Truth or Consequences
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- Truth or Consequences is not to be confused with the parlor game called Consequences.
- For the town of Truth or Consequences, see Truth or Consequences, New Mexico
Truth or Consequences was an American quiz show, originally hosted on radio by Ralph Edwards from 1940 to 1957, and later on television by Edwards himself from 1950 to 1951, Jack Bailey from 1954 to 1955, Bob Barker from 1956 to 1975, Bob Hilton from 1977 to 1978 and Larry Anderson in 1987.
The idea of the show was to mix the original quiz element of game shows with wacky stunts. On the show, people had to answer a trivia question correctly (usually an off-the-wall question that no one would be able to answer correctly) before "Beulah the Buzzer" was sounded. If the contestant could not complete the "Truth" portion, there would be "Consequences," usually a zany and embarrassing stunt.
In many broadcasts, the stunts on Truth or Consequences included a popular, but emotional, heart-wrenching surprise for a contestant, that being the reunion with a long-lost relative or with an enlisted son or daughter returning from military duty overseas, particularly Vietnam.
One of the theme songs used on the show was "Stop Gap" by Wilfred Burns (a.k.a. Robert Sharples).
Cultural references
- A late 1940s "Looney Tunes" cartoon called "The Ducksters" featured Daffy Duck as the host of a radio game show called Truth or AAAAAHHHH!, with Porky Pig as the contestant.
- In Action Comics #127 (December 1948), Superman was a contestant on Truth or Consequences ([link]).
- The town of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico named itself after the game show in 1950 (its former name was Hot Springs, a reference to its main tourist attraction). Ralph Edwards announced that he would do the program from the first town that renamed itself after the show.
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