Different People, Different Nations, DIFFERENT GAMES!
Pyramid
(2003, USA, Sony Pictures, Syndicated)

Today's Pyramid features actress Betty White and a very special guest...

Clever use of typography, there.

Here's the set in all of its chrome glory.

We apologize for the quality of the pictures, this was converted from NTSC into PAL a long time ago before modern technology came along.

Prepare to swoon, ladies of a certain age... it's Donny Osmond!

And here's tonight's other special guest, TV's Dick Clark!

Dick Clark hosted the original incarnation of the show variously between 1973 and 1988.

In honour of this special guest, they've created "The Dick Clark Challenge" - whenever a celebrity takes a contestant to the Winner's Circle, the show will donate $5,000 to the charity of their choice.

Each team consists of a celebrity and a civilian. The celebrity in this instance is comic actress Betty White, who also has a history with the show.

Donny at his podium.

And here's the category board, each one is a cryptic clue for the sorts of things that are to be described.

There's a Dick Clark in-joke in that top category, there.

And that's what it translates to, Betty must now describe things that might be found in the garden of Eden.

She has twenty seconds to get six words across to her partner.

There are rules here, she can gesticulate as much as she likes, but she must not say any part of the word in the description, otherwise an electronic burble will sound and the point is missed. Either contestant can pass on a word and come back to it if time allows, which it usually doesn't.

And after round one, the scores are tied.

In round one, the celebrity gives the clues, in round two the civilian gives, in round three the celebrity gives again.

Hidden behind one of the categories is the "Super Six" - this means there's a bonus prize on offer to the contestant if they correctly get all six words within the time.

This is usually a short break, or some Sony merchandising.

After three goes it's a tie! And that means a tiebreaker round must be played.

The team must choose between themselves who will give and who will receive clues, but the only hint they're given as to the set of word they're going to get is that they're all going to begin with the same letter.

Whoever wins the tie will go through to The Winner's Circle.

Which is Betty White's team in this instance. She's won five grand for the LA Zoo Gorilla fund for winning, and now she's going to help her teammate win $10,000 for himself.

The screens of the Pyramid orientate themselves into the correct position.

And we're off!

The Winner's Circle is like the main game but in reverse - A category appears on the monitor, and Betty must list things to do with that category. Our contestant must guess the category. Each time he does so, he wins cash, and if he runs the whole pyramid, it's augmented to $10,000!

There are rules governing what is and what isn't allowed to be given as a clue in the Winner's Circle. Absolutely no gesticulating with the hands is allowed. Descriptive and prepositional phrases are severely frowned upon, as are items which just plain don't fit the list. If a judge thinks a clue crosses the line in acceptability, the clue is burbled and the category crossed off, and the opportunity to win the top prize is missed.

Unfortunately, they get all but the top category, "Things that are permanent", but he still takes away $1,200 for his troubles. And after the commercials, he might get another go.

The contestants swap seats for game two so that they're partnered with the other celebrity.

Here's the category board for game two.

And here's some "promotional consideration" (i.e. an advert) of Donny Osmond's new CD!

Meanwhile, here's Dick Clark at the top of the Winner's Circle.

"Your family tree... stem cells..."

"Things you research!"

And he's a winner!

And everyone comes over to celebrate.

Now, had he won the first Winner's Circle as well, he'd have been playing for $15,000 this time for $25,000 total. But he didn't, so he didn't. He is going away with $11,200 though which isn't bad for 20 minutes work, all things considered.

See you next time!