Mr. Game Show (also known as Gus Glitz) was an animatronic announcer from the five-episode only VH1 series Game Show Moments Gone Bananas in 2005, voiced by veteran gameshow announcer Randy West.
History
Usually seen in the opening credits or in game segments throughout the show, he announces the events seen in the episode or one of the prizes that an audience member could possibly win.
Guz Glitz
Originally born as an electronic game in 1987 by Galoob, Gus stands perched behind his podium on his game show stage. Not only Gus is equipped with 700 words of sarcastic banter, but his arms, jaw and baby blue eyes are animated. The stage has a letter board, game board and 4 multi-colored player keys. Mr. Game Show plays four different games: Famous Phrases, On the Buttons, Watch the Word and Trivia Tracks (cassette game).
Famous Phrases plays like Wheel of Fortune by using five different categories (Person, Place, Thing, Quote or Book Title). Gus Glitz is the Master of Ceremonies for fun as players compete to be the first to guess a phrase.
Turn Gus on and he asks you to choose the game, the skill level, number of players and each player's initials. Gus recognizes players by their initials or they can choose to be called Mom or Dad. If you choose to be called Mom, one of Gus' responses may be: "Hi, Mom, nice pants. Who shot the sofa?" If you choose to be called Dad, one of Gus' comments would be: "Hi, Dad. Hey, where did you get that haircut?"
The player begins with Gus announcing the category for the phrases. A category card is placed on his podium as a reminder for players. Then Gus says, "Mark the blanks." The game board lights up and shows which squares will contain letters until squares are crossed out with a dry erase marker. These are the blanks in the phrase.
Now Gus asks the player to "Spin the Lights". This is like spinning the wheel in Wheel of Fortune. Players hold down their player key and lights spin around the board. When the key is released, the lights stop and determine the dollar values for the letter to be guessed. Players guess by pressing one of the 26 letter keys on the letter board. When the letter is guessed correctly, Gus will tell you to "Mark the Blanks" as the game board lights up to give you the location(s) of that letter. Write in the letter using the dry erase pen. Guess a letter correctly and Gus has been heard to say: "You win $400! I spend more than that on tooth polish!"
The Banker pays the player for the letter(s) and Gus asks if the player wants to make a guess to solve the phrase. If no guess is made, Gus has been heard to respond with: "Care to make a guess? No? No guess, no guts." Then he prods you to continue your turn with a remark like: "Okay, Mr. Cautious, Spin the Lights!"
When a player correctly guesses a letter and wants to solve the phrase, then the "Yes" button is pressed on the letter board and the answer is typed in. A correct answer may get you a hearty "Correct-A-Mundo!", or better yet, "Fantastico! We have a wiener-ah-winner!"
But watch out: if you are wrong, you may hear: "No, no, no, no, no! Don't quit the day job yet!" or Gus may tell you, "Dig a hole and crawl in it!"
To play another round, wipe the game board clean and hit the start key. Gus is always ready to start his banter again!
The On the Button game has three skill levels and challenges players to listen and watch Mr. Game Show carefully. You must only respond by pressing your player key when Gus calls you by your player number, player key color or initials. If he calls you and his mouth moves, you push your Player Key. If he calls you and his mouth doesn't move, don't push the key. He is tricky and tries to fool you into pushing your button. As you play, he speeds up and makes you respond more quickly.
The five-round game, Watch the Word challenges players to try to guess and eight-letter-or-less words. Gus reveals letters of the word one at a time. The quicker you guess the word correctly, the more money you win. Depending on which skill level is selected, the word can be spelled from left to right, right to left or either way!
Grab your cassette player, insert the Trivia Tracks game and attach it to Mr. Game Show with a connector cord. Gus asks ten trivia questions and players compete to answer the same question. Gus tells you the start the tape to hear the trivia question. Be the first to hit your Player Key to answer. Then Gus says, "Stop the tape now!" The cassette player is stopped and the player has five seconds to answer. Then the cassette is started again; Gus gives the correct answer and the prize value. Get five answer wrong in a row and you are out of money and the game. The player with the most money at the end of ten questions is the winner.
Mr. Game Show comes equipped with a Game Show base, podium, Mr. Game Show figure, two oval game board overlays, play money, five category cards, a Trivia Tracks cassette game, cassette game connector cord and a dry erase pen.
Show appeared
Game Show Moments Gone Bananas (2005)