# Fear Factor and Weakest Link **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 14, 2001, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123 "2001-08-14T01:02:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/1 "2001-08-14T01:02:31Z")
Let me preface this by saying, this was the second time I have ever watched the Weakest Link, and I have never watched Fear Factor. Despite these facts, I was none to surprised at how incredibly stupid the people from Fear Factor were. My God in Heaven they are dumber than boxes of rockses. How about the producers of the Weakest Link post here and get some intelligent people on the show. Now that would be fun. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/2 "2001-08-14T01:10:42Z")
I’m wondering, if you’ve never seen Fear Factor (and I’m no fan of the show myself) then how did you find out how dumb these people were? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/3 "2001-08-14T01:10:59Z")
Um… do you _really_ think the _smart_ people are going to be on a show where they get dropped off high object, eat critters normally considered disease-carrying vermin, share a box with critters normally considered disease-carrying vermin, crawl through sewers, and otherwise abase themselves and/or do fucking stupid and potentially dangerous stunts Maybe there’s a reason for the low-wattage brains on Fear Factor? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/4 "2001-08-14T01:20:46Z")
Yeah I just watched. It was hilarious. Specially the guy who guessed “Fall” instead of “Summer.” Man, these guys were one of a kind. They ought to have them come on every now and again. For the laughs, you understand. 😉 Edward was cute, though…mebbe none too bright, but I liked him. I really liked the part when Anne unmasked the little alliance, and when she made fun of one guy (Derek?) for saving “a piece of plastic.” ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/5 "2001-08-14T01:22:16Z")
> [@](#): > > I was none to surprised at how incredibly stupid the people from Fear Factor were. _Fear Factor_ isn’t about smarts. It’s about - surprise! - watching how people operate under pressure, while performing difficult and/or nerve-wracking tasks. > [@](#): > > How about the producers of the Weakest Link post here and get some intelligent people on the show. You’re kidding, right? The _Weakest Link_ contestants are consistenly some of the dumbest morons I’ve ever seen. They usually only have one smart guy, and he’s always “voted off” in the last three rounds. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/6 "2001-08-14T01:37:34Z")
I have nothing against English accents, but most of the time I can’t understand what the hell that host is saying on Weakest Link. And not only does she have the accent, but she talks fast, running words together. Sometimes after being asked a question, you’ll see a contestant just standing there with a puzzled look. They’re not trying to figure out the answer, they’re trying to figure out what the question was. Anyway, I only watched it because I was at a friend’s house and he had it on. I can’t for the life of me understand why someone I generally find intelligent would watch that crap. ---
**Author:** ![Crunchy\_Frog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ebca7d/32.png) [@Crunchy\_Frog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crunchy_Frog)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/7 "2001-08-14T01:39:45Z")
Ok, I think I’ve got it… Are people from Fear Factor appearing as contestants on Weakest Link? ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/8 "2001-08-14T01:46:08Z")
My favorite was when the question was, **What fitness guru wrote a book called _Stop the Insanity_?** The guy thinks for a minute and says, “Mark Twain?” :rolleyes: > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crunchy Frog \* > \*\*Ok, I think I’ve got it… Are people from Fear Factor appearing as contestants on Weakest Link? \*\* Yes Crunchy, that’s exactly what it was. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/9 "2001-08-14T02:02:21Z")
For me, a show like _Weakest Link_ has nothing to do with the smarts of the contestants. I wouldn’t bet two turds on which one of these dopes win. But I would like it to be exciting. Which is why, IMHO, the show blows like Linda Lovlace. It has all the excitement of watching my dog sleep. I’ve seen it a few times and the end is usually the epitome of anti-climactic. It’s like watching a chess mixed with golf. I envision a hushed anouncer saying, “One person has won, {_dramatic pause_} and one person has lost.” That’s it! End of show! Tune in next week for more insults and idiocy! Buy Coke! That’s why I love _Fear Factor_. Again, there isn’t a possible way I could care less over which one of them won, lost or fell off the girder and splatted on the pavement like a watermelon. But hot-damn it’s cool to see somone jump up on a helicopter runner, or to try to tightrope a hundred feet in the air, or get attacked by a German Shepard. Especially, since these being the litigious times that they are, I know all of these stunts are relatively safe. I’d love to go on _Fear Factor_, I’d fall asleep if you put me on _Weakest Link_. I know I only touched on what the OP was talking about, but, fuck it, the OP wasn’t that clear anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/10 "2001-08-14T02:20:59Z")
I knew it would be a long show when the first question was something like, “In a fable, what animal dressed in sheep’s clothing?” and the doorknob paused for about 20 seconds before **failing** to answer “wolf.” What the hell. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/11 "2001-08-14T03:32:34Z")
Seeing what opinions of The Weakest Link and its contestants have been shared here and elsewhere, that leaves me one question: Considering what a huge hit this show is in Great Britain (giving Who Wants to Be a Millionaire a run for its money), does that mean the Brits are just _smarter_ than us 'Mericans? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/12 "2001-08-14T03:41:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Leaper \* > \*\*Seeing what opinions of The Weakest Link and its contestants have been shared here and elsewhere, that leaves me one question: > > Considering what a huge hit this show is in Great Britain (giving Who Wants to Be a Millionaire a run for its money), does that mean the Brits are just _smarter_ than us 'Mericans? 🙂 \*\* I don’t understand how you would come to that conclusion. The contestants on both shows are idiots, so why would prefering one show over the other be a mark of greater intelligence? ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/13 "2001-08-14T03:52:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crunchy Frog \* > \*\*Ok, I think I’ve got it… Are people from Fear Factor appearing as contestants on Weakest Link? \*\* You are **correct!!** Johnny, could you tell us what he has won. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/14 "2001-08-14T03:52:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by elfkin477 \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Leaper \* > > \*\*Considering what a huge hit this show is in Great Britain (giving Who Wants to Be a Millionaire a run for its money), does that mean the Brits are just _smarter_ than us 'Mericans? 🙂 \*\* > > I don’t understand how you would come to that conclusion. The contestants on both shows are idiots, so why would prefering one show over the other be a mark of greater intelligence? \*\* I made this conclusion because the only way I could see for the show to be a huge hit in Great Britain (considering the opinions I’ve seen) is for the British contestants to be more intelligent, and generally perform more competently, than the American, since it seems that the stupidity of the American contestants is the major-turn off (though I admit that it’s the selling point for many others). Since I hadn’t seen the British version, I _assumed_ that if it was doing so well there, then their contestants had to be getting more questions right than ours. Was I in error? ---
**Author:** ![Baraqiyal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@Baraqiyal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baraqiyal)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/15 "2001-08-14T04:08:36Z")
I thought it was funny when the question was **What letter of the alphabet has more than one syllable?** The contestant answered: **I** ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/16 "2001-08-14T04:12:04Z")
I can’t comment on the British version, but the American version blows really large chunks. I love trivia, and I love trivia shows, but I expect them to have challenging questions for contestants that can make a decent showing. What I saw tonight was like a slow-motion train wreck. The idiots from Fear Factor had no business being there (all collusion crap aside), and the show has no business putting contestants on who think the ‘H’ that Catholic nuns and priests wear is ‘Amen’. Oh…my…gosh. Do the producers of this show really want the rest of the world to think that this is the best America has to offer? Stupid **and** unethical? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/17 "2001-08-14T04:30:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Considering what a huge hit this show is in Great Britain (giving Who Wants to Be a Millionaire a run for its money), does that mean the Brits are just _smarter_ than us 'Mericans? No, it just shows that Americans love Regis Philbin and the Brits love Monty Py–\* I mean, Anne what’s-her-face. > [@](#): > > I made this conclusion because the only way I could see for the show to be a huge hit in Great Britain (considering the opinions I’ve seen) is for the British contestants to be more intelligent… The way it was explained one time on, like, Extra or Access Hollywood or something, it’s just that the Brits enjoy watching someone be humuliated. It’s just a cultural difference, I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/18 "2001-08-14T06:45:53Z")
This thread piqued my curiosity. Being on the west coast of USA, I was able to watch the show after reading this thread. I can only hope there is some technology in place to prevent foreign agents from getting their hands on this tape. We’d be the laughing stock of the globe. The following is one more actual question and answer from tonight’s show, and if I’m lying I’m flying (and I ain’t no bird): Q - What is a baby goat called? A - A Kangaroo. I actually did a double take. A baby goat is a kangaroo. What kind of fucked up zoo did this guy go to as a kid? ---
**Author:** ![SFCanadian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SFCanadian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SFCanadian)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/19 "2001-08-14T08:11:57Z")
I think that The Weakest Link was absolutely stunning tonight… There were so many stupid answers that I couldn’t take my eyes off of the TV for the whole hour… I think the two syllable “i” was the high point for me… Although the “contest” at the end between the two totally stupid guys was really pitiful… I was wondering if either one would actually answer a question right before the end of the show… A little off topic, but Anne Robinson was on So Graham Norton on BBC America last weekend… The woman actually LAUGHS and talks and smiles! And for those of you that might not have seen it, the part where Miles O’Connor (Tarzan) fondled her breasts was very surreal… It was so hard to connect her with the character she plays on TWL… Wonder why? LOL SFCanadian ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2001, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123/20 "2001-08-14T09:51:06Z")
> [@](#): > > The woman actually LAUGHS and talks and smiles! They had a Celebrity Weakest Link a while back (y’know, where celebrities come on and try to earn money to revive their slagging career–\* I mean, for charity?). One of the guys, the star of _The Animal_ (I forget his name) made Anne crack several times in the course of the show. 'Twas amusing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fear-factor-and-weakest-link/76123.md?page=2)