Watching an episode of Cash Cab yesterday, I read the disclaimer text at the end of the episode. The first part was pretty standard - “parts have been edited” - nothing surprising. The next two sections were as follows:
Contestants are briefed regarding some game elements prior to taping and mus meet eligibility requirements to receive announced prizes.
OK, I can understand that they have been briefed about the rules - they don’t always bother to show him explaining the “shout outs”, etc. I also figure that “eligibility requirements” probably have to do with being over 21 to receive money. (BTW, that isn’t a typo - the text actually reads “mus” instead of “must” - see for yourself).
Now we come to the last part:
Some contestants have been pre-screened prior to their appearance on this program.
Uh oh. Does that mean they select people off the street and tell them they’re getting a chance to be in the Cash Cab? I really hope not - my favorite part is the unsuspecting passengers’ candid reactions when the lights and sounds go off and they look all confused, then laugh when they realize they’re on a game show.
If that’s all staged, I’ll be pretty bummed. But I can’t think what else that could mean.
It might mean that they choose not to let a person play because of language problems (I can see a lot of foreign visitors to NYC not having a good enough command of English to play), overall appearance (it is television, after all), or later at night, apparent level of intoxication.
Just a WAG, but I’d guess that: Some contestants have been pre-screened prior to their appearance on this program.
Means that they were screened before appearing on the program, but after getting through with the cab ride. Another words, not everyone that participates in the Cash Cab gets air time.
Contestants are briefed regarding some game elements prior to taping…
It always shows the driver/host tell all the rules to the first set of contestants. After that, they skip that part and get right to the quizzing. It would get redundant otherwise.
IANAL, but I would think the screening would involve ensuring the potential contestant is familiar with the English language, and is of age. This can happen after the bells and lights and be edited out if need be.
After he explains the rules to the first group on each show, he asks them if they want to play. The disclaimer may be nothing more than that; some people may decide they don’t want to be on a taxi-cab game show.
I like the show, but I haven’t seen all that many episodes. Has there ever been anyone who got in, saw the flashing lights, and was already familiar with the show?
Oh yes, I’ve seen two groups in the few episodes I’ve watched. It was kinda sad, one guy was so psyched up to be on the show, he immediately started bouncing around as soon as the lights went off before Ben could even say anything. And then he bombed every. Single. Question.
I’ve seen a few that were familiar with the show, one lady had even gone to high school with Ben and their parents were still friends. I’ve never seen anybody decline to play, but you know that 100% of cab fares in Manhattan aren’t going to want to play a game show.
Well, since the level of questions on the show is fairly high, I’d imagine they wouldn’t want an idiot to play the game, but I’m not sure how they would pre-screen for that- a warm up quiz perhaps?
I’ve seen a few episodes that have an additional disclaimer, something like “None of the contestants know they will be in a game show”. Maybe they added that because people were getting the wrong idea about the pre-screening? Not sure if it’s new since the shows they air during the day seem to be pretty random in age… like sometimes the red-light challenge is sponsored and sometimes it’s not.
Also, sometimes I wonder about the questions they ask. They showed an episode yesterday or the day before where two young Jewish folks got a red-light challenge where they had to name the first five books of the Bible.
I saw one ep where a group of Irish journalists got in the cab. The were very bemused by the whole thing, and after laughing and joking and taking pictures for the paper back home, they all just got out. They didn’t say “Thanks but no thanks” or anything. Just got out. The only time I’ve seen them air a fare that chose not to play.
I saw that one. I thought it might be a new one b/c he didn’t say “Red Light Challenge!!” like he was Michael Buffer - instead it was just a quiet graphic. (And there’s no way I would’ve been able to come up with one of them. Maybe Genesis, but that’s about it).
Another thing that I find weird is that they get a pretty wide berth when it comes to slightly incorrect answers. There was a video challenge where the question was “Limestone deposits in caves create these icicle-like deposits that flow from the floor and ceiling.” The guy answered “stalagtites and stalagmites” and they gave it to him. I was shocked - I thought he got it wrong b/c it’s stalactites - not stalagtites.
I’ve never seen this show, but I’m wondering if they commonly have contestants who aren’t US or Canadian citizens? I imagine that if the eligibility includes nationality (as it does in a lot of game shows), they may have let the Irish group know this after the initial reactions and just edited those reactions and the exit together, cutting out the middle part.
jayjay - I don’t think so, in this case. Ben was saying, “Guys? arent’ you going to play?” He didn’t seem to understand what was going on. ANd I’d guess if they had barred them because of nationality, they wouldn’t’ve aired them getting in the cab, etc.
I read an article a long time ago that said that after they agree to play, they go to another van where producers screen them, brief them on the rules, and make them sign all kinds of paperwork. Then they get back in the taxi and play the game. You know some people are going to be in too big of a hurry to go through all that. Notice how nobody ever says they are going to an important meeting or something, they are always going to a restaurant or museum.
Also, the article said that they don’t get to keep the cash that Ben hands them. They have to give it back and they get a check later. There have been a couple of times when I’ve noticed Ben clearly hands them an amount of money that is vastly different from what they won.
