Hot Potato

Hot Potato
Premiere	January 23, 1984
Finale	June 29, 1984
Creator	Dan Enright
Host	Bill Cullen
Network/Provider	NBC
Style	30-minute game show
Company	Barry-Enright Productions
Episodes	85
Origin	USA

Hot Potato was a game show airing on NBC daytime.

Two teams of three players each, all with a common thread, competed to name the most popular items on a survey. The object was to name seven out of ten. A team continued play as long as members gave acceptable answers. An incorrect answer eliminates that player and loses control of the question to the other team. If a member cannot think of an answer, he/she passes the "hot potato"--the chance to get a member of the opposing team to give an acceptable answer. Each opponent giving an unacceptable answer is eliminated. Giving all seven answers or eliminating all three members of the opposing team wins the round with two rounds winning the game and $1000.

The winning team competes in a bonus round where they are presented with a poll question and five choices of two possible answers. To increase their winnings by $1000 each time, they must pick the right answer. At any time the team can stop, but if they give a wrong answer at any time, they lose everything save for the $1000 for winning the game.

Later, the show adapted a celebrity captain format.

In-Depth

• At a Glance: Additional information about the series