I can’t say I have a soft spot for the Discovery Channel, only because Husband always has either that or History on when I join him in the evening for some quality couple time in front of the TV. As a result of his ruling domain over the remote, I’ve sat through countless hours of finding out why hummingbirds hum and male seahorses have babies, and I’ve watched Field Marshal Rommel march over the ridge into Allied lines so many times it seems inconceivable that we only won the war once.
There is a particular show on Discovery, though, that has made it onto my ‘try not to miss’ list and that would be Cash Cab. At first glance, it seems like NYC is the only place this show could happen, meaning of course that it began in the UK. Most of our really imaginative New York-esque shows started life in Britain, like All in the Family in the ’70s, but actually it’s a trend that goes back to before the war we won together. It would make my day to find out that John Cleese is originally from the Bronx and he just had an awesome voice coach.
The premise of Cash Cab is that “there are 13,000 cabs in New York City but only one that pays you.” An ordinary looking taxi cruises the city streets and picks up unassuming passengers who are then invited to be contestants on the game show that unfolds inside the cab. An affable driver/host asks them trivia questions on the way to their destination, and they can rack up some nice winnings in addition to a free cab ride. No small score in itself.
Three wrong answers and the passengers are out on the street, regardless of how far they are from their destination. Getting stopped at a traffic light triggers a Red Light Challenge, a bonus question with a multi-part answer. If they get stumped on a question, they have two avenues for assistance – a mobile shout out using a cell phone, and a street shout out.
My favorite is the street shout out because it’s so New York. Picture a taxi carrying two young couples dressed to go clubbing, and they’re hanging out the cab window at a curb yelling to a pedestrian, “Hey, Lady! Can you help us out here? What organization was founded in 1966 by Betty Friedan? Do you know?”
And the Lady leans in the window and says into their very young, born in 1988 faces, “NOW!” And the clubbers respond, “Yeah, now. We’re on a game show. So do you know the answer?” And the Lady repeats even louder, “NOW! National Organization for Women! NOW!!” And the club noodles win a thousand dollars and they still don’t know who the hell Betty Friedan is. Now, if only John Cleese were driving.
Go along for a ride with Cash Cab here.
Scene On The Street is the subject of Daughter’s Featured Fotos