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Fear Factor is an American television game show (on NBC) which pits contestants (usually three men and three women) against each other to complete a series of stunts better and/or quicker than all the other contestants. The show is hosted by Joe Rogan. Its logo is yellow and black-based; the word 'fear', in a handwritten script, is black on yellow while the word 'factor', in a typewritten script, is yellow on black.
The regular format involves three men and three women who must complete three stunts in order to win $50,000 USD. If a contestant fails to complete a stunt or does not perform it better or quicker than other contestants, they are eliminated from the competition. Before the third stunt, if only one contestant remains, they automatically win $25,000 and the other contestants who were eliminated in the stunt, return for the next stunt to compete for the remaining $25,000.
Other formats have included:
Four couples would compete in three stunts like normal, with the winning team dividing the $50,000 prize and sending one player to the Tournament.
Season Four had nine couples competing over seven weeks and 17 stunts for a jackpot of $1 million. Along the way, they competed for various prizes ($10,000), cars, trips, and one chance to steal a desired prize from another team. Along the way, couples were eliminated and two teams competed in the 17th stunt for the $1,000,000.
Three teams of identical twins would compete on day one, the team with the poorest performance was eliminated, and the four twins played for themselves from then on, only one single person would win the $50,000. In season four, four teams of twins competed in the same format as the couples show.
Played just like the regular shows.
Four teams competed; with the second stunt being played for a bonus prize such as a trip or car; the winners on day three divide the cash prize.
Seasons two and three concluded with a Tournament featuring the winnners of each show. In season two, men competed amongst men and women amongst women until two of each made it to the third stunt, with the winner collecting $100,000.
Season three divided the 24 winners into two semi-final groups of 12 each. The semi-final was structured just like a normal show: with the group being cut from 12 to six, then to three, and finally two. The two people who got through the third stunt won a Mazda RX-8 and a chance at the $100,000 in the third week. Each of the three last stunts eliminated one contestant, and the final stunt determined the winner.
Twelve contestants competed in six stunts at the start of the fourth season. The one player who survived all six won a $1 million annuity.
The first stunt usually involves a body of water and/or a helicopter. The eliminations in the first stunt are usually one man and one woman where men compete against one another and the women compete against each other. In the following stunts, it is strictly individuals with the worst performance or time. The second stunt typically entails eating some unappealing animal parts (e.g. horse scrotum or fish eyeballs) or insects such as cockroaches and worms. Other less frequently featured stunts include eating durians, a tropical fruit. The third stunt usually involves an automobile or some confrontation with heights.
The winner of the final stunt is congratulated by Joe and is crowned Fear Factor champion with the parting words "Evidently fear is not a factor for you.".
International Versions
In the UK, Sky One broadcast a version of Fear Factor with British contestants. The nature of the stunts is similar to the US version, but instead of individual contestants, Fear Factor UK is contested by two teams of three, who bank prize money according to their success or failure in the first two stunts. The UK host is Ed Sanders.
In early 2002 an Australian version briefly ran on the Nine Network. It was also similar to the American version, however instead of having contestants compete for prize money each episode, the winning contestant would instead compete for a place in a final, where they and other winning contestants would compete for a final $50,000 AUD prize.
Only two episodes were aired before the show was withdrawn from schedules.
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