Pain and suffering

As if Meredith Vieira didn't have some Nielsen pain to deal with on Millionaire, she also suffered a sore hand. Contestant Lee Yanco got a little overenthusiastic in a high-five with Meredith, and she received the "worst pain of my life."

Okay, she wasn't mortally wounded. She came back with a bandaged hand and a wisecracking attitude. Apparently her lawyers are on call.

Game show hosts have been known to take a few lumps. There's the classic if yucky video of Swedish hostess Eva Nazemson, who regurgitated on live TV because it was that time of the month. But give her credit. She explained the unpleasantness and continued with the show as if a little televised vomit was the most natural thing in the world. A real trooper.

Of course, sometimes the pratfalls are intentional. Gene Rayburn once rolled down the steps on Match Game because, what the hey, it made a good entrance. Gene was 57 when he did the full body roll, so he deserves some credit for physical flexibility.