Silent Library was an American television game show which airs on MTV

MTV

MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....

 and MuchMusic

MuchMusic

MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...

. The series is based on one of the segments in the popular Japanese variety show Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!

Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!

, often abbreviated , is a Japanese variety show hosted by the popular Japanese owarai duo, Downtown, with comedian Hōsei Yamasaki and owarai duo Cocorico co-hosting. The program has been broadcast on Nippon TV since its pilot episode on October 3, 1989, and continues to this day, celebrating its...

. The show is also similar to the UK

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 television program Fist of Zen

Fist of Zen

Fist of Zen is an MTV reality game show. It was modeled after the Silent Library segment from the Japanese comedy show Downtown no Gaki no Tsukai ya Arahende!!-Plot:...

.

The series was renewed for a 20-episode second season, which premiered on January 11, 2010 and featured celebrities such as Jim Jones

Jim Jones (rapper)

Joseph Guillermo Jones II , better known by his stage name Jim Jones, is an American rapper and original member of The Diplomats, also known as Dipset. He is Co-CEO of Diplomat Records...

, We The Kings

We the Kings

We the Kings is an American powerpop band formed in 2005 from Bradenton, Florida, currently signed to record label S-Curve Records. The group released their self-titled full-length debut album in 2007, which peaked at No. 151 on the Billboard 200. Their second full-length album, Smile Kid, was...

, Ron Jeremy

Ron Jeremy

Ronald Jeremy Hyatt , usually called Ron Jeremy, is an American pornographic actor. Nicknamed "The Hedgehog", he was ranked by AVN at number one in their "The 50 Top Porn Stars of All Time" list...

, Naked Cowboy

Naked Cowboy

Robert John Burck , better known as the Naked Cowboy, is an American street performer whose pitch is on New York City's Times Square...

, Asher Roth

Asher Roth

Asher Paul Roth is an American rapper.-Early life:Asher Roth was born and raised in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, a small town about 20 miles northeast of Philadelphia. His mother, Elizabeth , is a yoga instructor, and his father, David Roth, is the executive director of a design firm...

, Forever the Sickest Kids

Forever the Sickest Kids

Forever the Sickest Kids is an American pop punk band from Dallas, Texas, who have yet to be signed to a new label after the closure of Universal Motown Records. In issue 228 of Alternative Press, the group was named the number one underground band in the "22 Best Underground Bands". Their first...

, Jessie James

Jessie James (singer)

Jessica Rose James, is an American country pop singer and songwriter. Having auditioned for and being rejected by most of the country labels in Nashville, Tennessee at the age of fifteen, James began working on refining her craft with Karla Wallace of Yellow Dog Records...

, Aubrey O'Day

Aubrey O'Day

Aubrey Morgan O'Day is an American singer, actress, fashion designer, television personality, and former member of the girl group Danity Kane...

, Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber

Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...

 and Joey Cassata competing as contestants and appearing in punishment challenges.

The series' third season premiered on June 28, 2010. The bands [Patent Pending], All Time Low

All Time Low

All Time Low is an American pop punk band from Baltimore, Maryland, formed in 2003.The band consists of vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alexander Gaskarth, lead guitarist and backing vocalist Jack Barakat, bassist and backing vocalist Zachary Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson...

, Stereo Skyline

Stereo Skyline

Stereo Skyline is an American pop punk band from East Meadow, New York, which formed in 2006.The group has played at The Bamboozle 2007, The Bamboozle Left 2009, The Bamboozle 2009, The 2010 Take Action Tour, The Bamboozle Roadshow 2010, released two EPs, and released their debut album Stuck On...

, Hey Monday

Hey Monday

Hey Monday is an American rock band from West Palm Beach, Florida, formed in 2008. They released their debut album Hold on Tight in 2008 which produced notable singles "Homecoming" and "How You Love Me Now". The album was followed up with their 2010 EP Beneath It All, which achieved moderate...

, Anarbor

Anarbor

Anarbor is an American alternative rock band from Phoenix, Arizona that was formed in 2003. The band is composed of lead vocalist and bassist Slade Echeverria, guitarists Adam Juwig and Mike Kitlas, and drummer Greg Garrity. Initially known as "Troop 101", the band later changed their name to...

, NeverShoutNever, Honor Society

Honor Society (band)

Honor Society is a pop rock band originally based out of New York. The band consists of Michael Bruno , Jason Rosen , Andrew Lee , and Alexander Noyes . They were previously signed to Jonas Records in affiliation with Hollywood Records but parted ways in 2011. The band released its debut album...

, New Boyz

New Boyz

New Boyz is an American hip hop/rap group and a former jerkin crew duo made up of rappers Earl "Ben J" Benjamin and Dominic "Legacy" Thomas from Hesperia, California. They debuted in summer 2009 with their viral hit, "You're a Jerk", taken from their debut studio album Skinny Jeanz and a Mic,...

 and Iyaz

Iyaz

Keidran Jones , better known by his stage name Iyaz, is a singer signed with the record label Beluga Heights Records from the British Virgin Islands. His debut single "Replay", was released in 2009 and reached number two on the US Billboard Hot 100, number-one in the UK, Australia and the top ten...

 have appeared as contestants, as did members of the New York Giants

New York Giants

The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

 NFL team and the cast of the MTV original series The Hard Times of R.J. Berger.

The fourth season premiered on March 28, 2011. The cast of Jersey Shore

Jersey Shore (TV series)

Jersey Shore is an American reality television series that premiered on MTV on December 3, 2009 in the United States. The series follows the lives of eight housemates spending their summer at the Jersey Shore in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Season 2 followed the cast escaping the cold northeast...

, The Ready Set

The Ready Set

The Ready Set was formed on November 17, 2007. Jordan Witzigreuter is the vocalist and sole member of the act. Witzigreuter generally writes and records on his own, using a backup band when on tour...

, Judah Friedlander

Judah Friedlander

Judah Friedlander is an American actor and comedian, known for his trademark trucker hats, oversized glasses and unkempt appearance, which he retains in many of his screen roles.-Early life:...

, Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon

James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon, Jr. is an American actor, comedian, singer, musician and television host. He currently hosts Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, a late-night talk show that airs Monday through Friday on NBC...

 & The Roots

The Roots

The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...

, players from the New York Giants

New York Giants

The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...

, 3OH!3

3OH!3

3OH!3 is an American electro hop duo from Boulder, Colorado, made up of Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte. They are best known for their single "Don't Trust Me" from their album Want, which reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100...

, and Superstars from the WWE all competed as contestants.

MTV canceled the show on November 9, 2011.

Play

The set is constructed to resemble a typical public library. A team of six players sits at a study table, three on each side, with host Zero Kazama

Zero Kazama

Zero Kazama is a Japanese-American actor best known for hosting the MTV game show Silent Library. He has also been on many other prominent television programs such as Lost, Chuck and Deadliest Warrior. In addition to acting, Zero is trained in Kung fu, Tae Kwon Do, Karate, fight choreography, and...

 sitting nearby at the circulation desk next to the entrance. Six cards are placed facedown on the table, and each player picks one and flips it over. Typically, five of the cards are green and marked "Safe"; the sixth, which is yellow and marked with a black skull and crossbones

Skull and crossbones

A skull and crossbones is a symbol consisting of a human skull and two long bones crossed together under the skull. It is generally used as a warning of danger, usually in regard to poisonous substances, such as deadly chemicals.-History of the symbol:...

, means that its holder must endure a bizarre "punishment" challenge. In some cases beginning in the second season, five of the six cards show the skull and crossbones, leaving only one player safe. While the challenge is in progress, an on-screen gauge indicates the amount of noise made by the team. If the noise level goes into the gauge's red zone at any time, the team automatically loses the challenge. Only afterward does Kazama inform the team of their success or failure in this respect, as they are unaware of the gauge's readings. The team will also lose if they fail to achieve the objective of the challenge.

The game is played in four rounds, with three challenges in each of the first three rounds and one in the fourth. Successful challenges in rounds 1, 2, and 3 earn $300, $400, and $800 for the team, respectively; the fourth-round challenge awards $1,000. All winnings are split equally among the six players, and Kazama pays them off as they exit the library at the end of the show. A disclaimer

Disclaimer

A disclaimer is generally any statement intended to specify or delimit the scope of rights and obligations that may be exercised and enforced by parties in a legally recognized relationship...

 during the end credits states that the team may have played additional challenges that were not aired, and thus may have won more money than the total shown at the end of the episode.

Episodes

Color Key

Season		No. episodes	Year(s) aired
	1	19	2008–2009
	2	20	2010
	3	20	2010
	4	30	2011