Imagine the field for a US version of Sasuke

[slam]

Imagine that the unthinkable has happened and that a US version of Sasuke has been greenlit. Who would be the 100 people in the field? What would the roster look like? Presuming that the US producers wanted to keep the mix of entrants intact (ie, celebrities, comedians, "stars", odd jobs, hot chicks, no hopers, and serious contenders), who would make the cut?

Here's my guess.

1-10 Odd Jobs
Cowboy
Pro Cheerleader/Mascot
Rapper
Country Music star
Celebrity Chef
Secret Service agent
“Dirty Jobs” star Mike Rowe
Farmer
Fisherman
A Blue Man from The Blue Man Group

11-20 Comedians
Carrot Top
Adam Carolla
Joe Rogan, etc. (Japanese comedians probably have a greater hold on the popular imagination than US ones)

21-30 Random Quasi Celebs
Reality show "stars" like Boston Rob in Survivor, American Idol contestants, Dancing With The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance? Dancers, etc.

31-35 Hot Chicks
Olivia Munn
Playboy Playmate
Miss America contestant
TV Weathergirl
Popstar

36-45 More Odd Jobs
Circus Clown
Office Worker
Fireman
Policeman
Yoga teacher
Drill Sergeant
Trick basketball dribbler from the Nike commercials
Professional poker player
Lumberjack
Pro Wrestler

46-60 G4 Viewer Qualifiers (from an "American Ninja Warrior" special)

61-70 Actual celebrities
Retired athletes like Michael Jordan or Jerry Rice? Actors with shows to promote? Musicians with albums coming out?

71-80 Fringe Professional athletes
Ultimate Frisbee
Golfer
Bodybuilder
Harlem Globetrotter
Ironman Triathlete
Parkour/Free Runner
Breakdancer
Rugby player
Lacrosse player
Professional video game player

81-90 World class athletes
Paul Hamm
Morgan Hamm
Paul Terek
baseball player
basketball player (Shaq will do it)
football player (Dhani Jones of Dhani tackles the world?)
hockey player
soccer player
UFC fighter
US Olympian from an obscure sport

91-100 Veteran contenders
Luci Romberg
David Campbell
Richard King
2 other US Sasuke vets (Brett?)
Special Guests from Japan: Akiyama, Nagano, Uruushihara
Brian Orosco
Levi Mueewenberg

What do you think? Thrilling? Scary? Accurate? Too horrible to think about?

[thatoneuser]

Aug 24, 2010 13:00:42 GMT -5 slam said:

What do you think? Thrilling? Scary? Accurate? Too horrible to think about?

All of the above.

[supersheep]

I would never watch this

[scnoi1217]

Your list is actually pretty accurate on how they would do this, as long as they followed the same model as what TBS does.

[arsenette]

I think they'd keep the concept of open tryout the way they have now.. meaning like 700 people going at it.. they are all about spectacle not necessarily how Sasuke approaches the subject. Heck.. we don't even know how the final to this show is.. I'm sure that is going to turn some heads in December..

And P.S. I won't watch it either

[Lennon]

Horrible, but I'd probably still watch it for kicks.

[thatoneuser]

Oh don't lie, if America ever came close to producing even a semi-authentic version of SASUKE (not counting Wipeout or ANW, because let's be honest those aren't even close) you would watch. And some people would even blog about it *cough*Arsenette*cough*

[arsenette]

Aug 24, 2010 13:56:12 GMT -5 thatoneuser said:

Oh don't lie, if America ever came close to producing even a semi-authentic version of SASUKE (not counting Wipeout or ANW, because let's be honest those aren't even close) you would watch. And some people would even blog about it *cough*Arsenette*cough*

Obviously you don't know me well. 2 ANW's have elapsed and I haven't posted a single result... get your facts straight.

[thatoneuser]

Aug 24, 2010 13:56:12 GMT -5 thatoneuser said:

(not counting Wipeout or ANW, because let's be honest those aren't even close)

I don't blame you, ANW fails at life.

[arsenette]

I cheer our SMF people going but I take their word for it on how it turns out.. I couldn't stand watching especially with Blair's horrible commentating like 3 months afterward.. LOL I honestly don't see the Sasuke guys coming here to do ANW when they could do it in Japan. If it turned out Japan sold the license it would be for a full USA show.. not Sasuke. Given that G4's advertisers so far like the ANW concept I doubt that they would do the "Sasuke" set up.. G4 is not properly organized to do such a format. They'd stick with the ANW format or basically flying by the seat of their pants and coming up with different rules each time

[thatoneuser]

I completely agree, and I too root for the SMF members among others. Granted I do watch ANW since their coverage is way more professional than some guy in the audience's home video camera. (No offense, G4's cameras are waaaay better, solely because they're more expensive.) But the whole ANW thing is crap.

Now if they did an ACTUAL Sasuke tournament, 100 competitors, four stages, no vs. format (i.e. all 100 could win but 0 could win as well)... well, it'd still be crap, but it'd be a heck of a lot better than the crud G4 is shoving down our throats.

Anyway... back on topic. I would like to see some people from Japan come over and run in the 100, and if SASUKE ever gets sold to G4 I'm sure they'd bring people over (or worse... have a Japanese Ninja Warrior...)

On second thought... this is all too scary to think about... I'll be on my way now...

[TCM]

Aug 24, 2010 14:04:26 GMT -5 arsenette said:

They'd stick with the ANW format or basically flying by the seat of their pants and coming up with different rules each time

Well everyone loves a good train wreck, and no network atm provides better train wrecks than G4. Not even VH1.

[chackpop]

Maybe if you switched 81-90 and 91-100.

People would want Michael Jordan as 94 not some free runner named Lucy...

But USA has so many people from different walks of life. Also there's the problem of the USA being so big, traveling would cost alot of money.

They'd probably just put the course in California and invite 85% Californians.

[yamfriend]

I'd probably watch this once or twice just to see what it's like. THEN I'd decide if I was going to keep watching it or not (though most likely not ).

Also, when it comes to the comedians competing, I'd like to see someone like Jack Black on there. That would be pretty funny if you ask me.

[Deleted]

The magic of Sasuke, to me anyways, is lost. It belongs in the Japanese culture, it doesn't really work the American way.

I'd try thinking of a "Vice Versa", and what comes to mind is Drama-centered Reality television, but I don't really know what Japanese people watch besides my stereotypical ideas, which is probably false.

[quasikoz]

I like how all the "professions" were structured in the initial post. They can be scrambled up a bit more.

I would love to see open tryouts for 10 slots, but keep the other 90 as invites through video submissions. I wouldn't want to see 100 freerunners try Sasuke. It'd get boring and repetitive.

[intelligentinfer]

Maybe Phil should be in? He's the host of the Amazing Race.

[artyfowljr]

The list looks well done, but I'd take out the traceurs&freerunners cathegory. There's already going to be plenty of them among the qualifiers.
Though yeah, if this ever happens I'd watch an episodes or two ( to give it a chance and to see the Japanese guys go) then most likely stop, same reasons as JP.

[2D2Will]

I'd watch it because I'm a sucker for game shows; even the s****y ones.

[jfeathe]

Sept 2, 2010 8:57:36 GMT -5 2D2Will said:

I'd watch it because I'm a sucker for game shows; even the s****y ones.

Same here. What a dreadful addiction isn't it?