Dirty Rotten Cheater
Encyclopedia
Dirty Rotten Cheater is a game show
that aired on PAX from January 6 to April 14, 2003, hosted by Bil Dwyer
and produced by Jonathan Goodson
. Thirteen episodes were produced.
The show featured elements similar to the BBC's The Enemy Within as well as Family Feud and the international series Weakest Link
. The show's original pilot, titled Cheaters, was produced on the NBC Studios
set of the U.S. version of The Weakest Link
, in Burbank
.
The game begins with a survey question, similar to those on Family Feud
. In the first four rounds, each player gives one answer; if the answer is on a list of the top ten responses given, the player receives an amount of money. Answers that appear lower on the list are worth more than those higher on the list. If the answer is not on the list, no money is given. The Cheater can see the entire top ten list of answers and may choose to either give a high-dollar answer to build their own bank, or a lesser answer in hopes of throwing off suspicion.
The players are then given an opportunity to accuse one another of being the Cheater. After a few contestants have opined, they all secretly vote for whom they think is the Cheater using cards with the players' names on them. The players reveal their votes, starting at the left and moving right. The first contestant who receives three votes for that round is eliminated, losing all of his/her winnings, and must then truthfully state whether or not he/she is the Cheater.
Depending on the outcome of the vote, one of three possible scenarios occurs:
The host reveals the identity of person who ultimately ended up as the Cheater, and the honest players who voted for that contestant as the Cheater win $500 each. Both remaining contestants are brought to center stage, each with a vault containing the amount of money in his or her bank. The Cheater walks forward to his or her vault, opens it, and reaches inside. If the majority of the audience correctly voted that player as the Cheater, his or her money immediately falls through a trap door in the container, and the honest player wins the money in his or her vault. If the majority of the audience voted for the honest contestant, the trap door is not activated and the Cheater wins his or her money, with the honest player receiving nothing.
in Italy
.
In Japan
, the program was broadcasting as The Cheater (ザ・チーター) on TBS
between October 2005 and August 2006. It was broadcast as a special program in May 2005, then as a late-night program between October 2005 and March 2006.
A short-lived version of the program also aired on France 2
(July 2006) as "Qui est le bluffeur?" ("Who is the bluffer?") with Belgian host Jean-Michel Zecca.
The UK version was hosted by Brian Conley
. Originally this was to transmit in spring 2007, but eventually began on BBC One
at 2.35pm on Monday 15 October. It was screened every weekday for three weeks, but was then replaced in the schedule by Diagnosis: Murder
- the final five shows switched channels and were shown from Monday 12 November at 2.00pm on BBC Two
. The UK version was taped at the Maidstone Studios in Kent
, but edited at BBC Television Centre
.
There are some format differences between the US and UK versions, the most obvious being that the UK version has one less contestant.
In addition to being produced in France, Italy, Japan, and the UK, the show was also produced in Hungary, India (as "Bluff Master"), Spain, & Vietnam.
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
that aired on PAX from January 6 to April 14, 2003, hosted by Bil Dwyer
Bil Dwyer
William Michael "Bil" Dwyer is an American stand-up comedian and game show host. Television shows he has hosted include GSN's Extreme Dodgeball, I've Got A Secret and The 50 Greatest Game Shows of All Time, the PAX TV game show Dirty Rotten Cheater, and the FSN game show, Ultimate Fan...
and produced by Jonathan Goodson
Jonathan Goodson
Jonathan Michael Goodson is an American television producer who specializes in game shows. He is the son of legendary game show producer Mark Goodson and began his television career in 1973 as chief counsel of Goodson-Todman Productions. He later produced several of the company's shows...
. Thirteen episodes were produced.
The show featured elements similar to the BBC's The Enemy Within as well as Family Feud and the international series Weakest Link
Weakest Link
The Weakest Link is a British television quiz show, currently broadcast on BBC Two. It was devised by Mr Wilton and Euan Green and Cathy Dunning, and developed for television by the BBC Entertainment Department. It has since been replicated around the world. The UK version is hosted by Anne...
. The show's original pilot, titled Cheaters, was produced on the NBC Studios
NBC Studios
The NBC Studios in New York, New York is located at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan, the historic GE Building houses the headquarters of the NBC television network, its parent General Electric, and NBC's flagship station WNBC , as well as cable news channel MSNBC.When NBC Universal relocated,...
set of the U.S. version of The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link
The Weakest Link is a television game show which first appeared in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 14 August 2000 and will end its run in 2012 when its host Anne Robinson ends her contract. The original British version of the show airs around the world on BBC Entertainment...
, in Burbank
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
.
Gameplay
At the start of each show, six contestants walk up to their podiums, open their monitor doors, and find out if they are the "Dirty Rotten Cheater". After each contestant's name is read, he or she faces the camera and other contestants and claims to not be the Cheater.The game begins with a survey question, similar to those on Family Feud
Family Feud
Family Feud is an American television game show created by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman. Two families compete against each other in a contest to name the most popular responses to a survey question posed to 100 people...
. In the first four rounds, each player gives one answer; if the answer is on a list of the top ten responses given, the player receives an amount of money. Answers that appear lower on the list are worth more than those higher on the list. If the answer is not on the list, no money is given. The Cheater can see the entire top ten list of answers and may choose to either give a high-dollar answer to build their own bank, or a lesser answer in hopes of throwing off suspicion.
| Position | Value |
|---|---|
| 10 | $2,500 |
| 9 | $2,250 |
| 8 | $2,000 |
| 7 | $1,750 |
| 6 | $1,500 |
| 5 | $1,250 |
| 4 | $1,000 |
| 3 | $750 |
| 2 | $500 |
| 1 | $250 |
Rounds 1-3
At the end of each of the first three rounds, bonuses are awarded to the players who scored the most money in the round. The first place bonus is $10,000, second place is $7,500, and third place is $5,000. If there is a tie, the appropriate bonuses are combined and split between the tying players (i.e., if two players tie for first place, each receive $8,750).The players are then given an opportunity to accuse one another of being the Cheater. After a few contestants have opined, they all secretly vote for whom they think is the Cheater using cards with the players' names on them. The players reveal their votes, starting at the left and moving right. The first contestant who receives three votes for that round is eliminated, losing all of his/her winnings, and must then truthfully state whether or not he/she is the Cheater.
Depending on the outcome of the vote, one of three possible scenarios occurs:
- If the eliminated contestant is the Cheater, he/she is eliminated from the game with no further participation, the remaining contestants keep all the money in their banks, and one of the remaining players is designated as the new Cheater in the same manner as in the beginning of the show.
- If the eliminated contestant is not the Cheater, all the money that the contestants had earned up to that point is halved and the eliminated contestant is later given a chance to win money at the end of the show.
- If no contestant receives three votes, all of the money the contestants earned up to that point is halved, and the Cheater is allowed to secretly eliminate an honest player. This is done by means of a button hidden inside the Cheater's podium (each podium has a button, but only the Cheater's button works). Everyone must reach inside their podium to keep the Cheater's identity a secret. One at a time, the host reads each contestant's name; when the name of the contestant is read that the Cheater wishes to eliminate, the Cheater presses his or her button. A red light flashes in the middle of the stage floor, and the selected contestant is eliminated; however, that contestant is likewise given an opportunity to win money at the end of the show.
Round 4
In the fourth round, after the players have a chance to accuse the other players, the studio audience votes for whom they think is the Cheater. If a contestant receives at least 50 percent of the vote, he or she is eliminated. However, the remaining players do not lose any of their money. If no majority is met, the Cheater secretly eliminates an honest player as before.Round 5
In Round 5, two questions are asked. For each question, the contestants alternate turns, giving three answers each. After both questions have been asked (and a total of 12 answers have been given), each player gets 15 seconds to convince the studio audience that he or she is not the Cheater. After each player has been given time to state his or her case, all eliminated honest players vote for whom they think is the Cheater. After they vote, the audience votes for whom they think is the Cheater.The host reveals the identity of person who ultimately ended up as the Cheater, and the honest players who voted for that contestant as the Cheater win $500 each. Both remaining contestants are brought to center stage, each with a vault containing the amount of money in his or her bank. The Cheater walks forward to his or her vault, opens it, and reaches inside. If the majority of the audience correctly voted that player as the Cheater, his or her money immediately falls through a trap door in the container, and the honest player wins the money in his or her vault. If the majority of the audience voted for the honest contestant, the trap door is not activated and the Cheater wins his or her money, with the honest player receiving nothing.
Foreign versions
In 2004, the show began airing six nights a week on Canale 5Canale 5
Canale 5 is an Italian private television network of Mediaset, the media branch of Fininvest. Canale 5 was the first private television network to have a national coverage in Italy in 1980, based on a local channel, TeleMilano 58, founded in 1978....
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
.
In Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, the program was broadcasting as The Cheater (ザ・チーター) on TBS
Tokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
between October 2005 and August 2006. It was broadcast as a special program in May 2005, then as a late-night program between October 2005 and March 2006.
A short-lived version of the program also aired on France 2
France 2
France 2 is a French public national television channel. It is part of the state-owned France Télévisions group, along with France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô...
(July 2006) as "Qui est le bluffeur?" ("Who is the bluffer?") with Belgian host Jean-Michel Zecca.
The UK version was hosted by Brian Conley
Brian Conley
Brian Conley is an English comedian, television presenter, singer and actor. At the peak of his television career, he was the highest-paid male television personality in the UK. Outside of television, he is best known for his frequent portrayals of Buttons in pantomime versions of...
. Originally this was to transmit in spring 2007, but eventually began on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
at 2.35pm on Monday 15 October. It was screened every weekday for three weeks, but was then replaced in the schedule by Diagnosis: Murder
Diagnosis: Murder
Diagnosis: Murder is a mystery/medical/crime drama television series starring Dick Van Dyke as Dr. Mark Sloan, a medical doctor who solves crimes with the help of his son, a homicide detective played by his real-life son Barry Van Dyke. The series began as a spin-off of Jake and the Fatman...
- the final five shows switched channels and were shown from Monday 12 November at 2.00pm on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. The UK version was taped at the Maidstone Studios in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, but edited at BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre
BBC Television Centre at White City in West London is the headquarters of BBC Television. Officially opened on 29 June 1960, it remains one of the largest to this day; having featured over the years as backdrop to many BBC programmes, it is one of the most readily recognisable such facilities...
.
There are some format differences between the US and UK versions, the most obvious being that the UK version has one less contestant.
In addition to being produced in France, Italy, Japan, and the UK, the show was also produced in Hungary, India (as "Bluff Master"), Spain, & Vietnam.