| The "Smarmy" Host | |
| Ralph Garmin | |
| Broadcast (Spike TV) | |
    | |
| Packagers | |
| Stone Stanley Entertainment/Productions | |
The Joe Schmo Show (also called Joe Schmo 2 in 2004 and as The Joe Schmo Show: The Full Bounty in 2013) is the ultimate reality show...that isn't as the whole entire thing is a set-up to fool one guy or girl, (a.k.a the "Joe Schmo") that he or she is in a reality show as the whole entire thing is a set up just to see how far they can push the limit without the "Joe" catching on.
Gameplay
The show's premise is that a target person or persons are led to believe that they are contestants on a reality television show. However, in reality, all of the other participants in the purported show (including the host) are actors, and their actions and the outcome of the purported show are all scripted in an attempt to elicit comedic reactions from the targets.
Catchphrases
The Joe Schmo Show
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust (insert contestant's name) you're dead to us!"
"What is going on?!?"- Matt Kennedy Gould
Joe Schmo 2
"Your neck is bare and so is your place in Austin's heart!"
"Your wick is cold and so is your place in Piper's heart!"
The Joe Schmo Show: The Full Bounty
"Turn in your badge!"
Photos of Casts
Trivia
The show's first season aired in 2003 and its second and final season aired in 2004. On December 12, 2012, Spike announced it was bringing back the series for a third season, which premiered on January 8, 2013.
The first season's hoax was conducted as a typical reality competition (Lap of Luxury), while the second season's hoax was a Bachelor-like dating series (Last Chance for Love) and the third seasons hoax was a parody of Dog the Bounty Hunter (The Full Bounty).
Former SNL alumna and Bridesmaids star Kristen Wiig appeared in the show's first season playing as "The Quack Marriage Counselor" named Patricia "Dr. Pat" Lane.
Comedienne Natasha Leggero played as Rita the Drunk in season 2. Leggero later went on to play as Dawn on MTV's The 70s House in 2005.
Actor Lorenzo Lamas plays himself (AKA the Celebrity) in the show's third season.
Lance Krall, creator, writer, and lead of VH1's Free Radio has also appeared on the show.
Host Ralph Garman, a voice actor on Family Guy and co-host of Hollywood Babble-on, who served as the emcee during the shows first three seasons while playng as a "smarmier" caricature of himself in season 1, a "popmpous" British man in season 2 and as a "Bounty Hunter" in season 3.
Dave Hornsby, who is a writer, supervising producer, and performer on FX's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Creators/Producers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick went on to do a number of projects, including the hit movie Zombieland in 2009.
Revealed in the finale, During the first season the producers had intended for Matt to be the butt of jokes and to lose most of the challenges, But when he had an emotional breakdown after Earl's elimination in the 2nd episode, producers (touched by his genuine likability) changed plans and Matt regularly won challenges.
the 2nd season was intended to fool 2 "schmos" (Tim Walsh & Ingrid Wiese) but when Ingrid began to become suspicious, Producers revealed the truth to her and she was offered a chance to stay on the show in an attempt to still fool Tim which she accepted.
International Versions
Countries that have previously aired their versions of The Joe Schmo Show includes:
- France: as Gloire et Fortune: La grande imposture ("Fame and Fortune: The Great Deception") airing on M6 in 2004.
- New Zealand: as Living The Dream, produced by Touchdown Television, airing on TV2 in 2004.
- Spain: as El Show de Candido ("The Candid Show") airing on La Sexta in 2006.