Shut Up and Play
Shut Up and Play was an unconventional podcast in that it was broadcast live on TWiT but was not released as a recorded show (although they were backed up in TWiT's Justin.tv archives). It was billed less as a show of its own, and more of an after-show and a communal experience. Each show succeeded Game On! every Sunday at 8:00pm PT/11:00pm ET, lasting anywhere from 3 to 6 hours, and was hosted and produced by Glenn Rubenstein. Shut Up And Play is the LAN Party that evolved out of At The Controls.
Shut Up and Play was obviously cancelled when Game On! was cancelled...and unfortunately may have played a part in the decision to cancel Game On!.
Show Format
- Highlights
Occasionally highlights from previous weeks, or videos produced by Chad relevant to that night's LAN game will be played in the hour break between the end of Game On! and the beginning of Shut Up and Play. During this hour Brian and Veronica are in a production meeting immediately following Game On!, and the rest of the TWiT crew are setting up the Brickhouse to broadcast the LAN party. During this hour Glenn will also entertain the chat room until TWiT is broadcast-ready.
- LAN Party
This is the staple of Shut Up and Play, wherein players in studio and at home join the TWiT servers for the broadcast sessions. Glenn, Brian, and Veronica often play during this segment with the viewers at home.
- Grudge Match
The Grudge Match pins Brian and Glenn against each other in a competitive console game, serving as a break in the LAN Party after an hour or so. The loser must submit to the conditions determined before the match (or in some cases during), usually resulting in something embarrassing or entertaining. In time the Grudge Match has branched out to include Greg Burnett after his unforeseen trouncing of Brian in Street Fighter. This was the beginning of TWiT Dynasty: Greg's consistent victories during Grudge Matches.
- Late Night Shenanigans
This segment is so loose that not only does it have an amorphous structure dictated by the momentum of the night, it doesn't even have an official name. Following the Grudge Match, Brian and Veronica have usually left the studio, so Glenn and the rest of the TWiT crew will alternate between the LAN Party and console games pending on which ever is more entertaining. As the night draws long the show focuses on the TWiT crew having jovial conversations around the console.
Memorable Moments
- Leo Laporte is Brian GotWood and Lisa Kentzell is Fauxronica hosting Lame On!
- Jeff Gerstmann and Brian slow dance after losing a Grudge Match.
- Chad sings Never Gonna Give You Up on Rock Band.
- Chad then sings Poker Face on Rock Band.
- NBA Jam game ends mid-dunk before Brian and Greg reach the 100-point mark, Glenn and Bill Doran get pies to the face.
- Brian performs an interpretive dance with Max Trollbot to the sultry sounds of Lionel Richie's "Hello".
Fun Facts
- The Belt was not applicable during Shut Up And Play, Leo allowed cursing during the show to preserve the informal and competitive nature of the show.
- The chat room still used #twitlive for Shut Up and Play, but was still expected to follow TWiT chat rules.
- Viewers participating in the LAN Party could get more information on game / server info in #twitlive3 during the show.
- Glenn has a long history with Giantbomb's very own Jeff Gerstmann.
- Brian has a habit of forming his own punishment for losing the Grudge Match, then dramatically exaggerating his losses (much to the entertainment and ire of the chat room).