Popular Culture Archive

By Adam Nedeff, researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
Game shows are not just television programs. They are brands unto themselves, and some of them are represented by graphic icons—the blobby red Whammys of Press Your Luck; the merry joker of The Joker’s Wild; the distinctive dollar sign in The Price Is Right’s logo. These elements are calling cards for classic game shows. The best ones stand on their own as representatives of their show.
One of these classic […]

Continue Reading about The Man Behind Memorable Game Show Graphics Published on:
January 30, 2024

 By Adam Nedeff, researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
Thirty years ago this month, a sad bit of game show history was made, but nobody recognized it at the time. On January 14, 1994, NBC aired Caesar’s Challenge for the last time. The following Monday, the network’s schedule was a wall of talk shows and soap operas. With no fanfare at all, viewers witnessed the end of the last original game show format to air on network […]

Continue Reading about The End of the Original, Daytime Game Show Format Published on:
December 27, 2023

If you have come to the museum recently, you may have noticed a new friend—or foe—outside. She is breathing fire and mist, with five different colored heads roaring as you press the 20-sided dice (d20) before her, and her name is Tiamat! An infamous monster from the tabletop role-play game Dungeons & Dragons, the Dragon Queen is now at The Strong National Museum of Play in the Hasbro Game Park. I thought it would be nice to formally introduce her […]

Continue Reading about Tiamat, the Chromatic Dragon, Has Landed in Hasbro Game Park Published on:
December 1, 2023

By Adam Nedeff, researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
Have you ever teased a friend who was about to make a bad decision by saying “You’ll be sorry”? And you probably didn’t just say it. You probably said it with an odd, sing-song inflection. “You’lllllll be soooooooo-rrrrrrrryyyyyy!”
It was probably just something you picked up. You’ve heard friends say it. You’ve heard characters say it in movies and TV shows. But when you said “You’llllllll be sooooooooo-rrrrrrrrryyyyy” in that […]

Continue Reading about You’ll Be Sorry! Published on:
November 28, 2023

By Adam Nedeff, researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
Let’s Make a Deal has been something of a sleeper hit for CBS, quietly maintaining a steady and loyal audience over the past 15 years. Host Wayne Brady hasn’t filled the shoes of original host and creator Monty Hall, only because there’s no need. Smooth, charming, funny, and clever, Brady is now in a league of long-time game show hosts who have found their own style.
Somewhere in the great […]

Continue Reading about “Let’s Make a Deal” Still a Big Deal Published on:
October 27, 2023

Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee….
There was something particularly playful about Muhammad Ali, the boxer who rivaled Pele as the most famous worldwide sports celebrity of the 20th century. But whereas Pele was known for his quiet dignity and his sheer enthusiasm for the beautiful game of soccer, Ali was not only the greatest boxer of his era, he was also a genius of repartee, someone who played with the media like he played with his (usually) helpless […]

Continue Reading about Muhammad Ali, Champion of Play Published on:
October 6, 2023

The toy industry loves a good buzzword and lately the one I’ve been seeing is “kidult.” Kidult is usually used in reference to a specific target audience of adults who purchase toys. Generally, kidults get referenced about specific types of toys that have been increasingly popular with adults that buy toys for themselves, enough to significantly impact market trends. These often include higher end collectible toys, like Hasbro’s Black Series action figures or Barbie collector lines. They also include nostalgic […]

Continue Reading about Why I Hate the Term “Kidult” Published on:
August 31, 2023

By Adam Nedeff, researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
In October 2021, the National Archives of Game Show History began recording interviews for our Oral Histories series. Chatting with important figures from game shows past and picking their brains about their experiences, we have attempted to tell the rich story of game shows through the thoughts and memories of these very talented people.
In the month of September, we are honored to present one of our most extraordinary oral […]

Continue Reading about Success and Scandal: The Barry & Enright Story Published on:
August 30, 2023

By Adam Nedeff, researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
There’s still some time left to get some summer reading done. BearManor Media, which specializes in pop culture titles, has just released two ebook adaptations of biographies of game show legends.
Okay? Okay! Dennis James’ Lifetime of Firsts chronicles the unique life and career of Dennis James, a prolific broadcaster best known as a game show host, with credits including Haggis Baggis, PDQ, and Name That Tune. Although primarily known […]

Continue Reading about Get the Full Story on Two Game Show Legends Published on:
July 26, 2023