MovieChat Forums > What's My Line? (1950) Discussion > Who else hated comedians on the show?

Who else hated comedians on the show?

posted 15 years ago by jimbo-38
28 replies | jump to latest

It seemed anytime they had a comedian as a guest panelist or the mystery guest, he tried so hard to be funny, it spoiled the show. When a comedian was a guest panelist, he almost invariably concentrated more on being funny than playing the game. And when he was the mystery guest, the comedian almost always seemed to act like a total jerk. I'm not saying it happened with every comedian, but it happened enough that I almost always groan when one is on the show.

[–] MJJLWolf82 15 years ago

ITA. The only comedian who was not annoying was Fred Allen and that was because he came to play the game, not to get laughs. That's why everyone still to this day remembers him as the 4th panelist even though he was only on the show for two years. He meshed so well.

Steve Allen was OMG just horrible. I used to FF with my DVR when it came time for him to question the guests. What was worse was that everyone else thought he was a riot, especially Arlene whom I love.

[–] edh512 15 years ago

IMO, Fred Allen was THE BEST EVER. I loved his dry humor and he was very funny. If only he'd had more time on the show. I thought Steve Allen was funny but not nearly as much.

[–] dianem302 15 years ago

I seem to be in the minority in that I liked Steve Allen better than Fred. This is not to take anything away from Fred Allen, of course. It's just that Steve's brand of humor is more to my taste.

But I do agree with the majority that comedians generally didn't make good panelists as they spent most of the time trolling for laughs rather than playing the game.

[–] simpfann 15 years ago

I know, don't you hate it when COMEDIANS try to be funny? It really pisses me off when a comedian comes on a show and actually tries to get laughs. It's not like that's what they're paid to do or anything.

[–] dianem302 15 years ago

I have nothing against them trying to get laughs, simpfann. I'd just rather the laughs be part of playing the game than have the game take a back seat to unrelated and often feeble humor.

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] rmm413-1 14 years ago

I totally agree, Zavulon. I like both Fred and Steve Allen, but I like Steve better. Ernie Kovacs I found very grating. I'm glad he wasn't a permanent panelist either.

[–] reb73162 14 years ago

I just watched 2 episodes with Buddy Hacket as a panelist and he was hilarious.

[–] simpfann 14 years ago

I agree, Buddy Hackett was funny as hell on the show.

[–] virtualband 15 years ago

I wanted to reach through my screen and strangle him. He didn't even try to play the game.

I enjoyed both Steve and Fred Allen. Different styles, but both were good players as well as funny.

[–] mrgogonyc 15 years ago

Woody Allen was usually funny and entertaining as a WML panelist. I also thought Steve Allen was rather funny and charming as well. But Fred tops the Allens in his comic adroitness. What a hoot!

[–] Phunkometry 15 years ago

I remember one episode when Groucho Marx was a panelist! He would not shut up and it drove me absolutely bananas!! I definitely don't mind them as mystery guests, and I absolutely don't mind a panelist with a sense of humor, but seriously. Groucho? It took them half an episode to get through one guest. Oy.

[–] virtualband 15 years ago

I expected a train wreck, but he really tried and played it mostly straight. Wasn't brilliant, but wasn't totally lost like a lot of the guest panelists were.

[–] manage-932-700755 12 years ago

I agree. Take Ernie Kovacs with his filthy cigar. And Steve Allen. They were not funny.

[–] Danimal_77 12 years ago

I thought Steve Allen was hilarious. His timing was great.

[–] stomaino 11 years ago

There are a lot of comedians who appeared on the show who I liked when they were doing their routines elsewhere, but hated when they wasted time not playing the game.

When I watched all the shows, I really came to love Dorothy for her singlemindedness. I loved the rest of them dearly, but no one played liked Dorothy.

Sam Tomaino

[–] lastmidnite2 11 years ago

Hal Block was the worst. Unfunny, and couldn't even play the game.

[–] Danimal_77 11 years ago

Hal Block was low brow and didn't have the "class" and tact the other members of the panel had, but at times, he WAS funny, because he was honest and real and wasn't trying to get laughs. He was just being himself.

[–] dianem302 11 years ago

It's been a couple of years since I've seen any of the Hal Block episodes, but I seem to recall him trying much too hard to be funny, and usually ending up just being crass.

[–] madetwolastforever 11 years ago

Yes, it's an ancient post, but I just watched old WML on YouTube.

Groucho Marx was definitely funny - and wanted to play the game. He'd get his jokes it, then got down to business.

[–] movies789 10 years ago

I have to agree with Phunkometry's 2009 comment about Groucho. He was absolutely horrible as a guest panelist. He threw the guessing-game concept out the window and made it all about Groucho, completely ruining the episode. And when he appeared as the mystery challenger, he made no effort to disguise his voice (beyond using an accent, but in his own voice). I liked him a lot in the Marx Brothers movies, and on You Bet Your Life; but, on What's My Line, he was a big disappointment (to me).

[–] movies789 10 years ago

Another annoying comedian guest panelist was Victor Borge. Instead of just going along with the format of asking questions, he insisted on turning his appearance into a comedy routine starring Victor Borge. He was a very funny man in his own element - on stage, with a piano and a soprano - but was a clunker of a guest panelist.