For Dark Shadows, I'm Ed McMahon

[Gerard]

I think I've mentioned somewhere in passing here that I'm a loyal PCH (Publishers' Clearing House Sweepstakes) player - you know, the one that gives away $7,500 a week for life along with lots of other prizes.  It's free and when, once upon a time, players had to fill out all sorts of paperwork and mail it in (they still do that for those who prefer it that way), most now just go on-line, register, and start playing.

One of the ways to win is to earn tokens which can then be used to bid on various prizes (one can also just automatically win something).  To date, I've won over $1,700 playing PCH (yes, people do win).  There are several ways to win tokens.  One is through "quizzes," where one answers questions on all sorts of topics. 

Just recently, one of the quizzes was "Can You Finish the Name of This Soap Opera?"  I guess you know where this is going.  Of course, one of the slides had a picture of the fang-baring Barnabas with the question:  Dark _____. 

And then they have something called slideshows.  It's just ten things concerning certain topics, such as "Interesting Egg Dishes From Around the World."  In honor of Halloween, there have been plenty  about sundry spooky things, including "Famous Vampire Movies and Shows."  Yes, one slide had DS, but - get this - the 2012 movie with Johnny Depp, although it did say that while he played Barnabas, it was based on the TV show with a mention of Jonathan Frid originating the role. 

Last but not least, I also saw an MSN slideshow listing movies that had important scenes after the final credits rolled.  (Think the scene of the guy in the taxi following the end credits in Airplane which was included in the list.) To my shock and pleasant surprise, it listed HoDS stating that the staked-and-redead Barnabas changes into a bat and flies away allowing for, as the slide stated, a sequel.

You never know where we're going to pop up.

Gerard

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Gerard,

In reading your thread here, I was reminded of the film, “Nebraska,” a comedy-drama about a Montana man’s journey to claim a million-dollar sweepstakes prize in Lincoln, Nebraska. The film stars Best Actor nominee Bruce Dern, Stacy Keach and Bob Odenkirk, perhaps best known as the somewhat ethically-challenged attorney Jimmy McGill/Saul Goodman in both “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul, ” two superb series, imo.

I don’t want to say that Jimmy/Saul is a shyster, but he makes DS’ own Evan Hanley and Charles Dawson seem like Owen Marshall and Atticus Finch, respectively, by comparison!   

I wonder if Mrs. Sarah Johnson, Bob Rooney, Ezra Braithwaite, Sheriff Paterson and Maggie Evans were all faithful PCH participants? Legendary Maine horror author and frequent social commentator
Stephen King once related in an interview that he eschews contests and lotteries that his own Republican brother faithfully plays in a neighboring state (New Hampshire or Massachusetts, I can’t remember which one).

As for me, I love all of these nationally-sponsored contests and lotteries. I only wish I knew the “secret, magic number of the universe,” which Barnabas once learned from a voodoo doctor in Martinique, to use today in all of these popular games of chance!   
 
Bob

[Gerard]

I've convinced several people to play PCH, Bob, and some - still skeptical thinking it's a total scam and sham - gave it a shot and ended up winning.  They didn't get huge jackpots - ten bucks here, five bucks there and even a twenty, and would win later again.  One won ten bucks the second time she played.

I would figure that Roger would be the only one to (secretly) play various sweepstakes, such as the Irish, and do a bit of gambling, since big sis Liz held the purse strings, so he hoped to become financially independent.

Gerard

[Bob_the_Bartender]

Gerard,

Somehow, I think that Roger, Sarah Johnson, Maggie Evans, Bob Rooney and the rest of the town would be on a very long line today playing a “certain” national lottery game.

Bob

PS As that old skinflint, Mordecai Grimes, was wont to say, “You’ve got to be in it, to win it!”