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00:00Get ready for a game-changer, tonight's guests.
00:08Disco meets Swamp Pop, it's Zach Reno.
00:13Hauntology meets Euphoric Frenchcore, it's Ross Bryant.
00:20Doo-Wop meets Psychedelic Soul, it's Rushon Scott.
00:26On piano, Aaron Wilson.
00:30And your host to me, I've been here the whole time.
00:35This is Game Changer, the only game show where the game changes every show.
00:41I am your host, Sam Reich.
00:43I am joined today by these three lovely contestants.
00:48Now, you all understand how the game works.
00:50I've been told very little.
00:52That's right, our players have no idea what game it is they're about to play.
00:55The only way to learn is by playing.
00:58The only way to win is by learning.
01:00And the only way to begin is by beginning.
01:02So without further ado, let's begin.
01:05Players, how about some karaoke?
01:08Okay, all right.
01:10You have the rights for that?
01:11No!
01:12Okay.
01:13Nico, if you could bring out the binder, please.
01:16And go ahead and hand that to Zach.
01:19Oh, boy.
01:20Now, in the style of real oddness to goodness karaoke, Zach,
01:24that binder is full of over 100 props.
01:29Sweet Lord.
01:30Artists that exist, but songs that don't.
01:34Okay.
01:35Feel free to take your time selecting one, and once you have one,
01:39I'm going to ask you to read me the code.
01:42There's so many good ones.
01:44The code is 1420.
01:47You got it, Zach.
01:49Frank Sinatra's 1,000 Hellos.
01:56And take it away.
02:00Whenever you're ready, Zach.
02:04Fantastic.
02:06Street in New York City, a rainy blustery day.
02:16People walking down and people going upstairs
02:20and people making their way.
02:23And I park myself in the lobby and sit in a big purple chair.
02:31And I wave at all the strangers that come into the room
02:35and people say, who's that there?
02:38And I say, hello, lady with the bird.
02:42And hi, fellow with the ugly hat.
02:46And hey, hola to you, you foreign traveler.
02:51What do you think of that?
02:53And they say, why are you here in this chair all day?
02:59And I say, nobody knows except for me, the man of 1,000 hellos.
03:09The 1,000 hellos.
03:13Zach.
03:14Don't forget to say au revoir.
03:18My god.
03:20Old blue eyes.
03:23I love the idea that if Frank Sinatra had lived long enough,
03:26he'd be one of those old men down in the lobbies of New York City apartment buildings
03:31just greeting people.
03:32He just needs the spotlight.
03:34Gosh, I think I'm going to say three points for you.
03:38I think all of them.
03:39Zach, you may go ahead and hand the binder over to Russ.
03:42There's literally so many.
03:46I'm going to go with 1429.
03:49Excellent choice.
03:50Russ.
03:52Macklemore is hashtag global warming.
03:57I mean, good luck, Aaron.
03:59Oh, yeah.
04:04Wake up.
04:05Have you noticed that it's getting hotter?
04:07Well, I got something to say about it.
04:09Seattle, who's with me?
04:12Pacific Northwest, stand up.
04:16From the moment now to a moment later, you might have noticed that things are getting hotter than the equator.
04:22Yeah, it seems that animals disappear as the temperature keeps rising every year.
04:27Yeah, you know, sometimes it seems surprising the way the temperature and the mercury is rising.
04:33Why is it?
04:34How did it come to pass?
04:35Maybe it was the greenhouse gases.
04:37Hashtag global warming.
04:40Did you know we gave you warning?
04:43Hashtag global warming.
04:45Don't you know that we gave you warning?
04:48It's getting drastic.
04:50Are you people deposing microplastics?
04:53Yeah, with all that motion, a huge trash island in the center of the ocean.
04:58Every single thing you got in the store, a bunch of things you never had before.
05:03But it's true.
05:04The global warming crisis is about to come due.
05:07Hashtag global warming.
05:10Yeah, you know we gave you warning.
05:12Hashtag global warming.
05:15We tried to give you warning.
05:17Seattle, stand up.
05:21My God!
05:23Don't use straws, y'all.
05:26What is happening in the studio here today?
05:29Putting me in a tough position here, Ross.
05:31I think I'm going to say four points.
05:34I would have said that.
05:35Ooh, this competition is heating up.
05:39Rishon, take a look at that big red binder.
05:44Here you go.
05:45And let me know what sticks out to you.
05:47Okay.
05:48So many good ones.
05:51I know which one I'd like.
05:53I would love 1452.
05:55Coming right up.
05:58Tina Turner's front row seats.
06:02Oh, yeah.
06:03Hot damn.
06:10I waited all day for Ticketmaster to refresh my page.
06:15Wanted to see my favorite artist and throw me in a rage.
06:21I waited all day long to get that special spot.
06:26And when I clicked purchase, it was right there on the dot.
06:30I had first row seats to a major artist show.
06:35I won't tell you specifically, but baby, you've got to know
06:40I had those front row seats.
06:43I got sweat upon my brow.
06:46I got front row seats.
06:49Look at me now.
06:51Hot damn!
06:53Damn.
06:54The level of talent in the studio today is off the fucking charts.
07:01Sweet lord.
07:02And Aaron, I mean, what a challenge you've been given today.
07:05Way to jump through these hoops.
07:07Wait, I'm going to save four points for you as well.
07:10For sure.
07:11Zach, the binder is back at you.
07:14I really dislike actual karaoke, but I really like this.
07:19If karaoke was this, I would be there every week.
07:21I would go a lot more.
07:23Let's do 1414.
07:241414, you got it.
07:31The cymbal pie by Coldplay.
07:35I thought that was TT.
07:42I found a number, I didn't know that it was a number
07:47Because it looked like a symbol to me
07:53I put it on my paper, and I handed it to the teacher
07:58I said it's a number, and he said yes
08:00And it starts with three
08:04It's a number that goes on forever
08:10It's a number only conceptually
08:153.14 other stuff comes after
08:20But basically it's a little more than three
08:25In a second
08:33Get that whale in there!
08:35Fuck yes!
08:37I loved that.
08:39Thanks, Sam.
08:40I think I'm going to save four points for you as well.
08:42Okay.
08:43I would have also accepted 3.14.
08:46It's only appropriate.
08:48Ross, we're back at you.
08:49I have a feeling you may know what you want to do next.
08:52I saw something with my little eye that made me excited.
08:561453.
09:00Tom Waits' Story of Sisyphus.
09:05And the crowd goes wild with recognition.
09:09Oh, hell yeah!
09:16Abandon all hope, ye who enter here
09:21Above the gates of hell
09:25Who's that rolling a rock over there?
09:29No man can tell
09:33Offended the gods when he was alive
09:38So they had to kill
09:42And now old man Sisyphus
09:45Just keeps rolling that stone up a hill
09:49Because what goes up
09:52Has got to come down
09:56Down in Hadestown
10:00Yeah!
10:03Ross!
10:05Holy shit!
10:07Wow.
10:08I mean, yeah, Ross.
10:10Like, credit where credit is due.
10:12That was a very good Tom Waits.
10:14Thanks. I hope you don't want me to sing again.
10:17Five points for you, Ross.
10:20Last prompt of round one.
10:22Cool.
10:23I think Aaron has the most points, actually.
10:24Aaron's actually, under the radar, been scoring ten points for every round.
10:28Okay.
10:29I know what I want.
10:30She knows what she wants.
10:31I'll have 14-0-4.
10:34Coming right up.
10:39Aretha Franklin's eye candy.
10:43Oh, boy!
10:49When I saw you at the shopping mall
10:53I said, damn, those shorts are pretty short
10:57Young man, you're shopping for the love in your life
11:02I see something on my list that I'm gonna like
11:07You are some eye candy
11:11And I've got a sweet tooth
11:16You've got some eye candy
11:21And I see forsooth
11:25I will ruin your life
11:28With all my love and affection
11:32I'll be in your teeth
11:33Like a sugar infection
11:36You're some eye candy
11:40And I could use a bite
11:42Yes, I could use a bite
11:45I could use a bite
11:48I could use a bite
11:53Blush on!
11:55What are we, like, remaking a history up here?
11:58That's basically what we're doing.
12:00Five points for you.
12:02I mean, thank you.
12:05That brings us to our first minigame, Players Unrelated.
12:10I'm trying to develop a new logo for Game Changer.
12:15So I have some logos to show you.
12:18I was wondering if you could give me some creative feedback.
12:21What do you think about this logo?
12:24Ross?
12:25I mean, it is good, but it's very similar to the Beatles.
12:28It is similar to the Beatles logo.
12:31Oh, no.
12:32That is a good point, Ross.
12:35Yeah, the Fab Four kind of already has that kind of locked up.
12:39And so that is a point for you.
12:42Players, what do you think about this logo?
12:46Ross again.
12:48It's crazy that this box isn't heart-shaped
12:50because I'm pretty sure that's the Nirvana logo.
12:53It is the Nirvana logo.
12:55And that is another point for Ross.
12:59What do you think about this logo?
13:01Rashaan?
13:02It's too much like Queen's logo.
13:03It is.
13:04I knew that looked familiar.
13:06That's a point for Rashaan.
13:08What do you think about this logo?
13:10Ross?
13:11Never mind what people might say,
13:14but I'm pretty sure that that's the Sex Pistols logo.
13:17It is the Sex Pistols logo.
13:20Well done, Ross.
13:21That's a point for you.
13:23Players, what do you think about this logo?
13:27Zach?
13:28Now, I like this,
13:30but it doesn't have enough A's, C's, D's, or C's in it.
13:37Bravo, Zach.
13:39That is a point for you.
13:41Players, what do you think about this logo?
13:45Rashaan?
13:46I mean, it's cute.
13:47I like the background and the font and stuff,
13:48but it's a lot like Metallica.
13:50It is a lot like Metallica.
13:51That is a good point, Rashaan, giving you that point.
13:54Players, what do you think about this logo?
13:58Rashaan?
14:00You know, it's a little bit too like the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
14:04That one is too much like the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
14:07Zach?
14:08It looked like a hospital.
14:11What do you think about this logo?
14:14Ross?
14:15I mean, it's crazy that you did this.
14:17Over and over again, over and over.
14:20Like, I don't want to close my eyes to this logo.
14:24I think this is Aerosmith.
14:25It is Aerosmith.
14:27This is the wrong one to copy.
14:28Players, what do you think about this logo?
14:33It's scary, Sam.
14:36It's corny, Sam.
14:37It's posh, Sam.
14:38It's just a spice rack of logo,
14:41but I think it's a bit too much like the Spice Girls logo.
14:44Oof.
14:45I did a photo shoot for this one.
14:47What a bummer.
14:50Players, what do you think about this logo?
14:54Ross?
14:55I got to give it to you.
14:56This is tricky.
14:57It is.
14:58I think this is Run-DMC.
15:00It is Run-DMC.
15:01It is Run-DMC.
15:03Damn.
15:04Good one, Ross.
15:05Players, what do you think about this logo?
15:08Zach?
15:10So this one looks a lot like a guitar, Sam.
15:13It does.
15:14It does.
15:15Is it too much like the Flaming—
15:17No, not the Flaming Lips.
15:18Not the Flaming Lips.
15:19I like where your head's at.
15:20Rashawn?
15:21I think it's too much like the Partridges.
15:23Not the Partridges, Rashawn.
15:26Getting closer.
15:27Ross?
15:28Hey.
15:29Hey, what's up?
15:30Hey, this is awfully close to the logo for the Monkees.
15:33It is the Monkees, Ross.
15:36These get really hard.
15:38I'm sure I'll be fine.
15:39Players, what do you think about this logo?
15:45Ross?
15:46You can't grow up in the Southeast without seeing an image like this on many a Subaru's back bumper.
15:52And I'm pretty sure you've accidentally made a logo very similar to Dave Matthews' van.
15:56It is Dave Matthews' van.
15:58And holy shit, Ross.
16:01Unbelievable.
16:02And that is the end of our minigame.
16:06Players, it's time for duets.
16:11First up, Ross and Zach.
16:14You could please flip to the duet section of your binder.
16:19That's a duet.
16:22Let's do that.
16:23Okay, yeah.
16:24We have a quorum.
16:25Yes.
16:26We're going to go with 2-1-1-4.
16:27Coming right up.
16:29Hardy Hardy Har by LMFAO.
16:34Oh, Jesus, Ross.
16:36It's already bouncing.
16:38It's already.
16:40What's up?
16:41It's Red, Blue, and Sky.
16:43Red, Foo, and Sky Blue.
16:45One of us is a gold trader and the other one is related to the other.
16:48That's right.
16:49It's Red, Foo, and the other one.
16:50Get lit!
16:51What?
16:53Are you up on a pirate ship?
16:55Are you up on a pirate ship?
16:57Are you up on a pirate ship?
16:59Are you up on a pirate ship?
17:01Is your pirate ship so lit?
17:03Is your pirate ship incredibly lit?
17:05Is your pirate ship the shit?
17:06And is that shit on the pirate ship real lit?
17:09If the captain comes up on the ship, you know you got to give the captain respect.
17:13Yo-ho!
17:14Party, party, pirates.
17:15Everybody hit the deck.
17:17We got a poop deck.
17:18We got a foremast.
17:19We got aft and also a starboard.
17:21But mostly we got to party.
17:23And then another party afterward.
17:25Gonna party hardy hard.
17:27Party hardy hard.
17:29Navigate by the stars.
17:32Party hardy hard.
17:34Party hardy hard.
17:35What?
17:36Party hardy hard.
17:38Navigate by the stars.
17:40Party hardy hard.
17:41Dead reckoning.
17:42What were you saying?
17:43Dead reckoning?
17:44Yeah.
17:45You said sex sextons.
17:46Astrolabes.
17:48I got to tell you, late at night, as we were typing out that particular prompt,
17:52I could never imagine something as terrific as what you just came up with.
17:57It didn't occur to me until we started that hardy hard is not actually a pirate thing.
18:02It's just a hardy laugh.
18:04But you hear r.
18:05I hear r and I think pirates.
18:07I think it works.
18:08Gosh, I'm going to say four points for Ross, five points for Zach,
18:13explicitly for navigate by the stars.
18:17Yes.
18:18Incredible.
18:19Ross, no rest for the weary.
18:20You and Rashawn are up.
18:22Let's do it.
18:23That clip already has millions of views.
18:26Ask me how that's possible.
18:28If you're leaning any particular way, I'm down.
18:31I'm down for whatever.
18:33I love it.
18:34I love it.
18:35What's it going to be?
18:362101.
18:37Fit in sheet by Alicia Keys and Usher.
18:43I took you to the fourth floor of Macy's
18:49for home goods and whatnot.
18:55But then I found something to cover me
19:01that is just as good as your love.
19:08That is just as good as your love.
19:12Is it a duvet cover?
19:19Or a sheet with no crease?
19:24No, it's the one with the crenulated edge
19:29that's impossible to fold.
19:33It's a fitted sheet.
19:35It's a fitted sheet.
19:37I don't know what's the top or the side.
19:42What's up or what's down?
19:45Is it for a queen?
19:47Is it for a queen?
19:48Is it for a king?
19:49A California king?
19:51I don't know mid-sizes.
19:54Just lay it down.
19:56Don't worry about.
19:58I'll lay down.
20:00Hold this side while you take that side.
20:04Oh, you got it backwards.
20:06These are the sides for the other side,
20:09so we gotta turn around.
20:11Turn it round.
20:12Turn it round, round, round, round, round.
20:15Fitted sheet.
20:19Fit together like you and me.
20:26Yeah, that's sheet, sheet, sheet.
20:31Sheet, sheet, sheet.
20:34I wanna fit you in the sheet.
20:37Fitted, fitted, fitted, fitted.
20:41Sheet, sheet, sheet, fitted, fitted.
20:44Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
20:47Fitted sheet.
20:52My God!
20:55And then posing for the album.
20:59Something very special happened just then.
21:03Five points for Rashaun, four points for Ross.
21:06Brilliant job.
21:07Unbelievable.
21:08Zach and Rashaun, last song of round two.
21:15Do you have a go-to karaoke song, Ross?
21:17Whip It by Diva?
21:19Yeah, good one.
21:20Play to your type, I guess.
21:21Absolutely.
21:22Let's try it.
21:23Love it.
21:24Yes.
21:25We would love to go with 2108.
21:27Over Them Hills by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers.
21:34You can take it to character already.
21:41When I decided to visit my mother,
21:45it takes a while to get over there.
21:49She lives so far and gas is so high,
21:53but I have a destination that's fair.
21:58We really wish that she would move closer,
22:02but she wants to be close to her friends.
22:06We keep telling her, Mama,
22:08soon all your friends will be dead.
22:12Friends will be over them hills.
22:16Friends will be over them hills.
22:21You'll have to stay there still.
22:24Your friends will be over them hills.
22:30Mama, just move closer.
22:34It's hard on the family when you're away.
22:38You keep complaining that you never see your grandchildren,
22:43but honestly, who is to blame?
22:46You're over them hills.
22:50You're over them hills.
22:54Your age and your destination are over them hills.
23:04Yes, indeed, the two of you.
23:07When that chorus found its way back in,
23:10that was pretty...
23:11Didn't find it. It was put there.
23:13Magical.
23:15I'm going to say four points each for the both of you,
23:19which brings us right into your second minigame.
23:23In addition to a new logo for Game Changer,
23:27I really want a new theme song,
23:29something jazzy, you know,
23:31something that you listen to when you say,
23:34we could dance if we want to.
23:37Zach.
23:38We could leave our friends behind.
23:39That is a point for Zach.
23:41A good theme song is catchy.
23:45You know, it's something that I might find myself
23:47singing as I'm making my way downtown.
23:50Zach.
23:51Wandering faces past in your home.
23:53That is another point for Zach.
23:55Quick on the draw, Zach.
23:56I think this game is going to go better for you.
23:58Kitchen fire.
23:59I mean, just how memorable is, like, the friends theme song?
24:03I don't remember much about friends,
24:05but I remember the friends theme song.
24:07Okay, I remember a little bit of Monica.
24:09A little bit of Jessica by my side.
24:12Zach, that is a third point for you.
24:15Quick on the draw.
24:17It's like they say, music is the soundtrack of your life.
24:22At least that's what somebody once told me.
24:24The world was going to roll me.
24:26I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed.
24:28Coming back with a vengeance.
24:31I tried hiring a composer, only they just couldn't hack it.
24:36They gave me, like, a hundred shitty options.
24:39What am I going to do with all that junk?
24:42All that junk inside your trunk.
24:44It's time to get you drunk.
24:46That is correct.
24:47Get you left drunk.
24:48Rashad.
24:49It's too bad, really.
24:50Like, I wanted to have the theme song ready for today.
24:53I thought today was going to be the day.
24:55Ross.
24:56We're going to throw it back to you?
24:57That is correct.
24:58That's a point for Ross.
25:00Realized what you're going to do.
25:03Sometimes I feel like I can hear it, you know,
25:06the perfect theme song, as if in a dream,
25:10but it's gone the moment I wake up.
25:12Rashad.
25:13The moment I put on my makeup.
25:14That is correct, Rashad.
25:18Bravo.
25:20Now I'm haunted by this dream theme song
25:25that I can never remember.
25:26It's to the point where I don't want to go to sleep.
25:29I don't want to miss a thing because I'll miss you.
25:33That works.
25:34I don't want to close my eyes.
25:36Yeah, because I'd miss you, baby.
25:38I don't want to miss a thing.
25:41Perfect theme song.
25:42I haven't heard you yet, but when I do, I'll know you.
25:46I'll know that you're the one that I want.
25:49Rashad.
25:50Who?
25:51That is correct, Rashad.
25:52Point for you.
25:54In the meanwhile, I'll keep searching for you.
25:57Near, far, wherever you are.
26:02And that's a point for Zach.
26:05Oh, yes!
26:08Get on the door!
26:11That brings us to round three.
26:14And it could not be closer.
26:17Barn burner.
26:18Players, if you would please turn in your binder to groups.
26:24Yes.
26:25Oh, man, there's so many good ones.
26:26Could you lower it?
26:27You're very tall.
26:28Oh, I'm sorry.
26:29You're, like, much too tall, actually.
26:30If anyone has one that's, like, screaming at them.
26:32Do you want to do that, or is there some other one you want to try?
26:35Yeah, let's do this one.
26:36Okay, cool.
26:37Great.
26:38We have a pick?
26:39Yes.
26:40We would love to do 35-15.
26:42I'd rate you an 8 by NSYNC.
26:47Oh, girl.
26:52Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
26:53Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.
26:54Yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:57Saw you by my window when you were walking by.
27:02And did I wave at you?
27:03Yes.
27:04But I felt only kind of high.
27:07Well, as soon as I saw you, didn't know what I'd do.
27:11I thought, whoa, that's a 10.
27:13And then my heart said, subtract 2.
27:16I can't believe I let you into my sight.
27:21Normally on the spectrum, I like them just right.
27:25You take the scales, girl, I can't even explain.
27:30Let me tell you how I think you are in this refrain.
27:34I'd rate you an 8.
27:36I would rate you an 8.
27:38Which is still pretty great.
27:40But I would rate you an 8.
27:43And if you were a 9, you'd be a little more fine.
27:48You'll have to wait.
27:50Because now I'd rate you an 8.
27:54Rate you an 8.
27:55I'd rate you an 8.
27:56I'd rate you an 8.
27:58I'd rate you an 8.
27:59I'd rate you an 8.
28:00Yo, if I could break it down real smooth, girl.
28:03When I saw you, I knew that you could be a 2, a 3, a 4.
28:07But I thought I would double it.
28:09Because your love, it takes me to the floor.
28:128 is the floor.
28:13So you could do better.
28:15So step it up.
28:16Because you know I love you, girl.
28:18And I'm actually 45.
28:21I'd rate you an 8.
28:29And we always assign women numerical values.
28:33Yes.
28:34We can categorize them better that way.
28:36Bravo.
28:39Damn.
28:40We're going to say 4 for that chorus, Zach.
28:43And 3 for the two of you.
28:45Bringing these points absolutely neck and neck.
28:49Calculated.
28:51All right.
28:52Definitely.
28:53This one's very funny to me.
28:55This one's also very funny to me.
28:57Temptation is fun.
28:58Yes, yes.
28:59Agreed.
29:00Zach, I'll come to you for this one.
29:02We're going to choose 3520.
29:053520 it is.
29:08To-do list by the Supremes.
29:14Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
29:44Then you've got to set a goal
29:46I often make a list to understand the obstacles that I've got set forth for today
29:54Set forth for today
29:56I've got to get an oil change and do some groceries, pick up some dry cleaning, and maybe watch the game
30:04So make a to-do list
30:06Make a to-do list
30:08Put it up on your refrigerator and do it
30:13So make a to-do list
30:15Make a to-do list
30:18And check them all out, there is nothing to it
30:23Start the day with a cold shower and a bit of meditation
30:28Step out of your door ready to take on the whole nation
30:33Grab a cup of coffee, walk into work
30:37Tell off the person who treats you like a jerk
30:42Write down the social interactions you will have
30:46To make sure that you get them right
30:50If you don't write down those stings and jabs that you have in your head
30:55What you could have said will keep you up at night
30:59So make a to-do list
31:01Make a to-do list
31:04Make a to-do list
31:06And cross it all
31:08Just make a to-do list
31:10Nothing feels so better than erasing all the things you did today
31:18Check it off, check it off, check it off, check it off
31:21All your pain
31:23Check it off, check it off, check it off, check it off
31:25By Silly Street
31:28For a child's birthday party
31:31Gotta make a to-do list
31:33Just make a to-do list
31:36Doing it doesn't feel half so good
31:38as cross-sticking.
31:42Oh!
31:49Wow!
31:51Wow!
31:52Wow, gang.
31:53As far as sheer musicality is concerned,
31:57I think we hit a peak with that song.
32:00I was dancing my ass off just now.
32:04Players, I promise I am being faithful to my opinion.
32:11I am going to award four points for Ross and Rashawn
32:16and five for Zach.
32:18Yeah, baby.
32:19Meaning this is the first-ever Game Changer three-way tie
32:23in history.
32:25What?
32:26All three of you earn karaoke machines
32:29that you can play at home.
32:31No way!
32:32Do you have to go buy two more karaoke machines?
32:34Yes, we do.
32:36That does it for us here at Game Changer.
32:38I am your host, Sam Reich,
32:40reminding you that every song begins
32:43with someone who doesn't know the lyrics.
32:45Good night.
33:02So when we had early conversations
33:17about Karaoke Night,
33:19we really struggled with capturing
33:22what this episode would look like.
33:25All we knew was that it would involve
33:28musical improv in some way.
33:30The original title for this was called
33:3280s, 90s, and Today.
33:34And we were talking about maybe making it
33:36into a mock radio station
33:38where Sam was at the head of it
33:39and he would throw to the contestants
33:41to deliver not only songs,
33:43but a weather report, a traffic report,
33:46a breaking news alert of some kind.
33:48I really liked the idea of the DJ,
33:51DJ Game Changer,
33:53having Sam say,
33:55next we have a caller asking for
33:58a romantic ballad about cheese or whatever.
34:01I had pitched making a music festival.
34:04I think, like, Samcella or something.
34:07And we landed on just doing a more simple,
34:10straightforward karaoke night.
34:12Often we end up going the simplest route
34:14just so that the talent of the contestants
34:17can show through.
34:18I ended up feeling stubborn
34:20about the karaoke angle
34:22because I felt like it was richest
34:23from a game standpoint.
34:25Who doesn't love a karaoke night
34:27with their friends?
34:28Paul and I looked at each other and realized
34:30that we could put, like,
34:33a hundred prompts in a binder
34:36instead of me choose songs for them.
34:39And I think that actually
34:40really made the episode.
34:42The most classic motif of a karaoke bar
34:45is that big binder of songs.
34:47And we just thought it would be so fun
34:49to have that binder be a part of it.
34:51But we needed to fill up that binder.
34:53What can we do that, first of all,
34:55it's a last-minute change,
34:56so it can't be expensive.
34:57It can't be something that we buy.
34:59We just have to figure out something
35:00that pretty much we can do right away.
35:02We were talking about karaoke binder
35:03that I was just going to get
35:04an extra large white binder
35:06and throw it on the ground a couple times.
35:08Sam was like, made a dead serious face
35:11and looked at me through the Zoom and said,
35:13that's the funniest thing you've ever said.
35:16And I was like, really? Okay.
35:19I wanted them to sound authentic,
35:21but also have some sort of element
35:23that could be funny.
35:25And I wanted the song titles to sound like ones
35:28that those artists would actually sing.
35:30Here are some songs that were not chosen
35:32that I was proud of.
35:33Backstreet Boys,
35:35You Have the Right to Remain Sexy.
35:37Black Eyed Peas,
35:39Zah Zah Zah,
35:41We're Zobbin, in parentheses.
35:43Destiny's Child,
35:45Stop, Drop, and Roll.
35:47Coldplay's Pie, which was Paul's suggestion,
35:49one of my absolute favorites.
35:51Or NSYNC's I'll Rate You an Eight.
35:53Just another one of my favorites.
35:55I thought for sure that Zach would pick this
35:57because I thought maybe he liked Panic at the Disco
35:59if he's an emo kind of guy.
36:01Quiet Down, If You Know What's Good for You,
36:03the others will be here soon.
36:05I don't know if that would have even fit on the screen
36:07because it was so long, but that gave me a laugh.
36:09I wrote 150 song titles.
36:11But you know what?
36:13The ones that they picked,
36:15they were incredible.
36:17Backstreet feels so better
36:19than racing over the two dead men.
36:22To-do list?
36:24I'm convinced that if we could give it
36:26like a broad radio release,
36:28that it would rise to the top ten.
36:30At least,
36:32at least eight.
36:34It's so good!
36:36Check it off, check it off, check it off,
36:38check it off, check it off, check it off, check it off.
36:40Sam had to do a little research
36:42into what their musical inclinations were.
36:44Zach has
36:46an indie, emo
36:48style, like,
36:50musical improv group
36:52that he performs with, so he knows a lot about that genre.
36:54Ross really is into
36:56like more classic dad rock
36:58and things like that. And then I'm so happy
37:00that we got Rashawn in the episode
37:02because her musical leanings
37:04overlap a lot with my own.
37:06So I was happy to be able to write songs
37:08to cater to her interests
37:10because they were also ones that I myself would want to hear.
37:12Whenever you're casting an episode
37:14like this, and this is when casting
37:16is most important, is you really
37:18find people who are set up
37:20for success.
37:30I don't think I've ever been
37:32quite as happily surprised
37:34by a Game Changer performance
37:36in the history of the show. I mean, she
37:38brought the fucking
37:40house down. Any time I get
37:42an email from Sam in my inbox,
37:44I know it's going to be something
37:46very interesting and challenging
37:48and ultimately
37:50fun. TJ has been doing
37:52sound mixing for us
37:54for years now.
37:56We've been doing everything from
37:58all of the Dimension 20 campaigns,
38:00Um, Actually,
38:02Game Changer, Make Some Noise,
38:04Dirty Laundry. But TJ
38:06is himself a brilliant
38:08musician and composer.
38:10We were going to be adding
38:12additional music to the
38:14performance, and then I heard what he did
38:16and I was so floored.
38:18This one was fun because it was
38:20like trying to
38:22kind of distill characteristic
38:24sounds and instruments
38:26from various styles.
38:28Listening to some sound examples that he
38:30sent me of the bands that he wanted to
38:32kind of sound like, and then picking out
38:34certain elements from it and trying to
38:36redo it. We're paying homage to
38:38all of these different artists.
38:40How are we going to capture all of
38:42those different styles? It was always
38:44fun to kind of like whip out
38:46the guitar for a couple of them
38:48and then also getting to go
38:50back through the early aughts
38:52of pop music and
38:54NSYNC and everything sent me down a
38:56real fun YouTube rabbit hole.
38:58And just realizing how
39:00amazing that music
39:02was and still is.
39:04So I got on a
39:06NSYNC Britney Spears
39:08pop thread for a little while
39:10while I was doing that one.
39:18Something that I try to do in minigames
39:20if possible is to give my players a little
39:22bit of a break from the same
39:24type of thinking.
39:26They've just been improvising so brilliantly
39:28in these songs I wanted to give their brains
39:30like a little bit of a rest. It felt like
39:32a quiz or a buzzer
39:34style minigame was the way to go.
39:36The Spice Girls one was obviously our favorite.
39:38There's usually
39:40one logo every time we do this
39:42that we really try to push.
39:44And I think there's at least one we didn't use?
39:46Maybe two?
39:48We can dance if we want to.
39:50Zack!
39:52We can leave our friends behind.
39:54That is a point for Zack. They're very much
39:56a quickly figure out
39:58the game game. And so they
40:00feel a little truer to the original premise
40:02of Game Changer which is like you don't know what the game
40:04is. I'm not going to explain it to you.
40:07Holy shit!
40:09Pain
40:11in the ass
40:13by Blank182.
40:15I think folks are going to
40:17be mad at me for this.
40:19There were
40:21nine songs in round
40:23one, six in round two,
40:25and six in round three. Which means we cut
40:27three per round.
40:29You know when it comes to improv
40:31often times you need
40:33to overshoot
40:35in order to get
40:37really high quality performances.
40:39What that means on Game Changer
40:41is that we end up doing a bit of
40:43point masking after the fact
40:45and what you see on those
40:47podiums isn't in fact
40:49real. A lot of unused songs
40:51I think almost definitely
40:53will take one or two of them
40:55and put them in the cut for time episode
40:57at the end of the season.