Cast: Brad Sherwood, Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, Ryan Stiles, and Drew Carey

Weird Newscasters: Brad = anchor; Colin = world's most tactless man; Wayne = RuPaul; Ryan = uncontrollable attraction to a different person every 10 seconds
I liked Brad's name even though I can't remember it right now. I do remember liking it though. Colin was very convincing because I don't normally think of him as tactless. I haven't seen enough RuPaul to know for sure if Wayne was giving a good impression or not. But I really liked what he did. I liked how his whole face seemed to change. One of the first times I've actually seen Wayne do that. He also responded well to Colin's interjection. Ryan's ten-second attraction was the highlight. First Colin, who responded so well, looking at his watch, knowing that the attraction would last ten seconds. Then Brad. Then Wayne getting ready and eager to be attracted to with Ryan rejecting him. Nice counterplay, Ryan. Then Ryan attracted to himself in the camera. And then that poor production man. (Do you think that was Dan Patterson?¹) I say "poor". I personally wouldn't mind being THAT kind of poor! Did you hear Ryan laughing after Brad announced that he was in love with the weatherman? When we see Ryan back in position, he's covering his mouth to keep from laughing on camera, I think.

Film Dub: planning a 5-year-old's party; Ryan, Brad, and Colin
I can skip Film Dub, which is a game that never thrills me. I think I miss watching the guys act while this game is going on. There wasn't anything overly wrong with this one. It's just the game itself that I don't like. Did you notice that Brad dropped into his Regis Philbin voice?

Questionable Impressions: on a freeway; all four
I loved how Brad started his Jimmy Stewart early and Ryan nearly died from laughter. No one in the cast seems to like to play Questionable Impressions, but each one loves to watch others play. There are people who really dislike this game. But it's one of my favorites. I think it's fun to watch the non-players truly enjoying themselves. It's one of the few games where they seem to be able to cut loose, drop the professional act, and just laugh at the entertainment for a few moments. This game has always gotten my giggle motor going.

Narrate: at the barbershop
Colin got this game off to a good start with the 6'5" tall joke. (4'2" when he's naked! Clever.) Then Ryan cuts Colin in the throat with his razor. And Colin using telekinesis to stop the bleeding????? Question: didn't Ryan give everyone "a shot of the green stuff" that he keeps the combs in during a UK WLiiA barbershop game of Fixed Expressions? Finally, with Ryan spinning Colin in the chair to send him off to Switzerland (sorta like a rocket launcher, I guess). Did you notice Ryan's expression when Colin started turning the wrong way first, then Colin tried to cover it up by making it seem like a wind-up? And didn't Colin look a little dizzy walking back to his chair?

Greatest Hits: Songs of the Plumber; Ryan and Colin sell; Brad and Wayne sing
Was Ryan and Colin funnier than Brad and Wayne?? Probably. But that might be my Ryan and Colin bias showing. But Ryan and Colin were good; ya' gotta give me that. First, Colin imitating Ryan, and Ryan catching him. The Colin's soon-to-be classic line, "What happened to you?" I like their by-play. Did you notice — as far as I can tell, both Brad and Wayne played Mick Jagger during the first song. I can't guess whom else they were imitating.

90 Second Alphabet: Drew, Colin, and Ryan are watching their winning lottery numbers come up
This was one of their better 90 Second Alphabet games. I don't remember any long pauses. They stuck to the plot line. And they were funny. I don't know if the name mix-ups were an intentional gag. Some were; some weren't, I think. But I thought they were funny especially Colin's which I'm sure were intentional. Did you notice that they missed the letter L?

Credits: Wayne and Ryan on the freeway
Another freeway setting? Interesting editing job there, production team. Pretty standard US credit reading.

Best game:
Hmm, nothing stands tall above the rest; so I'll give a tie to Weird Newscasters and Greatest Hits.

Overall comments:
This episode is more of a chuckler than a laugher. But it does have its highlights. I'll rewatch it, but not as often as other ones.

© LKK 09/18/00

Footnotes:
¹ Now that I've been to some tapings, I can answer my own question about who Ryan hugged during Weird Newscasters. I had speculated the person was producer Dan Patterson. I was wrong. The man was Keith Richmond, the stage manager.

© LKK 08/17/02