If there is a classic game show, there’s a chance that Scott Sternberg has had some hand in ruining a revival or remake or reboot.
Who is Scott Sternberg? Scott is a producer and writer, having been in the business since the late 1970s. His first big project was the documentary Science Fiction Film Awards in 1978, but he broke through with the controversial Everything Goes in 1981.
Later in the decade, Sternberg would defecate the game show landscape when he was the executive producer of the revivals of Chuck Barris’ most beloved creations: The All-New Dating Game in 1986, the admittedly not terrible 1980s version of The Gong Show, and the very much terrible Paul Rodriguez run of The Newlywed Game. In 1990, Sternberg was the executive producer of The Quiz Kids Challenge. The show was cancelled after three months.
The next year, Sternberg went in front of the camera, executive producing and hosting nostalgia game Let’s Go Back. The folks at Game Show Garbage ripped this show to shreds (and deservedly so because it’s an awful, boring game) and if you have about five minutes to kill, give it a look. You’ll be more entertained by the review of the show than an actual episode. Somehow, the show ran original episodes for more than two years.
If you thought he was done ruining game shows, in the words of Bachman Turner Overdrive, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.
In 1997, Sternberg was commissioned by Game Show Network to create a pair of children’s versions of classic games. The first of these two premiered in September 1997 in Wheel 2000, which also aired during CBS’ Saturday morning block. The kids' version of Wheel of Fortune show was played for points instead of dollars and the prizes were cheap, even for a kids’ game show. The show aired its last original episode in February 1998, just a scant 22 weeks after its premiere, with reruns continuing on CBS until September.
The second of the two debuted in January 1998 in the kid’s version of Jeopardy! Known as JEP! Though it had a lot of the personnel that worked on Jeopardy at the time (including its director, four of the nine writers, and Alex Freaking Trebek as its creative consultant), the show didn’t exactly feel like Jeopardy. It’s not absurdly terrible, but if you wanna see a good game of Jeopardy played with kids, watch a Kids’ Week episode. Like its counterpart Wheel 2000, one 22-episode season was all the show got on GSN and CBS. The show would continue to air in reruns until 2004 for Discovery Kids.
But Sternberg wasn’t done ruining game shows: he got one more bite of the cherry in October 1998 with Extreme Gong. The show didn’t have celebrity judges, instead relying on viewers to pay up 50 cents to call a 900-number to keep the act going or gong them. Keeping with the tradition of Sternberg cheapness, the winning act got $317.69, which is not only less than half offered in the 1980s version ($701.00), it’s also less than what winners on the original version of the show got ($516.32). Good job, Sternberg.
By the way, Game Show Garbage goes into further detail on all three of these shows. Do check it out if you have a few minutes.
Arguably, Sternberg’s one and only success in the game show world as executive producer was Game Show Network original Catch 21. Essentially a revival of 1970s hit Gambit, Catch 21 lasted from July 21, 2008 to July 1, 2011, airing an even 300 episodes. The show continued to air for years in reruns on GSN, but in recent years has also appeared on digital channel Bounce TV.
But hey, blind squirrel, nut, that sorta thing. Most of the television he’s done over the last fifteen or so years has been reality or interview-based, most notably the short-lived Hollywood Uncensored, Shatner’s Raw Nerve, On the Case with Paula Zahn, and Sunday Morning Shootout. It’s amazing he wasn’t blacklisted from the industry a few years ago.
Reason why: he tried to profit off one of the most scandalous trials of the 21st century. In December 2011, a few months after being found not guilty of killing her two-year old daughter Caylee, Scott Sternberg Productions shopped networks for the first sit-down interview with Anthony following the verdict. He wanted somewhere between $500,000 and $750,000. Nobody bit.
Lesson here, boys and girls: if you ever get around to making a game show and if Scott Sternberg Productions calls, kick it to voicemail or hang up. You know, unless you want a game show ruined or something. Your call.