Hurried out after that to catch the 12:08 bus to Somerdale. It was right on time, and not that full. I had just gotten on and pulled out my cell phone for some music when I saw a text from around 8 PM last night. Karen and I usually get together on Wednesdays or Thursdays, but this time, she wanted to see me on Monday - at 1 PM! It was almost 12:15 when I got off. I just ended up calling an Uber at a dentist's office near the bus stop. Finding a job is far more important than the movies.
Karen came in about 10 minutes or so after me. (I have no idea where she hit traffic. There was none on the White Horse Pike either way.) We tried to download that application for the Gloucester County Library System, but it wouldn't let us type once we did, and we couldn't print it on Karen's laptop. Had more luck putting in an application for the Camden County Library System. (I doubt I'll get that one. They require librarians and assistants to have a driver's license in order to transport materials. I don't think I could focus well enough to drive, and I certainly can't afford a car.)
Looks like there's also going to be another job fair at Rowan on Thursday. I told Karen I'd join her. I'm off, and it's only in the morning. I can go there, then hit the movies in the afternoon.
She insisted on driving me down the hill to the Westmont Diner, even though it's only a minute's walk. They were surprisingly busy for almost 3 PM, with a grandfather, mother, and tween daughter coming in as I was browsing the menu. I ended up with a tasty San Diego Omelet with ham, tomatoes, peppers, and American cheese and multi-grain toast. I wanted grits, but they were out, so I got home fries. Only ate half of them, but I did finish the omelet.
I briefly returned to the Library, hoping to find more books on ADHD or figuring out thyroid problems and how to deal with them. None of the books were recent, and there weren't any I hadn't seen before. I have plenty of fiction books to read at home. I moved on.
Wanted to take Uber back to Oaklyn, since it was getting late. I called them...but I didn't read that they were picking me up across the street. By the time I realized it, they were already gone. Despite what Karen claimed earlier, it wasn't really that hot. It was likely in the mid-80's, normal for late July, with a nice stiff wind and no humidity. I figured I was fine to walk back to Oaklyn, The traffic wasn't even that bad on Cuthbert, despite it being past 4:30 by then.
Since I hadn't been able to hit WalMart today, I stopped at Dollar General on the way home instead. Picked up a box of Sunbelt Granola Bars and a bottle of low sugar Body Armor sports drinks. I hoped the new Hispanic bakery would be open, but the door was still locked.
Took my laundry downstairs, then tried to focus on writing. I was just too tired. Finally ended up breaking for dinner and Match Game '79 instead. Kukla and Ollie had a lot of fun this week. I wish Burr Tilstrom had been able to talk Gene and Goodson-Toddman into letting him and his buddies visit again. They even did well with their Head-to-Heads, and Brett thought they were adorable.
Finished the night after I brought the laundry upstairs with more British and Australian versions of American shows. Some shows were huge enough to circle the globe, often many times. England's gone through three versions of their Family Feud, Family Fortunes. The original debuted on ITV in 1980 with Bob Monkhouse and ran until 2002. A celebrity revival, All Star Family Fortunes, went from 2006 to 2015. Their current revival started in 2020 and is hosted by popular Italian chef Gino D'Acampo. It plays exactly the same as the US version, with a far less folksy set, no returning champions, and equally goofy answers. Most of Monkhouse's run is currently lost, but the very first episode I have here does exist.
This was far from the first or last time beloved host Monkhouse would be involved with an English revival of a US show. He hosted two versions of Celebrity Squares for ITV , the first from 1975 to 1979, and again from 1993 to 1997. Once again, same deal as in the US, with equally ribald celebrities. I went with one of the original shows from 1977. I didn't recognize any of the celebrities, but that didn't mean they didn't occasionally toss out a great quip or two, and Monkhouse sure seemed to be having fun.
Blockbusters and Catchphrase aren't the only American shows that were far bigger hits overseas. Wipeout only ran from 1988 to 1989 in syndication in the US, but it was a smash hit for 9 series on the BBC from 1994 to 2003. Though Monkhouse did take over later seasons, the early episode I have here was hosted by Paul Daniels. Once again, same deal as the original. Three contestants guess which answers on a board fit a certain category. If they get the wrong answer, they lose all their money. The player with the least money is eliminated after the first round. The third round has the remaining player trying to guess which answers fit several categories.
I don't know why this didn't go over better in the US. Maybe it was just bad timing; a lot of game shows were dying in 1988-89. The British version is a real winner. Surprisingly, it doesn't look like it's been revived since 2003 on either side of the Atlantic. Maybe someone somewhere will take a stab at this again.
Fun House is another syndicated series that went over better with the British than Americans. I'm a little jealous that British got to watch this from 1989 to 1999. My sisters and I loved the American version, and this one was just as much fun. It's the same deal up until the last round. Instead of driving weird vehicles or running on foot, the kids here drive miniature race cars and grab chips with 10 or 25 points on them. Their "Fun House" looks less like a house and more like a carnival fun house, with fewer messy stunts and more slides and ball pits. There's also a last quick question after the Fun House run that enables the kids to win a big trip. Host Pat Sharp is just as cute and energetic as JD Roth, and his mullet is even bigger.
The Aussies had their own fun with American games. Their Blankety Blanks from the Ten Network is as legendary over there as Match Game '70s is here. Wacky Graham Kennedy hosted a panel of Down Under cut-ups from 1977 to 1978 on a set that was nearly identical to the US version. He even had his own Brett and Charles, elegant character actress Noeline Brown and goofy comedian "Ugly" Dave Gray. The show was an equally big hit, only ending after a year because Kennedy wanted out and they couldn't find anyone to replace him.
Gray was popular enough to get his own version of a US show in 1980, Celebrity Tattle Tales. The game play is identical to the later "all-Quickies" format from late 1974 onwards, with a similar set. The only celebrities I vaguely recognized were a member of the rock group Wings and his girlfriend. Gray did well enough, but apparently, the show only managed four months (though it would be re-run fairly frequently afterwards).
Tattletales wasn't the only US game show to bomb Down Under. Their first version of Jeopardy ran from 1970 to 1978. There was a second version in 1993 that was identical to the US syndicated show, and even featured Tony Barber from their Sale of the Century as host, but it couldn't get anything going and ended after six months. A third version hosted by Stephan Fry is due to start later this year.
Take a summer vacation to England and Australia without leaving home with these classic trips overseas! (Celebrity Tattletales is in two parts and not in the best shape and Family Fortunes has numbers over the top, but there doesn't otherwise seem to be much of those shows online in the US.)
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