Talk About

Host

Wayne Cox

Announcer

Dean Hill

Broadcast

CBC: 1988 – 3/16/1990

Packager

Comedia Productions

Talk About was a shot-lived Canadian game show that was loosely based on the board game Outburst.

Premise

Two teams of two contestants "talk about" a series of subjects which can be either people, places, and things; all while trying to reveal ten hidden clue words on a game board.

Gameplay

One team was isolated (by standing behind a podium and facing a wall while wearing headsets) while the other team was given a choice of two subjects to "talk about". Once they chose a subject and decided who will play first, they had 40 seconds (20 for each player) to talk about that subject as much as they can. While talking, they faced a game board of ten hidden clue words; each time the team says a clue word, it is revealed on the board and one point goes into the pot. The talking team also scored for forms of the word. If they said all ten clue words not only they get the 10 points but they also win a $500 bonus. If they don't get all ten after both players took their turns, the isolated team was released from isolation, and got to see the words the talking team they didn't say. If the isolated team can guess the subject using the words they saw, they steal the points; but if they can't, the talking team gets to keep the points. The first team to reach 15 points or more wins the game, $100 and goes on to the bonus game.

Bonus Game

In the bonus game to start, the winning team had a choice two bonus prizes to play for. Then just like in the main game, they had a choice of two subjects. First they chose one of those subjects, then they decided amongst themselves as to who would talk, and who would go into an isolation booth. While one player is in the booth, the other had 20 seconds to talk about the chosen subject to reveal as many of the 10 words as they can with each word uncovered worth $100. If the talking player can reveal all ten, the winning team wins $2,000; but if he/she does not, the talking player can decide to either take the money won or allow his/her partner to talk about the same subject in an attempt to say one of the remaining words on the list in as many seconds as there are revealed words in a double or nothing format. When taking the gamble, the isolated player was removed from isolation and had as many seconds as there are revealed words to try and say one of the words unsaid by the first player. Doing so doubled the money, but not doing so won nothing. In addition to the cash, winning the bonus round in any way also won the selected bonus prize.

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Teams stayed on the show until they're defeated or if they win five games in a row. The fifth game was the grand game in which if won, was worth a jackpot prize package worth a starting value of $5,000. It grew by $1,000 in prizes each week when unclaimed.

Merchandise

A home version of the game was produced by Pressman in 1989. All contestants got a copy and Wayne would plug it after every match. Dean Hill would plug it after coming back from the first commercial break.

A computer game of the show was produced by GameTek in 1990, but is fairly rare.

International Versions

The following are a list of countries that have previously aired their versions of Talkabout including:

• Ireland - TVE/90's/Ian Dempsey followed by Alan Hughes
• Sweden - Prata pa (Speaking of!)/TV4/90's/Lars Gustafsson
• United Kingdom - ITV/1990-1993/Andrew O'Connor

Music

Bob Buckley

Inventor

Mark Maxwell-Smith

Links

Rules for Talkabout @ Loogslair.net
Chuck Donegan's Talkabout Rules Page