TV Talk: W.Pa.’s Sprankle family competes on ‘Family Feud’

Western Pennsylvania’s Sprankle family made the trip to Atlanta in May to tape an episode of “Family Feud” that’s expected to air at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24, on WPKD-TV, Channel 19.

They’re inviting the community to join the celebration under a tent at the Saxonburg Volunteer Fire Company Carnival Fairgrounds, 290 Horne Ave., beginning at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 24. Food and drink vendors will be on hand, the episode will be shown and the family will sit for a Q&A after their episode airs.

Planning a community event might prove daunting to some families, but not the Sprankles. They’re used to it, having planned Octoberfest celebrations in conjunction with their Sprankle’s Neighborhood Markets in Kittanning, Leechburg and Saxonburg.

Doug Sprankle, who owns and operates the Saxonburg location, said the “Family Feud” adventure began when his sister-in-law, Brandi Sprankle, applied to the show on behalf of the family in early 2021. Doug’s brother, Ryan Sprankle, who owns and operates the Kittanning location, is team leader. Other teammates are Ryan’s wife, Brandi; Ryan and Brandi’s son, Colt; and Doug’s and Ryan’s father, Randy Sprankle, who owns and operates the Leechburg store.

To prepare for taping the show, Doug said, the family watched as many episodes of “Family Feud” as they could find.

“And we met one day every week to run through practice games and figure out who made sense in what position,” Doug said. “The No. 4 position is the most important because you want to have the fastest person on the buzzer.”

That turned out to be Doug.

“We do a lot of Facebook videos, so we’re pretty accustomed to being on camera, but being in a studio with a live studio audience with everybody watching and the amount of tension and fun in the room, it was a wild experience to perform under those conditions,” Doug said.

He estimates a taping takes three times longer than the show runs on TV but when you’re in it, the whole experience feels like it’s over in five minutes.

Doug said it was great to meet “Family Feud” host Steve Harvey.

“That guy is a legend,” Doug said. “He has a great sense of humor. His wit is unmatched. And how he feeds off the show and the audience is really cool. And he’s always dressed immaculately.”

New broadcast award

Pittsburgh’s in-the-making National Museum of Broadcasting will celebrate the 150th birthday of Frank Conrad, the Westinghouse engineer and Wilkinsburg native who developed the technology that led to radio broadcasts in 1920, with a free event 1 to 4 p.m. May 4 at the historic Wilkinsburg train station, 901 Hay St.

Conrad’s great-grandson, Jamie Conrad, a Washington, D.C.-based attorney, will be on hand to talk about Frank Conrad’s work. The inaugural Frank Conrad Award for Broadcast and Electronic Media Innovation will be presented to a Pittsburgher whose works emulate Conrad’s.

At 2 p.m., the festivities, which include a sports memorabilia silent auction fundraiser, will feature a panel discussion among Pittsburgh broadcasters moderated by WQED-FM’s Jim Cunningham and featuring former KDKA-AM morning host Jack Bogut, retired WTAE-TV news anchor Sally Wiggin and current “Our Region’s Business” host Bill Flanagan.

WPXI mornings

Following the defenestration of morning anchor Katherine Amenta this week, breaking news reporter Jennifer Tomazic slid over to the anchor desk to sit next to Gordon Loesch. But Friday Alyssa Raymond was in the anchor chair.

News director Scott Trabandt did not respond to a query about what the new morning anchor lineup will be.

Channel surfing

As expected, Amazon’s Prime Video officially renewed “Fallout” for a second season. … “GMA3” co-host Dr. Jennifer Ashton is leaving ABC News to start a wellness company. … CBS canceled “CSI: Vegas” and “So Help Me Todd.”