On Sunday, the Television Critics Association summer 2013 press tour started off ABC's presentations with "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" panelists executive producer Rich Sirop and new host Cedric "The Entertainer." As the game show is now fifteen years old (fourteen in the U.S.), the changes being made to the series were a large portion of the panel.
Sirop explained that the tweaks to the game play have been made for a variety of reasons. Though "Millionaire" was "the first show to have a million-dollar prize at the top," it was quickly revealed that "people were very risk averse" and "were just using their lifelines to get to a stop point, and they would just basically come to win $16,000 and go home." That forced the change from the questions gradually becoming more difficult to the randomization that is now seen.
Another big switch is the way the questions have been phrased. Since Sirop took over three years ago, the questions have had a more comedic style, with the head writer stemming from "Weekend Update" at "SNL."
Cedric, who also does "The Soul Man," has had to work hard at maintaining his schedules for both programs. However, shooting five shows a day for "Millionaire" is taxing on him. The format being 30-minute programs for daytime television helps, though, as "it flies by" and they are having "an exciting time with it." He does get breaks where he is able "to grab a soda and probably three or four 5-hour Energys." He also noted that "it's really about keeping your energy high and having a good time there."
When asked what tips Cedric will take from previous hosts Regis Philbin and Mereditch Vieira, "The Entertainer" mentioned that "both of them are really great, and they had different styles in which they did the show. So for me, I just mainly wanted to be as sharply dressed as Regis and hug and kiss as many people as Meredith."
The new season of "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" premieres on September 2, in syndication.
