What is the most unironically absurd/bizarre game show that you have seen aired in American television history? Something that made you go “what is even going on here??” or “how tf is this even a thing?”

20 comments

1. Probably Takeshi’s Castle. It was a Japanese game show notorious for how dangerous it was, dubbed over by English announcers making fun of the whole thing.

   Think obstacles course show only with random unathletic people on the street, no safety precautions, and a lot or ridiculousness.

2. Yeah I mean Fear Factor happened.

3. MXC (Most extreme elimination challenge) it was like wipeout contestants go through different obstacle courses but it was all Japanese people with comedic English voice overs it was actually pretty funny.

4. What was the one where people had to sing while doing stunts like stepping into boxes of cockroaches? That was nuts.

   Edit: I remember now, it was Killer Karaoke!!

   Also I can never forget Pants Off Dance Off even though I’ve tried for years.

5. In college my friends and I would get drunk and watch “Baggage”

6. It has to be “who’s your daddy” where adopted kids guess their dad, whatever that ugliest chick show was (obviously hosted by Howard stern) or “hole in the wall” just because of how stupid it was

7. There was a show were people went on blind dates nude

8. The Gong Show

9. A serial killer won a date with the contestant on The Dating Game. They didn’t know he was a serial killer at the time, but after the guy was arrested it was bizarre to rewatch it. You can look up Rodney Alcala for more info.

10. The now defunct G4 channel had a very short lived game show called “Hurl!” and it sounds exactly how you would expect. Competitive eating and extreme challenges to make someone throw up. Last one standing won $1,000. Each episode had them eating different things so one episode was Mac and Cheese, another was PB&J sandwiches, and another was Clam Chowder. I think it might have been a joke to fill up time but, I’m pretty sure they got a lot of negative press for how boring and gross the idea was.

11. I’m not sure if this would be considered a ‘game show’, but there was a show years ago called “The Swan” where they would take two unattractive women and put them on a diet/fitness regiment and give them copious amounts of plastic surgery, and then they would compete with each other over who was now the hottest: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Swan_(TV_series)

    As you can imagine, the show was extremely controversial.

12. ~~Maximum~~ Most extreme elimination challenge. I know it was Japanese but it was wild to see on American tv

    Edit: thanks for correction

13. The gong show is hands down winner of this category.

    https://youtu.be/q0zOb-5eD-o

14. There was a reality special in 2000 called “Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire.” There was a show in 2003 called “Are You Hot?” that only lasted a few episodes.

    Honestly, the early 2000s were a wild time for reality TV.

15. I loved a show in the 80s called Make ‘Em Laugh. The contestant sat in a chair while a comedian got up in their face and did their shtick. The only rule was no touching. If the contestant didn’t laugh in the alloted time, they won money. I remember Howie Mandel and Gallagher doing their thing on it.

16. Fear factor

17. Human Wrecking Balls, just two big dudes who were brothers breaking things with their bare hands, everything from a car to a movie theater.

18. I see some of the more obvious ones, like Fear Factor, have been covered.

    Here are some other game shows that were also very strange:

    “Queen for a Day”.1954-1970 (amazing this went on for 16 years)Women would be interviewed by a panel, sharing their stories of woe and misery (can’t afford medical care, can’t afford to care for their kids, can’t afford heat for their home etc.), competing to win the sympathy of the panelists. The winner would be named “Queen for a Day” and wear a gaudy fake crown and fake royal regalia and be given an assortment of minor prizes and small amounts of cash rewards.

    “You’re in the picture”January 20, 1961 (it was cancelled after only episode, a second “episode” of it that aired was literally the host just sitting there apologizing for the first episode)A celebrity would stick their head in a cutout of a picture depicting some famous scene or song lyric, and they’d have to ask “yes or no” questions to a panel of fellow celebrities to try to guess what picture their head was superimposed on. If they won, a package of humanitarian aid would be donated in their name, if they lost, it would be donated in the host’s name instead.

    “Moment of Truth”2008-2009A contestant is subjected to a lengthy polygraph examination before appearing, where he’s asked a number of personal, invasive questions on many subjects as part of a “lie detector” test. After that, he appears on stage as a contestant, and is asked questions by the host. He gets more money the more questions he answers truthfully, and can agree to leave at any time and take the money earned, but if he lies (as determined by the polygraph) he loses everything. Sometimes they’d bring out friends, family, or partners to ask particularly invasive or embarrassing questions.

    “Russian Roulette”2002-2003A group of six contestants would stand on round spaces in the floor, laid out like the chambers in a revolver, taking turns answering trivia questions. If they missed a question, they had to pull a level, where there was a chance they’d lose. . .which was a trap door opening beneath them and them falling off stage and out of the game instantly.

19. Solitary. I loved it, but I’d be shocked if most of the contestants didn’t need therapy after.

20. Wipeout. Those poor contestants lol

    The most bizarre reality show I have seen was Kid Nation. Pretty sure that broke some child labor laws and was borderline child neglect.