| Hosts | |
| Steve Ochs (1995) David Leisure (1997) | |
| Announcer/Co-Host (1997) | |
| Luann Lee | |
| Taped | |
  | |
| Packagers | |
| foxlab/SC Productions, Inc. (1995) United Entertainment Group/Chris-Craft Television Productions, Inc. (1997) | |
1995 PILOT:
"Foxlab brings you a new concept in entertainment! So sit back and kiss rational thinking goodbye because for the next few minutes, we're going to challenge your imagination, test your intuition, and dare you to figure out what's real and what's Hype! AND NOW, FORMER MISS CAROLINA, AND THE HOST OF OUR SHOW, STEVE OCHS!"
1997 PILOT:
LEE: "Next on Hype, would you let this guy balance your checkbook? Could this device really reach out and touch someone? And, what exactly is in this bag? The answer to these and many more questions, next on Hype! Now entering our studio, she claims she played Marcia on The Brady Bunch and he's the inventor of the hair sucking Flowbee...
AUDIENCE: "THAT'S HYPE!"
LEE: "...Please welcome, Olivia and Patrick. she's the choreographer for Gumby on Ice and he's currently writing the sequel to the dictionary..."
AUDIENCE: "THAT'S HYPE!"
LEE: "...Say hello to Karen and Darnell. And now, undoubtedly the funniest man in the universe and the finest writer of his own introductions, the host of our show, David Leisure!"
Hype was an unsold game show pilot where two married couples find out about the statements, video clips and stunts that can be either true (aka "real") or false (aka "hype"). This unsold pilot had two very different versions.
Gameplay (1995 Version)[]
Main Game[]
Two couples view a series of video clips of stunts or people giving statements associated with their jobs, plus some live in-studio stunts. On each question, the team must decide whether the statement is real or "hype". In the case of a stunt, the couple must predict whether the stunt will be successfully done. A correct decision earned a clue to the "Hype" puzzle. The clues were given to the team in control via book-like cards ala Match Game, but never recapped verbally although the home audience do get to see all the earned clues divided into two columns (one for each team). The first team to solve the puzzle wins the round. Along the way, each correct decision placed a money bag on the team's appropriate side of the scale, good for $100. So in effect, correct answers added $100 to the team's bank. Whoever solved the puzzle first added another $200 to their bank.
The game ended with "The Hype Final Challenge" where the couples made wagers and predicted the outcome of the final stunt of the day. A correct prediction added the wager while an incorrect prediction deducted with wager. The couple with the most money won the game and a $2500 bonus.
Gameplay (1997 Version)[]
Two couples compete on the show, trying separate fact from fiction for cash and a trip.
Main Game[]
The First Two Rounds[]
The two teams face a game board of 12 TV monitors, with several of them displaying a series of subjects. The teams will take turns picking off categories and on each one of several events will occur: A verbal statement read by the host, a video clip of a person giving a statement associated with his/her job, an object being brought out and a description is read, ala Liar's Club or a live stunt or demonstration was performed. On each question, the team must decide whether the statement is real or "hype". In the case of a stunt, the couple must predict whether the stunt will be successfully done. A correct decision won the money behind the category.
Round 1[]
10 categories were on the board, meaning that each team got five turns apiece.
Round 2[]
Six categories were on the board, meaning that each team got only three turns apiece. Plus the dollar values were doubled.
Board Configurations[]
| Question | Round 1 | Round 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Value | No. | Value | |
| Statement | 5 | $50 | 3 | $100 |
| Video Clip | 3 | $100 | 2 | $200 |
| Item | 1 | $150 | N/A | |
| Stunt | 1 | $200 | 1 | $400 |
Final Hype[]
The corner monitors consisted of all four letters in the word "Hype"; each one hid a random amount between $250-$1000. The couples each selected a letter and one final question was played. This time each couple wrote down their decisions in secret and a correct decision won the hidden amount under the letter they chose. The couple with the most money won the game, kept the cash and advanced to the bonus round called the "Hyper Round" for a trip.
Hyper Round[]
The winning team had 30 seconds to light up the word "HYPE". They do that by correctly deciding whether a series of statements under a specific category are real or "hype". They'll play one player at a time and they must correctly answer four statements in a row. A correct answer lights up a letter, an incorrect guess puts the lights out and switched players. Lighting up the word before time ran out won the trip.
Trivia[]
David Leisure is best known for playing Joe Isuzu in a series of Izuzu commercials (1986-90, 1999-2001), and for playing Charley Dietz in the 1988-95 NBC sitcom Empty Nest.
Inventor[]
John Babinec
Studio[]
Empire Burbank Studios
Videos[]
