlier airing.

[Bob Juch]

Interesting side note - on today's show one of the contestants was a woman who was expecting a baby. Chris congratulated her and asked when, and she said "January 2016". She wasn't showing, so she couldn't have been too far along, meaning that the show was probably taped in June or July.

Surprised they weren't a little more careful about when they aired that. If it was me, I would have flagged that for an earlier airing.

It seems to me that the shows they're airing after the two weeks of reruns have the worst contestants. Maybe it's just me.

[K.P.]

It seems to me that the shows they're airing after the two weeks of reruns have the worst contestants. Maybe it's just me.

Especially that first contestant last Monday, right?

I was certainly taken aback by the three llamas last week, but I showed the questions to my friends, who are not regular Millionaire viewers, and they got them wrong as well. They didn't realize the questions had clues written in to them, like the "6 hours" clue for "Sext," or the "QUESTION WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS." One of those friends is a Jeopardy enthusiast, and I can attest to his intelligence.

[earendel]

It seems to me that the shows they're airing after the two weeks of reruns have the worst contestants. Maybe it's just me.

Especially that first contestant last Monday, right?

I was certainly taken aback by the three llamas last week, but I showed the questions to my friends, who are not regular Millionaire viewers, and they got them wrong as well. They didn't realize the questions had clues written in to them, like the "6 hours" clue for "Sext," or the "QUESTION WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS." One of those friends is a Jeopardy enthusiast, and I can attest to his intelligence.

SPOILER ALERT:

Spoiler

There was another llama on today's show.

[triviawayne]

If that's the case; last year taping began the last week in May. I wouldn't think his schedule for the bachelor would be any different this year.

That said, seems like they might be cutting it close getting the information out there.

My mistake, they began taping the last week in June; I re-entered the contestant pool at the end of May.

[Brit Canuck]

It seems to me that the shows they're airing after the two weeks of reruns have the worst contestants. Maybe it's just me.

Especially that first contestant last Monday, right?

I was certainly taken aback by the three llamas last week, but I showed the questions to my friends, who are not regular Millionaire viewers, and they got them wrong as well. They didn't realize the questions had clues written in to them, like the "6 hours" clue for "Sext," or the "QUESTION WRITTEN IN ALL CAPS." One of those friends is a Jeopardy enthusiast, and I can attest to his intelligence.

SPOILER ALERT:

Spoiler

There was another llama on today's show.

Really?? This is going off-topic a bit, but that's the fourth llama in the last five episodes (not counting the double-runs).

Before that, we had two back-to-back llamas on 3/16 (that airline passenger question - just eww), and I think there was an audience llama at one point earlier in the season, which suggests the first tier questions are more difficult now than before.

I'm counting the Caps Lock question from last week as a 'forced loss' (TPIR fan term) because the question also had quotation marks, which threw the contestant off, even on a question with an obvious answer. Considering awarding the airline passenger question the same.

I know they still have the $1K consolation prize in play this season, possibly because I remember that the rules on the official site weren't updated before tapings of the current season started last summer. But if that goes away next season, then next season could be a Llamacre (llama massacre), and maybe the last for SyndieBAM if no one wins the $1M and/or Disney decides not to renew their license.

Has anyone won $100K or more since Kevin MacLean won $100K on 3/08? If not, those two weeks of reruns may be covering for the current drought.

[K.P.]

I know they still have the $1K consolation prize in play this season, possibly because I remember that the rules on the official site weren't updated before tapings of the current season started last summer. But if that goes away next season, then next season could be a Llamacre (llama massacre), and maybe the last for SyndieBAM if no one wins the $1M and/or Disney decides not to renew their license.

I could be wrong, but I hope I'm not. I don't think the $1,000 consolation was an accident. It's not like it's buried in the footnotes, it's very prominent. There's even a table of what you win if you get a question right vs. getting it wrong. We all had quite a laugh in the green room over the first question reading "Get it right: $500. Get it wrong: $1,000".

I believe the $1,000 is going to, and should, stay in place because getting rid of it would really discourage anybody who doesn't live within 100 miles of Stamford from trying out.

[MarleysGh0st]

I believe the $1,000 is going to, and should, stay in place because getting rid of it would really discourage anybody who doesn't live within 100 miles of Stamford from trying out.

But do TPTB give a damn? It doesn't seem like it when it's time to cast their contestants.

[K.P.]

I believe the $1,000 is going to, and should, stay in place because getting rid of it would really discourage anybody who doesn't live within 100 miles of Stamford from trying out.

But do TPTB give a damn? It doesn't seem like it when it's time to cast their contestants.

When they spoke to us in the green room, they sure made it sound like they're trying to get more representation from the rest of the country. Remember that viewers are more likely to tune in if they hear a local is going to be on.

[MarleysGh0st]

When they spoke to us in the green room, they sure made it sound like they're trying to get more representation from the rest of the country.

APs are good at making it sound good.

So, they audition lots of folks who pass the test from "Elsewhere". What's stopping TPTB from casting them on the show?

Remember that viewers are more likely to tune in if they hear a local is going to be on.

I believe it. Do they?

[K.P.]

So, they audition lots of folks who pass the test from "Elsewhere". What's stopping TPTB from casting them on the show?

Nothing now. They'll cast them if they try out. Maybe I'm missing your point?

I believe it. Do they?

I'd say so. Of course, I'm guessing, since I'm not privy to the viewership data.

[MarleysGh0st]

So, they audition lots of folks who pass the test from "Elsewhere". What's stopping TPTB from casting them on the show?

Nothing now. They'll cast them if they try out. Maybe I'm missing your point?

If they try out?

I'm referring to all of the past years of the show and asserting that there have been many people from outside the NYC area who have passed the written test (pointing to myself as an example) but have not been invited onto the show. And why is that? Perhaps because--while it it easy for an AP to say that they want more contestants from Elsewhere--that factor loses out to the all the other factors like demographics and personality and quirky stories that go into making a "great" contestant in their minds. So if they really, really want more contestants from Elsewhere, they have to rebalance those factors to make it so.

[K.P.]

I'm referring to all of the past years of the show and asserting that there have been many people from outside the NYC area who have passed the written test (pointing to myself as an example) but have not been invited onto the show.

Absolutely true. I'm meerly proposing that if the $1000 consolation went away, that number of auditioners would go down. I know I wouldn't have done it if $0 was a possibility. Flight and hotel cost me about $1100 for my trip.

And why is that? Perhaps because--while it it easy for an AP to say that they want more contestants from Elsewhere--that factor loses out to the all the other factors like demographics and personality and quirky stories that go into making a "great" contestant in their minds. So if they really, really want more contestants from Elsewhere, they have to rebalance those factors to make it so.

Certainly not denying that. The fact that New York has so many people, especially aspiring actors, will naturally lend itself to New York having more contestants with desirable qualities.

That'd be a stat I'd love to see. How many contestants per season have a SAG card?

[Bob Juch]

That'd be a stat I'd love to see. How many contestants per season have a SAG card?

I wonder how many in the audience are extras.

[triviawayne]

Every game show has always had a large amount of contestants from their local taping area; even Jeopardy does today.

Part of the reason is they need alternate contestants to be ready on tape days, and those alternates need to have the ability to easily get back to the studio for another day of taping. Usually if you are an alternate and are not used on your first tape date, they will use you for sure on the next day. In trying to up my odds of getting the call, I offered to be an alternate, telling them I have plenty of time to take off from work, so a few days wouldn't matter, especially since I would likely take that week off work anyway (it hasn't helped me get on yet).

When you watch Jeopardy, pay attention to the amount of people from LA, but that won't tell you the entire story as there are two ways of introducing the players:

1. A lawyer from Los Angeles...Dewy Cheatham (this is someone who is either an LA native or currently lives there)

2. A ghost hunter ORIGINALLY FROM Pittsburgh, PA...Hugo Verst (this is someone who likely--not always--lives in LA, but was born elsewhere; giving city of birth makes it look like they're not just another SoCal wannabe actor)