All For Show: What They Don’t Tell You About TV Gameshows

Have you ever watched a game show on TV and fantasized about what you’d do with all that money?  It turns out that the show gives a bit of a skewed impression to viewers.  Being on a game show can be a life-changing experience, but there are some things you may not find out until afterward.

1. Your winnings on the show will be taxed – heavily.  You can count on $100,000 of winnings actually being about $70,000 by the time the IRS is done with you.  If you win a million dollars or higher, count on paying up to 50% tax unless you have a world-class tax preparer.

2. Your experience at the show will be a lot of stressful work involving makeup, lights and security to keep everything fair.  The regulars make it look easy but it’s not!

3. You’ll be at the mercy of the buzzer system as much as in competition with your peers.  Slow reflexes may sink you.

4. Your new car or boat from the show will cost you an arm and a leg in maintenance and auto insurance.  And don’t forget road tax and registration fees.  Do you have enough space in your garage for a yacht?  No?  Well, that’ll cost you hundreds a month in dockyard storage or mooring fees.

5. Many of the contestants on the show many be regulars, to your disadvantage.  There is a regular circuit of game show participants who are out to win cash and prices, making it more of an ‘insiders game’ than you know.

6. You may not be ready for the cameras and that may affect your performance considerably.  Stage fright is a fear you may never know you had until you’re in the spotlight.

7. You could be rejected for not being interesting enough.  Those tear-jerking or humorous life-stories the contestants tell the hosts count and are required on some shows.

8. The prize values are often inflated to impress the TV audience, and you’ll be taxed according to the inflated value.  A year’s worth of instant rice might cost you a lot more than you think!

9. Some shows do several tapings in one day and the show is more intense than it looks.  Forget relaxing backstage after the show, you’ll most likely be handed your check, have three photos snapped, them be given the bum-rush to the door while they clean the studio ready for the next show taping in 2 hours.

10. Runner-up prizes are not always handed out, despite the show’s claims. Or they may be put on hold for a year, to the point where they’re worth nothing by the time you receive them.