Come on Down!

December 20, 2007 7:51 AM

Why did gameshow hosts used to be called the "star" of the gameshow? When did this stop and why?

I watch way too much GSN, so I've noticed this phrasing with gameshow introductions (especially those from the 70s and 80s). On the Password games, Press Your Luck, Let's Make A Deal and Match Game, the men that run the game are all called the star of the show. More recent shows, like Jeopardy, give these guys the title of host. Why the change?

posted by piratebowling to Grab Bag (4 answers total)

I will pay extra attention if I watch it tonight, but I believe Alex Trebek is still introduced "And now the star of our show, Alex Trebek!"
posted by TedW at 8:05 AM on December 20, 2007

No, it's "Here is the host of Jeopardy, Alex Trebek". See whole script here.

Also, Googling game.show.host versus game.show.star (in Google books also), there are so few "star" citations relative to "host" that I think "host" has always been the preferred usage, even if some shows used "star" for a while.
posted by beagle at 8:29 AM on December 20, 2007

"Star" is too fabulous a title for our ironic age. No one in show business under the age of 50 says "star" without airquotes anymore. (IAN in show business)
posted by stupidsexyFlanders at 8:55 AM on December 20, 2007

I think it has to do with how much the host makes the game show what it is.
For example, The Price is Right was just as much about Bob Barker as it was about the show itself. (See also: The Match Game/Gene Rayburn, Family Feud/Richard Dawson)
Unfortunately I don't get GSN (damn you Charter!) and can't prove it.
posted by ApathyGirl at 6:37 PM on December 23, 2007