We've all been there. It's late at night, and you're totally wired and all you want to do is watch something on television that you normally wouldn't find entertaining, but at this particular moment your brain is just slightly out to lunch so it's willing to view something below your usual acceptance level. TBS apparently hopes to tap into the bored insomniac market with a new viewer participation game show called Midnight Money Madness, which kicks off at midnight (natch) on August 28. The show will have two versions, one East coast and one West coast, and will allow the people at home to play the games by calling in, or text messaging, or whatever. There will also be occasional comedians and man-on-the street segments. That doesn't sound even remotely interesting to me, but that's because it's only early evening as I type this. Tonight when I'm still awake and bored with watching Betty Boop cartoons on my video iPod, the show may actually be the only thing saving me from absolute boredom. This is either a really dumb idea or an ingenious one, I haven't figured out which.Midnight Money Madness coming to TBS
We've all been there. It's late at night, and you're totally wired and all you want to do is watch something on television that you normally wouldn't find entertaining, but at this particular moment your brain is just slightly out to lunch so it's willing to view something below your usual acceptance level. TBS apparently hopes to tap into the bored insomniac market with a new viewer participation game show called Midnight Money Madness, which kicks off at midnight (natch) on August 28. The show will have two versions, one East coast and one West coast, and will allow the people at home to play the games by calling in, or text messaging, or whatever. There will also be occasional comedians and man-on-the street segments. That doesn't sound even remotely interesting to me, but that's because it's only early evening as I type this. Tonight when I'm still awake and bored with watching Betty Boop cartoons on my video iPod, the show may actually be the only thing saving me from absolute boredom. This is either a really dumb idea or an ingenious one, I haven't figured out which.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
8-16-2006 @ 12:53PM
Alex Davis said...
If you want to see this, just watch Playmania, starting at 1AM Thursdays through Saturday latenight, or next week Thursday through Sundays latenight at midnight. It could be better, but it's entertaining for what it is.
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8-29-2006 @ 12:33AM
Tammy said...
I don't think you should have a 900 # because not everyone can call 900. Just give a area code and phone # and then more people can call in. My service does not allow 900 calls and I couldn't call. I would have been able to answer all the questions so far, but because my phone server does not allow 900 calls. Thanks
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8-29-2006 @ 12:43AM
Tonio said...
I'm playing now as well, and I can't call in. I have been doing it for free so far, using the website. They called me, and I waited on hold, but then they disconnected me. Oh well. Oh, and I can't call either due to 900 number restrictions.
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8-29-2006 @ 1:41AM
Rosanne said...
I also can't call in because of the 900 # think it should be available to all to do if going to air it at all. How do you do it online??
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8-29-2006 @ 1:54AM
Jshend said...
I have tried all three methods of playing and got nothing.. Can't call the 900 #. the text messages are slow and even after texting no reply. then on the website i have not received any of the registration emails...
don't think it is at all right to broadcast to everyone and then not everyone be able to play...
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8-29-2006 @ 1:55AM
leah said...
i have been trying to call. i always get the voice machine and it tells me to hold on, i get charged and then i get disconnected. it happened probably more than 20 times already. what am i doing wrong? my number is 701-594-9162. i know who the answer to the latest question (who visited the show).
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8-29-2006 @ 1:55AM
leah said...
i have been trying to call. I get the voice machine. it tells me to hold on and then i get disconnected. what's up with that? how do i call? help pls!!!
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8-29-2006 @ 2:10AM
Lex said...
Well, this was interesting. I just finished watching the show. Seems like it's not going very well so far. For starters, I tried to call in but my cell phone doesn't support 900 numbers so that was a bust. I take it that you call in and wait for a phone call. It also seems that even if they don't call you, you have just wasted a buck doing something totally moronic. It should be free. The purpose of a tv show is to get people to watch and participation is something that would attract viewers, but not if they have to pay for it. What was it, like 4 grand they gave away total? I'm sure they made much more on the commericals that played for those 2 hours. It's not like they need to make money, but it seems like a money pit for these blind callers who just want to make a quick buck. Even after that this show sucked. The male co-host was an idiot and annoying to watch and the woman was so out of it, it was comical. Did they even try to pilot this show on a test audience? Did they even crunch the numbers? I would be suprised if this show lasts a month. That is assuming TBS doesn't scratch it off right this second.
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8-29-2006 @ 2:16AM
jason said...
OH MY GOD!
Did everyone see how that idiot british chick just blew the end of that show? That was one of the most uncomfotable endings in TV history lol.
She asked the lasy what her name was and when she said "elaine" the dumb british blinde yelled out NO thats the wrong answer, next caller! The answer they were looking for was Phylliss Diller, but the chick cut her off for giving her own name? What an idiot. You could see how unfumfortable the guy was at that point LOL. IM sitting here wathing again on my Tive, what a buncha idiots....
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8-29-2006 @ 3:35AM
kh said...
soooooooooooooooooooo embarrassing....it's like a saturday night live skit that doesn't work and goes on for an hour. it's so hard to believe this isn't a joke. i feel like i'm wattching a train wreck...hard to look away....so painful...
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8-29-2006 @ 6:12AM
Dean said...
I feel like an idiot for texting 3 times durring that first 15 minutes thinking "Wow, I have to get through now, I'm the only person on the western seaboard that knows the answer is Mark Wahlberg! Man I am so gunna win that $100, oh wow, since no one has gotten through its $200 now, Oh fuck it, I'm calling now. Oh no, someone got through before me.... Oh good, he said Mark Feldberg and got it wrong. I better call again, they just raised it to $500!!!" Fucking SCAM! That whole network is even more crafty and after quick bucks then those annoying ringtone and wallpaper companies that give you a "Free" ringtone once u agree by text to pay $9.99 a month, except theyre playing off the ignorance of people calling that 1-(900) number thinking they really got cut off by a real operator and could win if they call another 100 times and finally do get through. At least make the first episode and question on this "game show" feature REAL callers with Real Time reactions. Even though I could sense the whole show was fake after noone called in durring that first 10 minutes, I still got suckered in anyways cuz of those damn Hosts saying "no one's called in yet". TBS SHAME ON YOU!!! I say we all CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT THEM for our tens of dollars we spent thinking we would actually be on the air live as soon as we dialed when it turns out the official rules website (http://www.tbs.com/stories/story/0,,81345,00.html) says "Participants will be randomly selected by the Producer from among all eligible Registrants." So calling in as soon as they give a new question thinking your the first and therefore the winning caller is futile.
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8-30-2006 @ 2:20AM
Bitch ad meh at byes_4u@yahoo.ca bitchessss said...
LMFAO THIS SHOW WAS MAKIN ME WANAN GO STEAL A PHONE FROM SOME 1 TO TEXT EM BUT NOW I READ ALL THIS I C THEY R GEY AND I WAS JUST WATCHING IT AND THEY SAID A QUEEN AND HAD UP THERE DAIRYQUEEN AND THE GURL FROM BUETYSHOP1 THAT BIG FAT BLACKCHICK LMAO THAT WAS GEY SHE AINT EVEN A FUCKIN QUEEN THAT WAS STARTING O GET BORING AND I LOOKED THA SITE UP SO THAT WAS A WEIRED SHOW BUT KINDA COOL,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,IF I EVBER WIN OFFCOURSE I WANNID TO WIN THAT 6600 DOLLERS LAST QUESTION HE SAID BIG BLACK NICEBODY ITS LIKE HE WAS HITTING ON HER WITH A PICTURE LAMO AND THAT GUT HOLDING THE ICECREAM...LOOKED LIKE HE WANNID TO SICK THE HOLE THING IN LIKE A VACCUUM LMAO HE WAS STARRING AT IT GOOD :))
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8-30-2006 @ 2:23AM
Levi said...
Yeah, what i joke. But like everyone else i had to try. I tried Texting because i also couldnt call. I texted and of course got a response asking me to play. When i typed one the prewritten responses for HELP i didnt get any....then i gave my answer expecting a quick repsonse... i didnt so i sent STOP and it responded that i had been deleted from the system. I hope that didnt cost me too! But then it sent me another text asking me to play....sooo i sent STOP again...same response. 1 1/2 HOURS LATER I GOT ANOTHER TEXT! Saying that i should "choose my responses to questions carefully and that if i was choosen for the lounge i would be called in the next 30 sec". Heck No! I WAS ASLEEP and didnt even know what was going on in the show! so again i sent STOP! same response and yet another text, Again STOP! SAME RESPONSE saying i had been deleted from the system. What a load! Although i gotta give it up to TBS for scaming all of their veiwers and making themselves very rich off of the thousands of people who probably conntacted them. Maybe a "boycot" of TBS would teach them to steal from their public thinking they could get away with it!
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8-30-2006 @ 11:14AM
Scottie said...
Here I was thinking I was the only person watching this show because no one was calling in. I went to call the 900# and realized I was unable to call the 900# myself and that's probably why!!! This is rediculous!!! Even the texts I sent, I did recieve responses, but no one ever called back after the 30 seconds, those texts cost money!!! Something needs to be done about this. I better Not get charged for those texts that were part of a SCAM!!!
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8-31-2006 @ 12:52AM
cori said...
so my boyfriend and i knew the answer for $500 and we tried the 900# then we sent the text and they sent one back and we sent the y back and they sent nothing...we both started yelling at the tv. we want our money back....how rude.
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8-31-2006 @ 1:09AM
Nancy Israels said...
I think this is a sort of scam, too. They take thousands of call to make the 99 cents per call or text, but 99.9% of the people who call in don't get past the lounge. I've tried texting, but never gotten a call within 30 seconds, and the website always says it is experiencing "technical difficulties". I live in California, where 900 calls to this studio don't work. I don't understand how this program gets away with it!
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8-31-2006 @ 1:16AM
Kellie said...
OMG i totally agree with some people. i have not got an acctivation thing for my account and i am so pissed and wasted so much money. what a scam
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8-31-2006 @ 1:17AM
REV. GREG STEVENSON said...
DO YO HAVE TO HAVE A MIKE HOOKED UP?
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8-31-2006 @ 3:50AM
chuckieB said...
I agree with just about"EVERY COMMENT"!!!made about this game uh sorry SCAM SHOW,I live in "chi town" and I can't get through no way I try,900? no way no how,text msg? no way no how,infact when I try to text the reply I get back is recipient has no message service. Tell me somthing people...did I forget to read the MOTHER F...ING FINE PRINT?!!!
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8-31-2006 @ 10:12PM
teresa said...
I was flippin the channels last night when i came across a show that i had mistaken for a skit from SNL or Mad t.v. I started watching it and thought maybe i could win a little money. But of course i sat and watched it for a little while and realized this can't be true. As I continued to watch I thought well for 99 cents, if it is true I could make a little money. So I decided to play. Do you people have any idea how many people now a days don't have a home or land line phone? Therefore not able to make a 900# call. I myself have only a cell phone and like most u can not make 900# calls on them. I tried to text and kept having problems. I messed with it for about 15 mins and was totally pissed by the time the show ended. My daughter also tried to use our computer with no luck. By all rights I should have won about $1500 bucks last night. It seems as if no one knows any of the names to Madonna's songs but me for christ sakes. What the hell? Shes an american icon!!! Grandmothers know the names of her songs. I mean come on, the questions are too easy and most everyone should know them. For TBS to make it look like no one was calling in because the questions were stumpers is totally wrong. It gives people the impression that they can win if they only spend a buck. Well TBS,the way I see it your station owes me about 99 cents. And I'll make sure I tell everyone i know that this show is a scam. One last question to Ted Turner. Did your accountant call and say hey Ted you have to find a way to give away a little money because you have too much? And you thought hell i don't wanna do that so I'll charge 99 cents to make it back. Hell if you do that the you could make at least a million to every $2000 You give away. No wonder Jane divorced you. You are a jackass!! Is your alomony costing you that much? Oh and TBS shows suck anyway. Ted, how could your "people" ever approve a crazy show like this? Maybe if it's changed a little you could have a hit. And just a suggestion, get rid of the stupid hosts of the shows. They must be retarded!!! Look for this scam on the news people of america.
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