Building on the letter "F", five letters...

'''No personal examples. Let's keep it to ones from the TV series.'''
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* December 25, 1984: The show's first Christmas episode had this exchange.
-->'''Chuck Woolery:''' Did you get what you wanted for Christmas?\\
'''Aaron:''' Uh, no, considering I'm Jewish.\\
'''Chuck''' ''[after several seconds of laughter]'': Well, what did you get for Hanukkah?\\
'''Aaron:''' Nothing yet, it's not that time of the year yet, Chuck.[[note]](Hanukkah in 1984 was December 19–26, so Aaron indirectly revealed that the show had been taped in advance.)[[/note]]
* 1985: For a brief period, the rules were amended so that the contestants had to ''spell'' the words instead of saying them, with each blank letter filled adding to a pot which the contestant won for spelling the word correctly. It was removed following a game where it took ''more than seven turns'' for two contestants to spell "mosquitos" correctly.
-->'''Chuck:''' [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere I'm going home; I don't know about you!]]
* Summer, 1987: The start of [[https://youtu.be/Gm2NVL6iG5E?si=oxReNCRaZIujX9TA a game]] presented □□□O□□□□ with the clue "Guys with short ones sometimes have problems." The audience, obviously inventing their own jokes, started laughing. The laughter got even louder as the contestant drew tiles and the letters "S" and "M" popped up.
--> '''Chuck:''' [to audience] Leave it alone. Just leave it alone out there. You minds are just going crazy now.
** After this word is solved (ME[[spoiler:M]]O[[spoiler:RI]]ES), Chuck tells everyone about his observations during the course of the show.
--->'''Chuck:''' [The show's writers] always do that. They give you very suggestive clues, and then it's some kind of inane answer--or mundane, anyway.
** ...then immediately afterwards:
--->'''Chuck:''' Building on the letter S [...] in ME[[spoiler:M]]O[[spoiler:RI]]ES, which some guys are in short supply of--or have short ones--five letters in the word (□□□□S), and the clue is "Some women drop them at parties". ''[audience breaks out in laughter as Chuck looks toward the producer]'' Well, what kind of deal is this?! What is this, a themed show or something? Good night! We have, I mean, junior high school students up there [in the audience]; you know what they'll do with this stuff? ''[audience cracks up again]''\\
(The solution to this puzzle: [[spoiler:HI]]N[[spoiler:T]]S.)
* [[https://youtu.be/jvnC5VpUmFk?si=WC1xh8oet-urGAnt One episode]] from 1986, which starts with a Sprint round. The clue for the first word: "They're grand." The answer: TETONS. This prompts Chuck to deliver a monologue regarding the Grand Tetons before the crossword round that follows:
--> '''Chuck:''' ...an interesting thing about the Grand Tetons: The French are the ones who discovered the Grand Tetons, and ''teton'' is kind of a French word for... [[Music/DollyParton Dolly Partons]]. ''[audience laughter]'' ''Le grande'' in French, of course, means "big"... so, actually, in French, means [[ElNinoIsSpanishForTheNino "Big Tetons"]]. ''[{{rimshot}}]'' That's true! It's as gentle as I can give it to you.
** In the game that immediately follows, the second word surprises Chuck:
--->'''Chuck:''' Oh, my dear, I had no idea this was in here [...] when I told that wonderful story. "[[IronicEcho Dolly Parton]]--" ''[audience laughter]'' I never look at these things. And, on top of that, "Dolly Parton has an enormous one". ''[Chuck grimaces]'' I'm almost embarrassed 'cause I know her. (The solution was [[spoiler:INCOM]]E.)
** The word immediately played after that one: [[https://youtu.be/wxaEbcaasDY "It's a consuming desire."]]. After one Stopper and two T's are played, the board reads □□□□TIT□, which is how it remains until the second and third Stoppers are played. The audience starts laughing as Chuck stands silent for 15 seconds. His response:
---> '''Chuck:''' You see, there are just some days when, ''[{{beat}}]'' depending on how you look at it, everything either goes right or wrong.
* A female contestant has to choose between one "P" and a second "P". Her response? "I think [[ToiletHumor I'll have to take a 'P']]."
** In 1987, [[https://youtu.be/EWLyChx7SA4?t=107 a contestant named Merc]] befell the same fate. After taking a P, he fills in the first letter of P[[spoiler:UPP]]ET[[spoiler:EE]]R, which happens to be a blue bonus square. Chuck's reaction:
--->'''Chuck:''' That P is worth $500, Merc. Probably, maybe [[{{Pun}} one of the most expensive P's you will ever take]]. ''(the audience laughs)'' I couldn't let that go by. I couldn't! I tried, but I couldn't.
** This line was revisited during the 1993 version:
---> '''Contestant Peter:''' ''(with an'' N ''and a'' P ''to choose from)'' I'll Take the P, please. Place the P, please.\\
'''Chuck:''' OK, all right. Hold everything, hold everything right here! Did they tell you, when you had all the meetings about how the play the game, say "Never say, 'I'll take a P, Chuck'"? Always say "I'll place the P." Is that right?\\
'''Peter:''' They told me.\\
'''Chuck:''' I just knew it! Oh, yeah. OK. Now, you took a P in spite of them, didn't you?
* During one episode, Chuck said, "We're going to [[FreudianSlip recrap]] the scores."
* 1993: During a Speedword with the clue "an underworld boss", one contestant rang in and said "devil", which was wrong (it was "demon"). His parting gift? [[IronicEcho A Dirt Devil vacuum]]. Even announcer Charlie Tuna couldn't help laughing when he announced that.
* During the show's second Game Show Hosts Week, one game had [[Series/TicTacDough Wink Martindale]] playing against Creator/VickiLawrence. This game had one particularly funny puzzle:
** The first moment of hilarity comes with the clue itself:
---> '''Chuck:''' Building on the E in CELEBRATE, six letters in the word (□□□□E□), and the clue is "Women..." ''[to producers]'' Oh, come on, you guys. Why do you do this to me? Why? [[https://youtu.be/NWTnnuS4k_k?t=789 "Women usually put the seat down when they go there."]]\\
(''audience erupts in laughter'')\\
'''Vicki:''' Oh, please! This show is disgusting!\\
'''Wink:''' What's the clue again, Chuck?\\
'''Chuck:''' "Women usually put the seat down when they go there."\\
'''Wink:''' I knew it; [[ForTheLulz I just wanted to hear you say it again.]]\\
'''Vicki:''' Yeah, and guys always forget to put it back down!
** The next moment comes after Wink draws his two tiles -- an I and an O. He plays the O first, which conveniently pops into the second position, leading to an all-too-predictable outcome.
--->'''Wink:''' I can't believe it's really... no, it wouldn't be that, would it?\\
'''Chuck:''' No, it wouldn't. ''[laughs]''\\
(The solution to this puzzle: [[spoiler:M]]O[[spoiler:VI]]E[[spoiler:S]])
* For the clue [[https://youtu.be/LGyFyxxT7V8?t=3m20s "Kids sometimes hear their parents doing it"]] (□□□□□N□), the male contestant loses control of the word after playing a C. The female contestant receives the word as (□□ORIN□), but after playing an S, she seems too embarrassed to attempt to answer. After the puzzle is solved by her opponent (S[[spoiler:N]]ORIN[[spoiler:G]]), she whispers her answer -- S[[spoiler:C]]ORIN[[spoiler:G]] -- to Chuck. Unfortunately for her, [[IsThisThingStillOn her microphone picks up what she whispers into Chuck's ear]], which the audience hears and immediately breaks out in laughter. This ends up derailing Chuck's train of thought as this game quickly goes into Speedword.
-->'''Chuck:''' We're gonna play the rest of this game in Speedword; it's anybody's game. Put your hands on your buzzers; don't ask, er, answer until I say "no". ''[[[{{Corpsing}} laughs]]]'' Do I seem a little frustrated, flustered? You know how to play this. Let's go.
* January 23, 1989: Some well-deserved BitingTheHandHumor after the solution to the clue, "They seldom get passed on the Senate floor" ([[spoiler:P]]O[[spoiler:T]]ATOES).
--> '''Chuck:''' Don't you think an explanation is in order? I do, too. What is...?\\
'''Producer Gary Johnson:''' Sometimes, they might--if they have some french fries, they might pass them to the next guy, but, most of the time, they don't.\\
'''Chuck:''' See? This is what I have to put up with: "Sometimes, they have french fries." "Pass the [[spoiler:p]]o[[spoiler:t]]atoes on the Senate floor." [...] They passed a raise for themselves, you know that, don't you? They passed that; they got the raise. No, they haven't done it yet, but they will\\
'''Gary:''' They'll be able to buy more [[spoiler:p]]o[[spoiler:t]]atoes, then.\\
'''Chuck:''' I'm glad [Gary's] not mic'ed.
* May 2, 1989: At the end of the second game, Chuck [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPV7CUjZlhk accidentally gives $1,000 to the departing contestant.]][[note]](As the winner had solved the word on a pink bonus square.)[[/note]]
* Two funny moments from the 1993 version in a game between contestants Wendy and Tom:
** "Fathers say it's too soon when their sons ask what it means." When the board reads □REMA□□□□, Wendy draws up a pair of letters, the combination of which [[WhoWritesThisCrap prompts Chuck to take a jab at the writers]].
---> '''Chuck:''' "A ''P'' or a ''U''. Kinda like how this puzzle smells, isn't it?" ''[audience laughter]'' "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have said that, but this is one of those things you just can't resist!"
*** Wendy solves the puzzle after playing the P (solution: PREMA[[spoiler:TURE]]), which then prompts Chuck to ask for an explanation.
---->'''Chuck:''' What does that... does that have any significance to anything other than, what?\\
'''Producer Gary Johnson:''' The kid says, "Hey, what does 'prema[[spoiler:ture]]' mean, Dad?" And Dad says, [[DontExplainTheJoke "It's too soon. It means 'too soon'."]]\\
'''Chuck:''' [after an AsideGlance] Do you see what I'm up against here?
** Same game, next word: "Chances are Queen Elizabeth has never set foot in them." (Answer: R[[spoiler:E]]E[[spoiler:B]]OK[[spoiler:S]]). After Tom solves this puzzle, Chuck has this exchange with the producer:
---> '''Chuck:''' Maybe you don't know this, but R[[spoiler:e]]e[[spoiler:b]]ok[[spoiler:s]] is a British company, and I happen to know that she runs every morning.\\
'''Producer Gary Johnson:''' But she wears Nikes.\\
'''Chuck:''' No, she doesn't wear Nikes.
* Another 1993 example: "Experts know how to pick 'em."
** Contestant Peter fills in the board to where it says □O□KE□S before attempting to solve.
--->'''Peter:''' Monkeys?\\
''[buzzer sounds before the audience laughs]''\\
'''Chuck:''' [looks at the camera, then at his card] What kind of expert did you have in there mind, Peter?\\
'''Peter:''' A special one.
** Peter regains control of the word after his opponent, Paula, draws and plays a stopper. Peter draws and immediately plays a C. With the board now displaying □OCKE□S, Peter guesses again:
--->'''Peter:''' Jockeys?\\
''[buzzer sounds before the audience laughs again]''\\
'''Chuck:''' [after a brief {{beat}}] Well... actually, that's reasonable, that makes sense that an expert would know how to pick a jockey if you're at a horse race, that kind of thing, so that's no so bad. It's not ''right'', but it's not so bad. I commend you for trying. [Chuck looks to the director] What do you mean, "speed it up"? I'm having some fun here! It's been all week, I'm starting to have a little bit of fun!
** Play returns to Paula, who draws a T before playing it. The board now reads □OCKETS. Paula rings in in an attempt to solve:
--->'''Paula:''' Lockets!\\
''[buzzer sounds before the audience laughs even louder than before]''\\
'''Chuck:''' [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere I am really on the verge of resigning]], I want you to know that right now.
** Peter rings in and correctly solves [[spoiler:P]]OCKETS. Chuck's reponse:
--->'''Chuck:''' I cannot remember that I've ever had that much fun with one word in my life.
* March 15, 1989: For □N□□□□□□□, the clue is "Some people need it to get going in the morning".
-->'''Contestant Brian:''' I'm gonna take a real stab here, Chuck, and try and guess it [...] UNDERWEAR?\\
''[buzzer]''\\
'''Chuck:''' [in a deep voice] "I'd like to get up, honey, but... I can't get started without my underwear. You know how it is."\\
'''Brian:''' What's the first thing you put on in the morning?\\
'''Chuck:''' But now what if you don't wear underwear?\\
'''Brian:''' Well... I wouldn't talk about it on national TV.\\
'''Chuck:''' [to audience] How many people out there--now tell me the truth 'cause I'll tell you the truth, OK? How many of you wear undewear? ''[light applause]'' Not many! Not as many, there are more without underwear than with underwear. I don't wear it, either.
* July 6, 1989: The clue for the second word of the second game: "What you rarely see in politics." Contestant Deano draws two tiles before Chuck reads the clue, which leads to this:
--> '''Chuck:''' Let's reveal what those letters are. [...] Computer, talk to me. ''[first letter revealed]'' Has a B ''[second letter revealed]'' and an S. ''[audience laughter]'' Well, I didn't... I just asked for the letters, not a social comment, if you don't mind!
* July 25, 1989: Second game, second word. The writers get back at Chuck for a recent appearance on a rival network:
--> '''Chuck:''' [chuckles upon reading the clue] Is this some kind of retribution for the night that I did ''Series/ThePatSajakShow''?\\
'''Producer Gary Johnson:''' Yep.\\
'''Chuck:''' You know, this has gone all over [=NBC=] and all over [[Creator/MervGriffin [Merv] Griffin Productions]], everything. Building on the letter O in WINDBLOWN, six letters in the word, and the clue is "How much money Merv Griffin has". ([[spoiler:O]]O[[spoiler:DLES]])
** After this word is solved, Chuck gets anecdotal:
--> '''Chuck:''' I heard the funniest thing 'cause I went on Pat Sajak's show, everybody else has seen this and everybody's been talking about it [...] I've talked to Mr. Griffin for a period of time. [...] They asked my why I left ''Series/WheelOfFortune''. I told them I couldn't make a deal, and now, the company line from Griffin--you gotta listen to this; this is great--I left for "religious reasons". ''[audience laughs]'' I have no idea what that means!
** We soon discover the meaning behind those "religious reasons" after the third word gets played:
--> '''Chuck:''' [laughs] "For religious reasons"? My card girl [...] just held up a sign that said, "[Griffin] said 'More money?' I said, [[[{{Beat}} pauses]] while [[{{Corpsing}} laughing]]] [[CurseCutShort 'Go to...']]"
* In a game that features an eight-letter word with the clue "The corn field", neither contestant can identify PODIATR[[spoiler:Y]] during Speedword, despite the word being practically filled out entirely. Chuck walks up to the contestant podium after the buzzer sounds, responding with an appropriate "HEL-LO!"
* March 21, 1990:
** Crossword 1, word 2: After solving a puzzle with the clue "Some men prefer fuzzy ones" (PEA[[spoiler:CH]]E[[spoiler:s]]), talk to the contestants and the audience about fruit.
---> '''Chuck:''' ...I don't know what they're called, but they're like slick pea[[spoiler:ch]]e[[spoiler:s]]. What are those... nectarines? But they're big as pea[[spoiler:ch]]e[[spoiler:s]], some of them. Great big ones that come from South America and something and speak Spanish to you after you eat them. I like the fuzzy ones (pea[[spoiler:ch]]e[[spoiler:s]]) because they're sweeter. They give you diarrhea...
** Immediately after this dialogue ends, the next word by is given away by Chuck it away before it's even played:
---> '''Chuck:''' Building on the T in SPATULAS... whoa, wait a minute! [audience starts laughing] Hold it! Whoops! Hold on! I may have messed up here, hold on! I'll find my--just stick with me now. Trust me on this. All right, let's put SPATULAS in; can we put that in? Got it it? [Chuck rummages through cards on his podium]. I'm really messed up now. [finds the correct card] A-ha. That's SPATULAS. They were "They can pick up a hamburger at work". Ow.
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