Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Veteran comic Elayne Boosler has found a day job she likes as much as playing clubs and auditoriums in her 30 years on the road -- as hostess of the new TV game show "Balderdash." Based on Mattel's popular box game of the same name, "Balderdash" was developed for TV by PAX TV and The Hatchery LLC, a production company that specializes in family and children's entertainment. Advertisement The company was formed by veteran entertainment industry executives Margaret Loesch and Bruce Stein. Loesch's producing credits include "Bear in the Big Blue House," "Transformers," "Muppet Babies" and "Benji: Off the Leash!" -- a revival of the popular movie series that arrives in U.S. theaters later this year. Stein was formerly president and chief operating officer of Mattel Inc. Dan Angel, a partner in The Hatchery and a producer on "Balderdash," executive produced the Peabody- and Emmy-winning TV movie "Door to Door." Advertisement Boosler, who was named one of Comedy Central's Top 100 Greatest Comedians of All Time, leads an all-star lineup of comics on "Balderdash" that includes George Wendt ("Cheers"), French Stewart ("3rd Rock from the Sun"), Tim Meadows ("Mean Girls," "Saturday Night Live") and Rick Overton ("Six Feet Under"). The rotating guest list also includes Andy Kindler ("Everybody Loves Raymond"), Regan Burns ("Oblivious"), John Ratzenberger ("Cheers") and Bruce Vilanch ("The New Hollywood Squares"). The comedians try to bluff contestants into believing that they know the answers to questions on such matters as vocabulary, pop culture and "loony laws." Boosler began her comedy career in small clubs, eventually gaining a national following with appearances on such high-profile TV shows as "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." She went on to star in and produce seven cable TV specials of her own, including "Live Nude Girls" and "Elayne Boosler: Party of One." In an interview with United Press International, Boosler said it's a good thing she enjoys her work on the show -- otherwise she'd have a hard time getting up at 7 a.m. every day. "I used to get up around 10," she said, "but then, I haven't gone to bed before 4 a.m. in 30 years." Advertisement Boosler also said it helps that she already liked to play Balderdash, the box game. "I am a language and game freak," she said. Boosler said a highlight of her life was an appearance on "Celebrity Jeopardy," until she found out that they made the questions easier for the celebrities than for the usual assortment of contestants. "Yes, we're idiots," she said. Then, to make sure everyone understands she was just joking about celebrities being idiots, Boosler said the line was just "standard issue self-deprecation." One of the appeals of "Balderdash" is that it doesn't require extensive knowledge to be a good player -- just an ability to throw up a good bluff or, in turn, to know a bluff from a sincere answer. Boosler said that while the celebrities are yukking it up, they're also trying to play the game right. "You have to have a real show for the gamers to watch," she said. "You wouldn't want to insult them." But mainly, said Boosler, the show is about laughs. Oddly, not all of the guest comics are ideally suited to being at their best in the show's format, which puts a higher premium on letting a joke unwind than on going for the quick one-liner. Advertisement "We've had a lot of comics we couldn't wait to have on and they just didn't ace the show," she said -- while politely declining to name names. Boosler does not exempt herself from criticism for not working out well on a TV game show. She said she had a good experience on the original "Hollywood Squares" -- "when I was a kid" -- but didn't excel when she appeared on the more recent version of the show. On the other hand, Boosler was eager to name some of the comedians whose approach to comedy plays well on her PAX TV show. "Andy Kindler and Regan Burns -- these jokes just flow out of them in this never-ending manner," she said. "This show is going to make a huge star out of Regan Burns. He is the funniest guy I have seen in 30 years." Boosler has also contributed articles to such publications as Esquire, USA Today and the New York Times. She has also written material for Barbra Streisand to use on the concert stage and wrote for the Rodney Dangerfield special "It Ain't Easy Being Me." "Balderdash" also gives Boosler a chance to promote a pet project: animal welfare. She ends each episode with the standard signoff: "Remember rescued pets make the best pets, and that's no balderdash. To learn more check out Tails of Joy.net." Advertisement Boosler, who has worked with such organizations as the SPCA, Tony LaRussa's Animal Rescue Fund and the Humane Society of the United States, established Tails of Joy as a non-profit organization to distribute funds to local animal-rescue groups. She praised PAX TV for allowing her to use the signoff to promote the cause. "PAX has given me the most valuable real estate in the world," she said. -- (Please send comments to [email protected].)
