Ken Ober, host of MTV's 'Remote Control,' dies at 52
15 years 6 days ago #1
by misterpat
Ken Ober, host of MTV's 'Remote Control,' dies at 52 was created by misterpat
Ken Ober, best known as the host of MTV's late-1980s game show "Remote Control," died Sunday at his Los Angeles home. He was 52.
Representatives for Ober confirmed his death, but the cause of death was not immediately known. Monday, the Internet was abuzz with speculation that Ober had died.
"Remote Control" was one of MTV's earliest attempts to move away from airing just music videos. Although it ran from only 1987 to 1990, it became a pop culture touchstone for many members of Generation X.
The quiz show tested contestants' pop-culture knowledge - with a special emphasis on questions about "The Brady Bunch" - and took place on a set made to resemble Ober's parents' suburban basement, at 72 Whooping Cough Lane. (In reality the show was taped at a Manhattan studio at Park Avenue and East 106 Street.) Contestants sat strapped onto Naugahyde La-Z-Boy chairs with food and drinks placed on trays in front of them as they tried to answer questions in such categories as "Brady Physics" or "Dead or Canadian?"
The show helped launch the careers of Adam Sandler, Denis Leary and Colin Quinn. They appeared in sketches (such as "The Laughing Guy" and "Stud Boy") that functioned as quiz questions.
After "Remote Control," Ober went on to host other game shows, including "Smush" and a 1997 revival of "Make Me Laugh." He also worked as a consulting producer on "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and a writer and producer on Comedy Central's "The Mind of Mencia."
"Ken Ober was one of the sharpest, quickest, sweetest guys I ever met," Sandler said in a statement to MTV News.
Ober - his given surname was Oberding - grew up in Boston, where his heroes were game-show hosts such as Bob Eubanks and Bob Barker. Portraits of several game-show hosts hung on the walls of the "Remote Control" set.
No information was immediately available about survivors.
Representatives for Ober confirmed his death, but the cause of death was not immediately known. Monday, the Internet was abuzz with speculation that Ober had died.
"Remote Control" was one of MTV's earliest attempts to move away from airing just music videos. Although it ran from only 1987 to 1990, it became a pop culture touchstone for many members of Generation X.
The quiz show tested contestants' pop-culture knowledge - with a special emphasis on questions about "The Brady Bunch" - and took place on a set made to resemble Ober's parents' suburban basement, at 72 Whooping Cough Lane. (In reality the show was taped at a Manhattan studio at Park Avenue and East 106 Street.) Contestants sat strapped onto Naugahyde La-Z-Boy chairs with food and drinks placed on trays in front of them as they tried to answer questions in such categories as "Brady Physics" or "Dead or Canadian?"
The show helped launch the careers of Adam Sandler, Denis Leary and Colin Quinn. They appeared in sketches (such as "The Laughing Guy" and "Stud Boy") that functioned as quiz questions.
After "Remote Control," Ober went on to host other game shows, including "Smush" and a 1997 revival of "Make Me Laugh." He also worked as a consulting producer on "The New Adventures of Old Christine" and a writer and producer on Comedy Central's "The Mind of Mencia."
"Ken Ober was one of the sharpest, quickest, sweetest guys I ever met," Sandler said in a statement to MTV News.
Ober - his given surname was Oberding - grew up in Boston, where his heroes were game-show hosts such as Bob Eubanks and Bob Barker. Portraits of several game-show hosts hung on the walls of the "Remote Control" set.
No information was immediately available about survivors.
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