# Street Smarts - is this the scariest show on TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 15, 2002, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811 "2002-04-15T20:13:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/1 "2002-04-15T20:13:23Z")
For those not familiar, _Street Smarts_ is a quiz show. Two contestants view tapes of the show host asking questions of three people on the street. The contestants then try to guess whether the people got the answers to the questions right or wrong. That’s the abbreviated version, and it’s enough to give you the idea. Now, I don’t know whether they go out of their way to find really pathetic people, or whether they manufacture them out of whole cloth. But if the show is on the up-and-up, it is really scary. Some of these people are graduate students. Some are working in customer service and assistance. Some own businesses. And they give these kinds of answers: **The moon rotates around what?** _The night._ **A filly is a female what?** _Person from Philadelphia._ **In what movie did Ben Stein say “Bueller, Bueller, Bueller”?** _PCQ_ **If you have half an apple, and I take away half of that, how much do you have left?** _None of it._ **A rolling stone gathers what?** _Satisfaction. No, wait! NO Satsifaction. Right?_ […mortified stare…] Have any of you seen this show? And does it scare you as much as it does me? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/2 "2002-04-15T22:12:03Z")
Yes I been cursed enough to catch it when nothing better was on. All I can say is the people on that show have no business mingling around with us in society. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/3 "2002-04-15T22:16:04Z")
I’ve seen that monstrosity as well. When watching it, all I could think was “My God, where did they find these complete idiots?” Then I realized they tape in LA. 😃 😛 Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/4 "2002-04-15T22:17:25Z")
[Full disclosure: I don’t know the answer to the Ben Stein question…] ☹ Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![cainxinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7bcc69/32.png) [@cainxinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cainxinth)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/5 "2002-04-15T23:02:30Z")
Ignorance is the standard, not the exception. ---
**Author:** ![Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/73ab20/32.png) [@Caesar\_s\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caesar_s_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/6 "2002-04-15T23:46:31Z")
I’ve seen the show a couple of times and honestly it does scare me. Some of the people they find seem to be in areas you would expect, ah, “not smarter than the average bear” people to be in, but others seem perfectly average, normal, everyday citizens, and they don’t know what shape Florida is. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Carnage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/max_carnage/32/12775_2.png) [@Max\_Carnage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Carnage)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2002, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/7 "2002-04-15T23:55:24Z")
I looooove this show 🙂 It makes me feel so superior sometimes. Some of the “street folks” are legitimately funny. Of course others are incredibly stupid. But I’m sure (at least I hope) that they question tons of people and then take the ones that will come across the most memorable, whether that means “idiotic” or “funny.” I do think the host is great too. He does a great job of playing off those people. Also, **Zev** , just fyi, they film the show in LA but the people they question are from all over. I recognized the interior of one of the malls here in Nashville. Just goes to show, you can find dumb people everywhere…except in SDMB of course 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/8 "2002-04-16T01:24:18Z")
My guess is that many people give a sarcastic answer to elementary questions (might even be prompted to do so,) and those are the ones that are shown, to allow the viewer to feel more intelligent. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/9 "2002-04-16T01:40:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Libertarian \* > \*\* > > Have any of you seen this show? And does it scare you as much as it does me? \*\* You’re putting people on the spot who aren’t used to things like television cameras. It doesn’t surprise me that people come up with some really stupid answers while they’re under that kind of pressure. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/10 "2002-04-16T01:51:48Z")
The people who appear on this show are instructed to give an answer, any answer, rather than say “I don’t know.” That’s why their answers are so funny. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/11 "2002-04-16T04:33:53Z")
OK, so they have to give an answer. Does it have to be the dumbest one they can think of? Christ! ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/12 "2002-04-16T05:25:53Z")
Well, really _smart_ people who calmly and promptly and correctly answer each question aren’t funny, so they don’t get on the show. I kinda preferred Howard Stern’s interviews of homeless people and models, anyway. The show I find _really_ disturbing is _Elimidate_. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/13 "2002-04-16T05:50:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*Bryan Ekers \*\*\* > The show I find _really_ disturbing is _Elimidate_. _Elimidaaaaaaate_… ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/14 "2002-04-16T14:16:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zev\_steinhardt \* > \*\*[Full disclosure: I don’t know the answer to the Ben Stein question…] ☹ > > Zev Steinhardt \*\* Hint: It might come to you if you think of it as the “ **Bueller** ” question. (Although, it does go back a ways, now that I think about it.) ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/15 "2002-04-16T14:34:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zev\_steinhardt \* > \*\*[Full disclosure: I don’t know the answer to the Ben Stein question…] ☹ > > Zev Steinhardt \*\* Blasphemy! Do this: 1. Gather $15. 2. Travel to local “Target” retail store. 3. Exchange $15 for a DVD copy of _Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_. 4. Watch movie. ---
**Author:** ![zev\_steinhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/97f17d/32.png) [@zev\_steinhardt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zev_steinhardt)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/16 "2002-04-16T14:52:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Slacker \* > \*\* > > Blasphemy! Do this: > > 1. Gather $15. > 2. Travel to local “Target” retail store. > 3. Exchange $15 for a DVD copy of _Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_. > 4. Watch movie. \*\* Ah, but I don’t have a DVD player. (Yeah, I know, that makes me a heretic to be burned at the stake! 🙂 ) Zev Steinhardt ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/17 "2002-04-16T15:51:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arnold Winkelried \* > \*\*My guess is that many people give a sarcastic answer to elementary questions (might even be prompted to do so,) and those are the ones that are shown, to allow the viewer to feel more intelligent. \*\* I don’t think so. The manner in which they answer is anything but sarcastic. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/18 "2002-04-16T16:14:19Z")
My wife watches this, primarily because it’s a TV show. It makes me itch. I know I should interpret it as a show making fun of stupid people, but considering the contestants are usually not much smarter, it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Punoqllads](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@Punoqllads](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Punoqllads)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2003, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/19 "2003-04-17T20:43:54Z")
[resurrect] Oh, wow. If you haven’t seen this show, you’ve got to find an episode to view. Such questions like: [ul] [li]The Tour de France is a bicycle race run primarily through what European country?[/li]_‘Canada?’_ [li]Which two countries border the US?[/li]_‘Um…Mexico? And, uh … Cuba?’_ [li]What kind of fruit are dried apricots made from?[/li]_‘Peaches.’_ [li]Use this world correctly correctly in a sentence: ‘puny’.[/li]_‘I’m getting some puny tonight!’_ (pronouncing it “poony” instead of “pyoony”) [/ul] Now, a few of the questions aren’t quite so easy, usually culturally-specific questions, like, “Complete the verse of this hit pop song: ‘What the world needs now, is _blank_’.” Correct answer: ‘love, sweet love.’ (Burt Bacharach, _What the World Needs Now is Love_) Answer I would have given: ‘is another folk singer, like I need a hole in the head.’ (Uncle Cracker, _Teen Angst_) But, good God, the fact that, not only are people this ignorant, but that they’re willing to show their ignorance just to be on TV is mind-boggling. [/resurrect] ---
**Author:** ![owlofcreamcheese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@owlofcreamcheese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/owlofcreamcheese)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811/20 "2003-04-18T00:42:24Z")
it seems like all the really dumb answers come out of the fact they are instructed that they NEED to give an answer no matter what instead of saying "don’t know’. and alot of the people on are really comedian types. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/street-smarts-is-this-the-scariest-show-on-tv/103811.md?page=2)