I suspect a lot of game shows would be way more fun to participate in than to watch. There are exceptions: There was one called Match Game, in which celebrities would hear a sentence, then fill out the last word--usually with something from the gutters of their minds. It was fun to watch because they picked people with fast minds who were fun to listen to.

As for why we watch them ... I just don't know. Sometimes it seems like there's a horrified fascination.