▁Dow ney ▁was ▁tack led ▁by ▁" pol ice ". ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁height ▁of ▁its ▁popular ity ▁in ▁the ▁mid - ▁and ▁late - 1 9 8 0 s , ▁fans ▁of ▁the ▁show ▁would ▁wait ▁for ▁several ▁hours ▁to ▁get ▁a ▁choice ▁spot ▁among ▁the ▁studio ' s ▁ 8 0 ▁audience ▁seats , ▁where ▁they ▁w aved ▁U . S . ▁flags ▁and ▁ch anted , ▁" W al - ly ! ▁Wal - ly !" ▁on ▁c ue . ▁This ▁ever ▁increasing ▁circ us ▁atmosphere ▁became ▁an ▁integral ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁show ' s ▁appeal ; ▁for ▁instance , ▁when ▁W ally ▁y elled ▁" 9 - 9 - 9 ", ▁the ▁fans ▁in ▁the ▁studio ▁would ▁hol ler ▁back ▁" FI VE ▁TH O US AND !" ▁( a ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁show ' s ▁ticket ▁line , ▁ 7 1 4 - 9 9 9 - 5 0 0 0 ). ▁F ans ▁would ▁often ▁cheer ▁W ally ▁on ▁and ▁bo o ▁his ▁guests , ▁as ▁if ▁they ▁were ▁at ▁a ▁sport ing ▁event . ▁ ▁David ▁Kennedy ▁was ▁the ▁co - host ▁for ▁Hot ▁Se at , ▁se ated ▁to ▁George ' s ▁right ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁ ▁Kennedy ' s ▁persona ▁was ▁extremely ▁m ild - mann ered , ▁the ▁polar ▁opposite ▁of ▁George ' s , ▁effectively ▁acting ▁as ▁a ▁straight ▁man . ▁In ▁fact , ▁Kennedy ▁would ▁often ▁sit ▁calm ly ▁and ▁nearly