I just watched Identity, starring Vegas headliner, Penn Jillette. If you've missed the promos, it's one of the new breed of game shows where quiz questions and word play have been replaced by guess work along the lines of Deal or No Deal, which incidentally stars another Vegas headliner, Howie Mandel.
Whereas DoND is 100% guessing (pick a number, any number) and its appeal relies on the cojonas of the contestant as well as the sexy briefcase girls, Identity is a mind game of perception. In fact, the producers bill it as the ultimate mind game. The contestant on Identity must match 12 strangers with a list of 12 occupations based on deductive reasoning, first impressions and the wardrobe and body language of the strangers.
TV critics from prestigious rags like NY Times and the Washington Post actually delve into some socio-political crap while denouncing the show, but what would you expect? In all of the pompous and circumstance, I do appreciate the Times' shout out to classic shows like 'What's My Line' and Kitty Carlisle, but I think that's just because the reviewer needed to get the piece over 600 words.
It's a little silly to go that deep into analysis so I'll just say it's a good game show. I'm not ready to place it in the same time slot as Sale of the Century or any show with Bill Cullen, but it's definitely a better way to spend an hour in front of the television vs. back-to-back Will & Grace reruns. (Save the hate mail, I like Will & Grace, but holy Rachel Ray, does it really need to be on 12 times a day?)
I could still hold a grudge against Penn. He knocked me and Robin Tunney out of the World Series of Poker Celebrity-Media Tourney in the same hand. He was just calling our all-ins with a 5-4 off-suit because he was trying to make it to his show at the Rio on time. However, the donkey call was forgiven because it was at that table that I was able to witness something that puts the 'Fabulous' in the 'Welcome to Vegas' sign. This picture of him with tourist was taken just moments before he stole my poker identity.
Penn and Vegas performer, Gerry McCambridge, had a short, philosophical debate about their jobs. Penn is an illusionist and comedian while Gerry is a mentalist. Here is the table chatter just before Gerry got knocked out of the tourney.
Penn: I'm just fundamentally opposed to everything you stand for, it's an act.
Gerry: It's not an act.
Penn: Have you ever seen my show, 'Bullshit?'
Gerry: Yeah, yeah.
Fletch: If you are a mentalist, why are you not doing better in the tournament?.
Robin: True.
I just realized two things: 1) Identity and poker use some of the same skills and 2) I have officially digressed off topic. I'll stop now, before this ends in some dissection of game theory, Global Thermonuclear War and '80s cinema.
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