"Banzai" (2003) TV series 2003-2004

User Rating:

4.8/10   

Directors:

Lee Hupfield
Paul Young

Writer:

Lee Hupfield (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

21 November 2003 (Iceland)

Genre:

Comedy | Game-Show

Plot:

Oriental game show hosts hold betting on ridiculous challenges.

Plot Keywords:

Character Name In Title

Cast

Tom Arnold	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Antonio Banderas	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Lisa Barbuscia	...	Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Todd Bridges	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Nick Carter	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Hugh Cornwell	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Simon Cowell	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Rob Curling	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Lou Ferrigno	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Elliott Gould	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Kelsey Grammer	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Melanie Griffith	...	Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Jennifer Love Hewitt	...	Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Angelina Jolie	...	Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Jodie Kidd	...	Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Mike Lindup	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Glen Matlock	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Summer Moore	...	Summer The Valley Girl (1 episode, 2003)
Bill Murray	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Usher Raymond	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Roselyn Sanchez	...	Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Adam Sandler	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Gene Simmons	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Hal Sparks	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
George Takei	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Holland Taylor	...	Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Billy Bob Thornton	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Shannon Tweed	...	Herself (1 episode, 2003)
Rick Wakeman	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)
Bradley Whitford	...	Himself (1 episode, 2003)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Company:

Radar

Trivia:

The show was canceled by the Fox Network after six episodes. In February 2004, Comedy Central bought the rights to the series and planned on airing all 10 produced episodes, four of which never aired on Fox. The deal also included the option to produce new episodes. But after showing five of the previously aired episodes, Comedy Central pulled it from the schedule. The show was a target of protests throughout its run from Asian-Americans who felt the show portrayed demeaning stereotypes of Asians. These protests succeeded in getting many major sponsors to pull their advertising from the show. G4 began airing the reruns along with the original British version in 2006.

Quotes:

Announcer: [repeated line before challenges] PLACE YOUR BETS NOW!

Movie Connections:

Version of "Banzai" (2001)

I love this show

I love this show. I first fell in love with it when I was in England and then was stoked to see that it was coming to the States. Admittedly, it was better in England, because you couldn't bet online. It is sad to see that people got so upset when it aired here. So many people thought it was just too stupid, well, what's wrong with that, that's what makes it fun. Lady One Question and Shake Hands Man were cool, and the hosts were great. Watching this show provided my friends and I with memories that we will laugh at for years. This is a show that I would love to see more of, maybe when people in the States can learn to appreciate it.