New reality/parody show on SpikeTV: Joe Schmo (1 Viewer)

Chris Lockwood · Sep 1, 2003

The Joe Schmo Show debuts on SpikeTV on Sept 2 at 9 ET. The premise is that one guy thinks he's on a reality show competing for $100,000, but everyone else is an actor, & the show is rigged. Entertainment Weekly gave it a B+.

Keith Paynter · Sep 1, 2003

Sheesh, how much longer until we see The Truman Show - for real?

JustinCleveland · Sep 2, 2003

I think it's actually very clever... I don't know that I'll watch it, but it's a nice premise and lampoon of the seemingly despised yet widely viewed reality genre.

Hunter P · Sep 2, 2003

I can already tell that this show will become my new favorite show.

Licking chocolate off a topless contestant? I'm in!

Chris Lockwood · Sep 2, 2003

> Licking chocolate off a topless contestant?

They do that on Wall Street Week all the time.

Leila Dougan · Sep 2, 2003

I thought it was great! I'm not a reality show type of a person, but this one is certainly quite entertaining.

Richard Travale · Sep 2, 2003

Just finished watching it and I have to say, I like it.

Mike Slade · Sep 2, 2003

I only watched the first hour but I thought it was great! I tivo'ed the second half and I'll check it out tomorrow. I mean come on, "hands on a high priced stripper", that's just good clean fun!!

TonyD · Sep 2, 2003

does the host look exactly like a fatter version of john henson, one of the hosts on talk soup.

how about joe knows the whole thing is a setup and he is in on it from the beginning and is playing the rest of the cast.

Timothy Alexander · Sep 2, 2003

This show was really awesome. I love how Matt is keeping all of the actors and producers on their toes without even realizing that all of this is fake. That whole "vote off" scene was probably one of the funniest things on television this year. "GET THAT CAMERA OFF ME!!" :laugh:

todd s · Sep 3, 2003

TonyD,

My wife and I thought the same thing. The host did look like John Hensen. My wife likes a lot of the reality shows and wasn't going to watch this. But, she did and loves it. Although, I was a little horrified watching the "buddy" guy dance around in that thong.

mark alan · Sep 3, 2003

The contestant on the show is from my hometown, and works (worked?) at a pizza shop about 3 blocks from my house. He did not seem to be the total dweeb that he appears to be on the show. I think that there is some oddball stuff going on with this show.

Chris Lockwood · Sep 3, 2003

> how about joe knows the whole thing is a setup and he is in on it from the beginning and is playing the rest of the cast.

That's always possible, but I think it's better if the show is what we're told it is.

> Sheesh, how much longer until we see The Truman Show - for real?

What's your objection? This guy knows he's on a TV show & agreed to it. Big difference between that & turning someone's life into a show without his knowledge.

My guess is that it's rigged so that "Joe" wins. They need to keep him around; otherwise what's the point? And if they have him win the 100k, that rewards him for being the rube & answers the objection of him competing for a prize that doesn't exist.

I think a lot of people who hate reality shows will like this one, because it's a pretty good parody. A "guess whose underwear that is" contest?

Timothy Alexander · Sep 3, 2003

He did not seem to be the total dweeb that he appears to be on the show.

To me he seems way smarter than I first, or the producers and actors, gave him any credit for. The way he remembers small details or asking questions the actors probably had no clue he would ask is making this a fun watch. The actors have to adlib on the spot for him and the producers have to rewrite whole segments and games because of him. I loved the scene where he forfeits the "hooker" game. That audible gasp and the look everybody just gave him was priceless.

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Hunter P · Sep 3, 2003

I agree, Joe is very observant. I love it when the actors slip up or Joe does something outside of their script. I can see already that I'm going to have a new found appreciation for "The Truman Show." The movie had a lot of the same things happen which just illustrates how good a job the movie did at portraying this kind of situation.

It would be cool if Joe figured it out before episode 10 but I doubt it. I kinda felt sorry for Joe since he is so sincere, honest and nice...but then I burped and realized that it was just gas.

Dave Poehlman · Sep 3, 2003

does the host look exactly like a fatter version of john henson

Thats it! I couldn't think of who that guy reminded me of!

I do like the show. It'll be interesting to see what happens as the contestants get weirder and weirder. I thought for sure the Marine was going to pull out a rifle as his "creature comfort".

It'll be interesting to see if any of the actors start feeling sorry for leading this nice guy on. It may wind up being more of a reality show for them.

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Richard Travale · Sep 3, 2003

I thought for sure the Marine was going to pull out a rifle as his "creature comfort".

I was thinking along the same lines but I thought it would be a huge Rambo knife.

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StephenK · Sep 3, 2003

I remember reading that when he found out it was fake, he was pissed off and refused to do any publicity. I think he was also pondering suing, though I'm sure he signed multiple waivers which would make it impossible. Has anyone heard anything from him "post reveal"?

Dave Poehlman · Sep 3, 2003

Well, if this show turns out to even be a semi-hit, you can bet Spike-TV will beat it like a dead horse with a knotted tow rope.

MickeS · Sep 3, 2003

I LOVED this show!!

The most interesting aspect of it isn't Matt at all, but how the actors and the crew have to react to what he does, like when he completely unexpectedly decided to remove his hand from Tawny Robert's breast almost right away. They all looked like "WHAT THE FUCK DO WE DO NOW??".

They are SO paranoid of getting caught, but realistically, I don't think he'll suspect they're acting. Why would he? If he discovers inconsistencies in their stories (like with the marine and his underwear) he'll mostly write it off as "playing the game" or just an odd occurence. The one thing I keep waiting for to happen that could potentially blow it though: "Kip" slipping with his accent!

I loved Gina's Survivor-Susan rip-off speech. Lovely way to get the voting going.

Oh, and about Matt: he seems very nice, and very smart. I wouldn't have been surprised if he had done well in a real reality series too.

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