MovieChat Forums > The Joe Schmo Show (2003) Discussion > I doubt it's true but there's a possibli...

I doubt it's true but there's a possiblity that....

posted 12 years ago by go-yankees
21 replies | jump to latest

That the actual cast is being played, not Chase. People have mentioned that Chase is in on it and we, who are watching the show, are the Schmos. This seems risky since the payoff isn't great and you could alienate people from watching future seasons with such a stunt.

HOWEVER, there's always the chance that Chase KNOWS about them all being actors and has known from the start. But the cast has no idea he knows. Perhaps even the crew doesn't know, besides maybe one or two higher ups.

Consider: At the end of the show they are supposed to pull the curtain back and you get the big "WHAT!!?!?!" from Chase.....but instead, Chase does something incredibly crazy that they can't expect and the entire cast freaks out, only to realize minutes later they have been played.
So, Chase could pretend to have a heart attack when they pull the gotcha, or the cast has something planned where a gun is pulled where they think its full of blanks - but then it goes off and Chase pretends to get hit (blood packets and all) and they all freak out. Then he pulls the gotcha on them and instead of one Schmo with an omg face, you have the entire cast and crew looking silly.

Perhaps one or two people actually know. Maybe Jake and one producer or something.

I really don't think it is the case this season, but it wouldn't be such a bad idea for a future show. I mean, the whole time the crew is freaking out that they will be found out. To turn that all back on them would be pretty awesome.

[–] WinInLife 12 years ago

If true that would be an very interesting twist for this show :).

[–] go-yankees 12 years ago

Just realized I used the names "Jake" and "Chase" interchangeably throughout my OP. My bad, corrected it now. Hope that didn't make it more confusing. I was referring to Chase most of the time when I had written Jake. I only meant to mention Jake (the "Bounty Hunter" host) once.

[–] Agent0042 12 years ago

I think the show is best when the basic premise that we're promised is at least played straight. Anything else cheapens it.

[–] go-yankees 12 years ago

I think you're right. But I'm not ruling out the possibility that they may try to pull something like that down the road.

[–] jasonstickets 12 years ago

This makes me feel VERY old but I can tell you a decade ago this what everyone on this board thought the original JS show would turn out to be. I'll tell you what I said on here 10 years ago, they could do it but it'll piss off the viewing public. They do not like to be made the fool.

[–] xPhenomenusx 12 years ago

I really hope they never do this. It ruins the whole concept of the show. If it's not broken, don't fix it.

[–] go-yankees 12 years ago

I agree. I was merely suggesting it's a possibility.

But like you said, it ruins the concept. You connect with the real person from the start because he's the only person not following a script, so to speak. To have that turned on its head would probably come off as cheap, even if it meant the rest of the cast got really fooled.

[–] xPhenomenusx 12 years ago

Well, I think it's actually a decent idea for maybe a different show. But for Joe Schmo, I like the concept so much I'd rather them keep it.

[–] completelyrandomguy 12 years ago

There is, NO WAY Chase is in on it. First off, there is no way he's that good of an actor. I wouldn't leave out the possibility he finds out before the end, but Chase is not in on it. What would they gain from that? How the hell would they explain it at the end? No way.

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"That ape is very very cunning and he will do what he needs to do to stop you."

[–] go-yankees 12 years ago

What would they gain from that? How the hell would they explain it at the end?

I think I explained what could be gained. Instead of Chase being the Schmo, the twist is that the cast are all the Schmos since whatever prank Chase pulls at the end to freak them out will likely have them believing it. The con-men get conned.

They could explain it pretty easily. They were setting up the cast the entire time for one big gotcha.

Again, I'd rather it not be the case, but its certainly a possibility. I'm sure some of the writers tossed the idea around at some point. It has been nearly a decade since the last one so....

[–] completelyrandomguy 12 years ago

Hey listen, Captain Obvious, i read what you wrote. Repeating it does not mean it will magically make more sense.

Tricking a bunch of actors and their fan base gets them no where. That takes out the entire suspense out of the show.

And at the end if, Chase goes "i know guys..." all the Actors will continue on with the shtik. it would take them forever to finally break character.

it would be twenty people on TV going "Huh?!" ... "wait what?!"

and 999,999 people at home going "that was the stupidest sh#t i've ever seen."

---
"That ape is very very cunning and he will do what he needs to do to stop you."

[–] oscarunger 12 years ago

yes the only way it would work is if the audience was in on it from the beginning, and we knew that chase was in fact playing the house and they were the schmos and he could get them to go further out on the edge in terms of the schtick etc. it would be interesting but i dont think theyre doing it this time

[–] go-yankees 12 years ago

Hey listen, Captain Obvious, i read what you wrote. Repeating it does not mean it will magically make more sense.

You asked two straightforward questions and I answered them with more detail than my original post. I'm not sure why you are being mean about it.

Again, I agree with what most people have been saying about such a tactic ruining the premise of the show. It's not something I actually want to happen. I was merely speculating.

And at the end if, Chase goes "i know guys..." all the Actors will continue on with the shtik. it would take them forever to finally break character.

Obviously they wouldn't simply have Chase turn around and say "Hey, I know you guys are actors and have been playing me the whole time." If you actually read what I wrote, you wouldn't have suggested this. The idea would be for the entire cast to get played on some big event at the end. Something so crazy that when Chase reveals that it was a joke, they realize that they've been played the entire time. Something like Chase and probably some of the producers who were in on it would come out with the gotcha (like if Chase pretended to be dead or dying or something and then jumped up and revealed he was faking). They wouldn't simply have Chase say "I knew all along".

[–] completelyrandomguy 12 years ago

fair enough, I apologize for using the anonymity of the internets to be rude.

I do however, disagree with this. in order to pull this type of Con the Con man trick off, there would have to be a loyal fan base and following for at least a few seasons. Then pull the switcharoo.
First season following a 5+ year hiatus, is drawing new, first time viewers to the show, and would be counter productive to alienate its "new" audience right off the bat.

---
"That ape is very very cunning and he will do what he needs to do to stop you."

[–] completelyrandomguy 12 years ago

go rangers btw.

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"That ape is very very cunning and he will do what he needs to do to stop you."

[–] completelyrandomguy 12 years ago

Texas.... Rangers that is.

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"That ape is very very cunning and he will do what he needs to do to stop you."

[–] go-yankees 12 years ago

Ha! I was going to say I agree completely again, until you clarified you meant Texas and not the NY Rangers.

You guys get to throttle the Astros a lot this year.

[–] go-yankees 12 years ago

First season following a 5+ year hiatus, is drawing new, first time viewers to the show, and would be counter productive to alienate its "new" audience right off the bat.

Agree completely.

And don't apologize. I do the same thing.

[–] completelyrandomguy 12 years ago

Yankee - thoughts on the last episode?

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"That ape is very very cunning and he will do what he needs to do to stop you."

[–] go-yankees 12 years ago

The show is getting more nerve-wracking for me because I'm becoming more and more worried they might actually blow it. I feel like they are pushing things a bit too much which is why Chase is really questioning the madness around him.

Do you think they need to reign it in a bit? I mean, I love Randy's character (he's really one of the best parts of the show) but sometimes I feel his lines are too well scripted; the "Tet offensive" and "Pearl Harbor" quips when he got his urn back were too planned and I'm sure they made Chase question what was going on. I mean, if that was real and he was that upset, it's not likely he'd have time to think of one liners like that to make fun of Allison. He'd be too pissed about his dog's ashes.

[–] alesisqs61 12 years ago

I think Chase should figure it out....the show has been WAY too over the top for it to actually finish. The reveal...I can't imagine as being good like previous seasons....I just see so much doubt already how can he be THAT surprised like in the first Schmo show...impossible.

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