01/18/2005 Entry: "Babes in ToyFare."

Haven't mentioned this before, but you can catch some of my words at your nearest newsstand, assuming they carry ToyFare Magazine. I was contacted to help out on a small bit for their "Best Ever" feature (covering the best of the best in all walks of toydom), but it kind of snowballed into three bits. If you grab issue #91, my contributions to the Best Ever feature were "Best Commercial," "Best Carrying Cases" and "Worst Toys." This looks like it might be a semi-recurring gig, which is just so awesome for someone like me who came from the trenches, so to speak. Lots of fun, I'll keep you posted. Also working on some kickass spots on Nick. I need to launch a "real life" section of the site. But then it'd be full of diaries about how I shouldn't have eaten three Fruit By The Foot rolls before bed. Anyway, yeah, back with a new article this weekend, and it's a good one for sure.

Adding A Survey Thing: Which Price is Right game tickles your fancy most? I've always been partial to Plinko, but hearing the old man shout "OR TWO!" during the putt off packs its own kind of punch.

Chestnuts roasted by Mystie @ 01/18/2005 09:54 PM EST

Yarr, high on the blog today! High on....life, too!!

Matt, I am sending you an email about those comics. I am kind of lost on how to get the files to you. I'll be trying to use www.yousendit.com, hopefully that will work well enough. Keep an eye on your inbox for some He-Man goodies!!

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 01/18/2005 10:04 PM EST

Congrats Matt. Twisted Toyfare Theater is probably my fav feature in Toyfare, and I was wondering if you had seen or heard of it. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle. (All males in their mid twenties are contractually obligated to say the last part of that phrase. I even say it when someone else says "now I know..." I live a sad life. )

Chestnuts roasted by Ed @ 01/18/2005 11:06 PM EST

Hey! Good for you.

Chestnuts roasted by GreyWeirdo @ 01/18/2005 11:14 PM EST

Congratulations with Toyfare!! That mag is the best. Do they still have Twisted Mego Theater? Been so long since I've picked one of those up.

Chestnuts roasted by RBurn @ 01/18/2005 11:41 PM EST

PLINKO is the greatest, by far, but I really, really like the one with the mountain climber and the yodel song in the background.

Check the shite out heah, yo:

A Salute to Pricing Games on the Price is Right:
http://gscentral.net/pricing.htm

Chestnuts roasted by kidneyboy @ 01/18/2005 11:49 PM EST

I like the game where they punch holes in the paper and pull out money cards. The wheel is awesome too, but I guess it's not a game. Instead of the showcase showdown they should have the slopstacle course from Double Dare. Bob Barker would be flipping out and screaming and stuff while the contestants fall into giant tubs of ice cream while trying to get the flags. Hooray for Double Dare

Chestnuts roasted by Eddie Lightning Frog @ 01/19/2005 12:36 AM EST

Ohhh I loved the Plinko board, and the one with the punch outs/cards, too.

I also liked the one where the reach into the bag to pull out numbers or strikes

Chestnuts roasted by Ryane @ 01/19/2005 12:54 AM EST

Woo, 11th post!

Congratulations on getting into Toyfare, Matt! You're working your way up there, man, soon your name will be a regular household phrase! ;D

Chestnuts roasted by Ben @ 01/19/2005 01:00 AM EST

As a Price fan I have to say Superball. It made me want to try and be good at skeeball. Too bad Bob hated it and it got retired. kidneyboy that pricing game directory is a great site.

P.S. Holly was the best looking Barker's beauty ever.

Chestnuts roasted by pikachulover @ 01/19/2005 01:24 AM EST

That show is just not the same without Rod Roddy though. What will happen when Barker goes I wonder? P.S. Plinko is definetly the best game, but any game that makes out of shape housewifes run around switching price tags and pulling levers is a-ok with me. I dunno the name of it but it is probably switcheroo or something.

Chestnuts roasted by Ed @ 01/19/2005 01:50 AM EST

That show is just not the same without Rod Roddy though. What will happen when Barker goes I wonder? P.S. Plinko is definetly the best game, but any game that makes out of shape housewifes run around switching price tags and pulling levers is a-ok with me. I dunno the name of it but it is probably switcheroo or something.

Chestnuts roasted by Ed @ 01/19/2005 01:50 AM EST

I was actually picked to be on the Price is Right during my 2nd year of college. I got yelled at by Bob Barker for stealing his thunder during commercial breaks with my own antics. I ended up on stage and had to play the Key Game. I lost. But some producers must've felt bad for me because a month after I was on the show all the prizes I "lost" ended up on my doorstep (except for the car...Damn you Mark Goodson Television Productions!) so I guess I won. Bob is scary up close though. It's just stage makeup to his hair line, then after that...pure old man, liver spots and all. Oh, and the showcase showdown wheel is REALLY, REALLY heavy. After spinning it I'm amazed more old ladies don't get booed for not getting it all the way around.

Chestnuts roasted by Zombie Cop @ 01/19/2005 03:40 AM EST

Wow, the stuff we miss out on in South Africa...

Oh well. But I see the Chia Plot will never be finished. Some day when we're old and grey and Matt's already dead, we'll be gathered at conventions getting a peek at the Lost Finale Of The Chia Plot, pieced together by anthro-archaeologists who majored in X-E(you know, from pictures and scribblings found hidden in a safety-deposite box somewhere). Maybe we'll all be wearing plastic klingon foreheads and shouting KA-PLA! or maybe just carrying around 40-year old stinky cereal boxes saying "but it's a collectible!" while all the Con. employees vomit in our respective wakes... ooh, something to look forward to. Our grandchildren won't want to know us, of course. But if they get too snotty we can feed them pokemon spaghetti.

Chestnuts roasted by eminentfreak @ 01/19/2005 06:04 AM EST

Plinko kicks ass. Hole in One (or Two), Golden Road, Superball and Punch a Bunch are also great. Game shows rule!

Chestnuts roasted by Destro @ 01/19/2005 06:51 AM EST

Did no one love the big wheel? I know it wasn't a fancy game, and everyone had to do it, but I always loved it. the other game I always loved was....no...wait...someone already made a chiaplot reference.... oh well i'm done.

Chestnuts roasted by Trippy the 8th Dwarf @ 01/19/2005 08:02 AM EST

Plinko is the shit- I can see that almost everyone else thinks so, too! Glad I'm not the only one.

Matt- Congrats on Toyfare and Nick! Anyone who does anything for Nick is a hero in my eyes.

Nate- Made in Seoul, Korea? I KNEW it- as soon as I saw Matt's LOTTEMINT gum, I knew some pranks had to be made here- you see here in Korea, EVERYTHING is dominated by LOTTE- theres a Lotte World mall, a Lotte skating rink, and their biggest fast food chain here is LOTTERIA! (I ate a cheeseburger there tonight actually!)

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 01/19/2005 08:02 AM EST

Hey good for you!

PLINKO!

Chestnuts roasted by dfgdgfdf @ 01/19/2005 08:59 AM EST

Plinko was great because it had a high risk of the disks getting stuck and messing up the whole damn game. I always loved watching Barker stick his boney hands up there to try and retrieve the disk, Especially after they covered the board with that sheet of plastic. Mountain Climber was good, too. I loved watching him fall off the edge!!

Chestnuts roasted by Mystie @ 01/19/2005 09:04 AM EST

Is plinko the one where you droped a big coin thing down a verticle bed of metal spikes? If so, that was my very favorite. Also followed by the yodeling mountain climber...

Chestnuts roasted by B-Dawg @ 01/19/2005 09:16 AM EST

B-Dawg- Yup, that's Plinko all right- and a damn good definition of it, too! You make it sound almost deadly!!

Chestnuts roasted by Muppet Baby @ 01/19/2005 09:22 AM EST

Gotta go with Plinko- even if you suck at it, you can still come away with some decent money.

What I've always wondered is: how heavy is that big wheel? Some people can't spin it to save their lives, and others can make go around and around 100 times. And it's not the people you think. I've seen gradmas kill that thing, and young people struggle like crazy with it.

Chestnuts roasted by 4thDown @ 01/19/2005 09:42 AM EST

Holy crap how can you pick a fav game. As a child it was the old man climbing the mountain or the one where you punch a hole and see how much money is inside. These days I would have to say it's plinko. I remember hearing somewhere speculation that was the code word for doing the deed back when he had the affair with Diane going.

Chestnuts roasted by thejyav @ 01/19/2005 09:45 AM EST

Damn! Kidneyboy stole my thunder... yodel-ay-hee-hoo!

I always kinda liked the one where you punch a hole through the numbers too though.

Chestnuts roasted by Lou @ 01/19/2005 09:56 AM EST

Congrats Matt. Plinko, Mountain climber and the punching hole game kicked ass. I also liked the game where you had to play putt-putt golf to win your prize, because Bob would always demonstrate how to play the game and when he missed, he would always have this pissed off look on his face. This also would remind me of him vs. Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore. Funny stuff. Good times!

Chestnuts roasted by J-Dog @ 01/19/2005 11:12 AM EST

Nothing matches Plinko for me. I've had a dream for years of going to California and waiting in line for the show with a "Born to Plinko" shirt on. Then I'd make out with one of Bob's Beauties, and...I guess I shouldn't get into the specifics of my dream.

Incidentally, I just launched a site. Click my name if you're interested.

Chestnuts roasted by Shelby @ 01/19/2005 11:13 AM EST

Plinko!
Punchboard.
Secret X.
Mountain Climber.
Holly.
And Watch Bob Run Away From The Samoans!
Woo-hoo! Mr. C at ToyFare! You truly are a man among other men working for Wizard Entertainment. I read Anime Insider mostly nowadays.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash, kingklash, no Whammys! @ 01/19/2005 11:31 AM EST

When I saw Matt's toyfare article I was so excited I almost Sh*t my pants. Good thing I was already on the toilet.

Chestnuts roasted by Pat @ 01/19/2005 12:04 PM EST

The mountain climber thingy. Don't know why, I guess I just always wanted to see the guy fall off of the top of the mountain.

Chestnuts roasted by a piece of milk @ 01/19/2005 12:22 PM EST

I was just one theforce.net, and they posted a story and link about the C-3PO's article you did a few days ago. I was surprised to see it, and thought it was cool since I saw it here first!

Chestnuts roasted by Y2JB78 @ 01/19/2005 12:45 PM EST

Okay so I'm a day late. But congrats on your contribution to Toy Fare, Matt! Where I work, Toy Fare is one of our clients, so we get the magazine all the time here. I'll be sure to look out for the issue with your words in it! I think you should definitely put a "real life" section up on your website. With all these damn reality shows I think a section on the site would not only be trendy but far more interesting then the load of crap on T.V. Okay Price is Right games...Plinko, that one with the guy climbing the mountain that yodels (can't remember the name of it offhand and don't even know if it's still on). The race game (just to see the people run like morons only to find none of the prices match the product ) and the big wheel of course midway through the show. I love when Bob Barker starts talking slower as the wheel slows down "I.... see.... in... Marcia's... future 25 CENTS!" By the way, Matt, are you going to see Spamalot on Broadway with TIM CURRY?? You know I'll be there.

Chestnuts roasted by Melissa Y. @ 01/19/2005 01:19 PM EST

Cliff Hanger. Because I love the yodeling sounds when the little dude ascends the mountain.

Chestnuts roasted by Pedro @ 01/19/2005 01:57 PM EST

B-WARE 2005

Chestnuts roasted by ME @ 01/19/2005 02:56 PM EST

Price is Right makes comeing into
work a bit better in the morning.
Specialy since I'm a manager of a CBS affiliate tv station. My favorite game is the one where you get 7 bucks and have to guess numbers in the price of the car. If your wrong you have to give Bob the difference from your 7 bucks. Then if you have atleast 1 buck left at the end you win the car. Strange I can't remember the name of the game when I watch the show everyday.

Chestnuts roasted by aodfan @ 01/19/2005 02:57 PM EST

Did anyone else ever think the showcase showdowns were ridiculous. I mean you would expect it to be like Wheel of Fortune where you know what it is while the contestants are still guessing the letter "Q", and I mean it's kind of like that, but the depressing part is sometimes people bid ludicrous amounts on really crappy prizes. Not only that, but sometimes they win. Do people really want a trip to Armenian Samoa that badly? And after wave after wave of REALLY good prizes (well at least moderately not sucky prizes) bidding on a trailer or a vacation to somewhere I really could care less about going is kind of a let down after sort of the frantic excitement of before.

And what's with the creepy way he tells everybody to get their pets spayed or neutered? Why does he care so much? You don't see Pat (I think that's his name) or Vanna doing this. Does he get paid to say this? Why, I ask, WHY?!!

Chestnuts roasted by BigWangGlick @ 01/19/2005 03:56 PM EST

Plinko rocks! I tried to make my own Plinko board once, and it didn't quite work. I also liked the game Safe Crackers when I was a kid, but that's probably because of the Pink Panther-esque music they used to play. Does anyone remember the game Professor Price? It only was played a few times in the 70s, but what a whacked out game! For some reason, I used to laugh when people hit their head on the big wheel though! Terrible, I know!

Chestnuts roasted by jolie @ 01/19/2005 04:04 PM EST

It's a Price is Right question. I'm coming on down, biatch...

Plinko is my absolute favourite. I get kind of rowdy during it too. When I buy my own home, I'd like to build a Plinko board, or have one constructed, right in my backyard. That would hike the value of the home ten fold, no doubt.

I enjoy Hole in One (or Two). Barker does get visually pissed off if he misses a shot. That's what makes it fun.

I like the Punch Game, but not as much as Mountain Climber. Yodel-lay-he-hoo, man. Yodel. Lay. He. Hoo. I do find it kind of cruel that every time someone loses in that game, the mountain climber has to fall off and die. He knows what's on the other side, but he keeps on doing it. Well, he's not real of course, but I know I'd be angry if I died because some middle-aged woman from the Midwest overestimated the price of a toaster.

Chestnuts roasted by Dr. Acula @ 01/19/2005 04:17 PM EST

What a coincidence. Matt mentioned Fruit by the Fruit and I was eating one while reading this.

Definitely Plinko. Also the Punchboard. One Away. Range Finder. Mountain Climber.

AOD: You're thinking of Lucky 7. That is my least favorite game.

I've also always wondered how big the wheel is.

Chestnuts roasted by JLAJRC @ 01/19/2005 04:25 PM EST

that one game with the guy that climbs that mountain and yodels. i like that one.

Chestnuts roasted by zombone @ 01/19/2005 06:47 PM EST

Matt,

You have some of the best jobs ever! I'd kill to get to write the kind of things that you write for a living. I guess this is why I need to get my own site up soon, so that I can get some exposure. However, the plans for it have been postponed. Last semester was too busy, and this semester I think I'm gonna wait until I finish my graphic design class, along with with my entire university education (yep, I'm graduating this semester).

However, for my editing class, we will be designing, editing, and publishing an underground online magazine for my school in which a couple of my articles will be published. Yay!

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 01/19/2005 06:55 PM EST

Hey, Matt, you and I should collaborate and put out the best action figure magazine ever! I've written three articles for Lee's Toy Review. One was about Battle Beasts, the other was about Rock Lords, and the other one was Wizard World Philly coverage. Then we wouldn't dedicate half the magazine to freakin' Marvel Legends and DC Direct! We get it Toyfare! You think they're great! Get over it!

I really like the dice game on TPIR because it always involves a car and you can win pretty easily. Hole in One (or Two) is pretty awesome because I like miniature golf. I HATE Plinko, it's way too random. I also like that Punchboard game, you can usually win some good money with that one.

Chestnuts roasted by Darth Monkey @ 01/19/2005 08:00 PM EST

Oh...right...favorite Price Is Right game. Umm...I've always been a fan of Plinko myself. It's fun watching those discs make their journey down to the slots. I've always got my fingers crossed whenever a disc starts getting close to the jackpot.

Chestnuts roasted by Nate @ 01/19/2005 08:33 PM EST

Way to go Matt! Will look forward to seeing your work in Toy Fare.

Chestnuts roasted by Fast Framin Tessa @ 01/19/2005 08:36 PM EST

My favorite Has to be the mountin yodeling guy, as a kid I would bust up watching him jump the cliff . Gramma was an avid price is right watcher.
Someone was talking about Double Dare, that show was great. They need to bring it back again for the grownups who would do that stuff, that slide looked awesomely fun to climb and go down. lol

Chestnuts roasted by Fast Framin Tessa @ 01/19/2005 08:41 PM EST

Mountain climber is one of my favorites. How can you beat that yodel music they play in the background???

Chestnuts roasted by flygrl358 @ 01/19/2005 10:05 PM EST

Matt in ToyFare? Congrats! I'll be looking for that issue..

Chestnuts roasted by Review the World @ 01/20/2005 06:22 AM EST

congrats on being in the magazine matt! as for price is right, i've always been partial to plinko as well

Chestnuts roasted by dawn @ 01/20/2005 09:20 AM EST

BigWangGlick,
Bob Barker is a VERY big supporter of animal rights so that's why he's always mentioning it on the show. God bless him, I say. People DON'T spay and neuter their pets hence why we're currently feeding 3 or 4 stray cats outside my home and I own 5 myself that came from outside. Besides, I'd rather see Bob hawking animal rights than hitting on the models on the show and hearing about the lawsuits later from Holly and all those other clones.

Chestnuts roasted by Melissa Y. @ 01/20/2005 09:33 AM EST

What I like about Punchboard is hw Bob would get ready to open the slip of paper to read whatever big money amount was on there, then ask the contestant things like how many kids they have, or if they've been enjoying L.A. so far. On a good day, he gets the whole studio screaming.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 01/20/2005 11:54 AM EST

What is it with Plinko? That's my favorite too. For me, though, I think part of it has to do with the stairs. Any game that involves multiple stories has to be cool. I've also been fond of the one with the huge checkbook. I know that's one of the lamest games to like, but something about that mammoth checkbook mesmerizes me.

Chestnuts roasted by Lori @ 01/20/2005 01:07 PM EST

The Blank Check game is great, because it is very simple, and people somehow need it explained several times to understand it. Maybe they were expecting Switcheroo or Hole in One (or Two!) and blank out on writing checks. I know I would, but my math skills suck.

Chestnuts roasted by kingklash @ 01/20/2005 01:44 PM EST

Hi all!

Been reading for a while, but this is my first post. Favorite Pricing games.. Definitely Plinko and Punch A Bunch!

Chestnuts roasted by JW @ 01/20/2005 05:41 PM EST

I like Plinko. However, I also have a fondness for the game where the contestant has to ask "Ladies, do I have one number right?" and then one of the Beauties honks the horn if they did.

Chestnuts roasted by JGArtnchicken @ 01/20/2005 08:42 PM EST

haha, i watch tpir every day at work. the new game called "half off" is pretty good. you have to pick the box with money in it.

Chestnuts roasted by mikey @ 01/21/2005 02:12 PM EST

Golden road baby, which other price is right games can you win a motorhome, sport utility vehichle and a trip to brazil.

Chestnuts roasted by Diarrhea Dave @ 01/22/2005 09:45 PM EST

werd i got a subscription to toyfare, and i noticed you wrote some poop in there. good deal

Chestnuts roasted by aaron @ 01/23/2005 02:48 PM EST

oh and i love that yodeling game
i could listen to that all damn day

Chestnuts roasted by aaron @ 01/23/2005 02:49 PM EST

Fast Framin Tessa...Nick DID bring it back...as Double Dare 2000 in 2000. The problem was that it sucked so very much, killing any chance for another resurrection. Maybe because Marc Summers didn't host it?

Oh, and my favorite game is/was/will always be Plinko!

Chestnuts roasted by Invader Norbert @ 01/24/2005 03:56 PM EST

I concur with the general love for Plinko and Yodeler Guy. However, when Double Dare was mentioned it gave me a flashback to sitting around the lunch table in 4th grade and disputing whether or not we would try to finish the obstacle course or just sit there eating the junk. I would personally pass up a pair of British Knights for a chance to slurp up the Sundae Slide. I would, however, pass on the Booger Nose.

Chestnuts roasted by Jillybeann @ 01/24/2005 08:57 PM EST

Plinko. Gotta be Plinko.

Chestnuts roasted by Rosella @ 01/25/2005 06:52 PM EST

I watched it when I was young so...anything wuth bright colours and flashing lights...which makes it all of those games. That beehive one had me screaming out prices though.

Chestnuts roasted by bitsy&roary @ 02/03/2005 01:49 PM EST