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 THE ODDEST GAME SHOW COLLECTABLES
Of course, we reserve the right to change this list if something even more strange comes along. Some of these items appear in our regular listings, some only appear on this list.

THE BIG PAYOFF DINNERWARE
    The show itself was pretty odd, half game show and half fashion show.  Hostess Bess Myerson designed a line of plates, bowls and other pieces that were given away on the program and sold commercially as well.

THE CELEBRITY BOWLING CHRISTMAS ALBUM
    A couple dozen short tracks from the show, plus a crudely edited version of Jingle Bells made out of bowling sounds.  This thing had to be somebody's idea of a joke, as if the show wasn't enough of a joke all by itself.

DOUBLE DARE GREEN SLIME SHAMPOO
    How would you like to wash your hair every day in that disgusting stuff they pour on kids in those Nickelodeon game shows?

GONG SHOW TRADING CARDS
    I'll trade you an Unknown Comic for your Popsicle Twins. About 75 cards exist in the set, showing a variety of scenes from the wacky show.  The Gong Show inspired a number of pretty wacky collectables, including a "Gong Show Piggy Bank" and even a Chuck Barris Halloween costume for children!

THE HOLLYWOOD SQUARES COLLECTOR'S PLATES
    Clearly, when this fad hit its peak in the late seventies, they just ran out of ideas for subject matter.  Several Hollywood Squares plates were planned, the only one that appears to have been released featured the likeness of host Peter Marshall.

INFORMATION PLEASE ALMANAC
    This annual rival to The World Almanac was originally based on (and named after) the popular radio quiz show, and compiled by the show's creator Dan Golenpaul.  Today, the books (and spin-offs dedicated specifically to entertainment or sports) are often released under the name of some sort of media sponsor, such as Time magazine or the A&E cable network, since hardly anybody even remembers the distant game show connection anymore.

THE JEOPARDY! CHALLENGER
    This inexplicably popular gizmo is little more than an extremely limited pocket calculator.  Save yourself some money and buy a cheaper one that does square roots and stuff. If you can't figure out how to use a regular calculator to keep track of your score, perhaps you should reconsider flying to L.A. for an audition.

JEOPARDY!/WHEEL OF FORTUNE 1996 OLYMPICS TIE-INS
    Unless they were going to be exhibition events in 2000, the world really didn't need the official "game shows" of the Olympics. Frankly, both shows are already uncomfortably global as it is. ("Pat, I'd like to buy an umlaut!")

THE NEWLYWED GAME COOK BOOK
    Not only are we going to put your marriage at risk by getting you to embarrass each other on national television, but we're also going to assume you don't know the first thing about preparing food for human consumption.

TREASURE HUNT JEWELRY BOX
    A small wooden box shaped like a treasure chest, trimmed on the inside with red velvet and featuring a picture of Jan Murray in a pirate's hat under the lid.  Don't we all need a picture of Jan Murray in a pirate's hat?

ANYTHING FROM TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES, NEW MEXICO
    OK, sure, I have the Ralph Edwards commemorative 25th Anniversary Jim Beam decanter (doesn't everybody?) but with that one notable exception, anything else with the town's name on it (especially that odd little Kiefer Sutherland movie) just looks silly. Not the decanter, though.  It's cool.