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 […]
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Muhammad Ali, Champion of Play
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 […]
Why I Hate the Term “Kidult”
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 […]
Success and Scandal: The Barry & Enright Story
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 […]
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Get the Full Story on Two Game Show Legends
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 […]
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Indelibly Marked: Crayons, Records, and Grandmaster Flash
Hip hop celebrates its 50th anniversary in August of 2023, and The Strong National Museum of Play is poppin’ and lockin’ into position to show our appreciation. Originating with the technique that DJ Kool Herc called “The Merry-Go-Round,” hip hop toyed with the time signatures of contemporary funk hits by extending the drummer’s solo on dance albums. In turn, hip hop crafted a borderless sonic landscape and established a new playground for innovation. Utilizing two turntables and a mixer, DJ […]
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Let’s Play!—From Rook to D&D
I was born into a game-playing family. While we spent plenty of evenings watching television, to truly socialize with family members, we turned to tabletop games. Whether our choice was a card game, a board game, or something in the broader games category—Boggle, Stadium Checkers, or Cootie, as examples—games made a favorite way to be entertained and engage with one another.
Whether it was genetic or environmental, playing games went beyond my parents to their parents as well. (I never thought […]
A Donkey Kong Game Show? Starcade Provided Video Gaming Star Power
By Adam Nedeff, researcher for the National Archives of Game Show History
The Strong’s latest expansion—opening June 30, 2023—includes the world’s largest, playable Donkey Kong arcade game. Using a motherboard from an original Donkey Kong cabinet, this monolithic version stands nearly 20 feet tall. In honor of this new addition to The Strong, the National Archives of Game Show History is flashing back 40 years to a short-lived but much-loved game show that starred Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, the Mario Brothers, and […]
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Just Call Me Ash Ketchum
One of the joys of working in a museum collection is seeing the variety of objects that come into the museum. In 2022, my weekly round of photography brought me in contact with a mix of Pokémon plush figures. But photographing some classic Pokémon wasn’t my only interaction with the franchise. I spent February 2022 exploring the open world of Pokémon Legends: Arceus. In December, I completed my Pokédex in Pokémon Scarlet. I continued to procrastinate on several planned Pokémon […]