Extreme fun
Reality talent show America’s Got Talent breaks out of its tame-talent shell with a bunch of extreme performers. And the judges aren’t all that shy either at being outrageous.
Season 1 Fridays & Saturdays (from 28 May) M-Net (*101) 19:30
Simon Cowell is a genius when it comes to reality TV – he’s made millions from his Got Talent franchise. But something’s always been missing, says the judge. “We’ve wanted to spice things up and an Extreme look is what we’ve been wanting. We’ve got elite athletes who’re going to push the envelope and put their lives on the line to show us their talents.” Don’t expect magic tricks though – the team had to build a special stage for the performers who’re doing things on a massive scale, including vehicle stunts. “We’re giving away $500 000 (R7.9 million) and we’re expecting huge things,” says Simon of the five-episode season. And boy, do they get it – one escape artist was hospitalised after a stunt gone wrong. “So basically he was going to escape from a straitjacket before two cars would crush him. He’s okay now, but the whole team thought he was dead during the rehearsal. This Extreme version is going to surprise fans,” adds Simon.
IN GOOD COMPANY
While hosts on the regular show are just really talented celebs and stars in their own right, Simon opted for two co-judges who know all about extreme lifestyles. Nikki Bella is a former WWE Divas champion who hasn’t just thrown her body around the wrestling ring for decades, she could’ve died on the job. “I basically broke my neck. There was a significant fracture in about 2014 that was undetected. I wrestled for another two years before it became obvious that I had a problem,” says the 38-yearold Nikki. “I’d lose feeling in my fingers and get pins and needles. My doctors wanted me to give up. I did for a few years. But when I was healed up fully and returned, other parts of my body didn’t want to work. I know extreme rules because I’ve lived it.”
Simon and Nikki’s co-judge is probably the most extreme person in the world. Travis Pastrana is a former professional motocross racer and freestyle motocross legend. The 38-year-old has been doing backflips on his 100kg motorbike for over 20 years and revolutionised the sport. But it’s come at great cost – Travis has broken over 200 bones in his body as both a racer and an extreme athlete. “The worst injury I’ve had didn’t even feel that bad when I did it. I dislocated by spine from my pelvis. My abdomen swelled up from all the blood that was pooling in my body. The doctors told me that a day later in getting surgery and I’d be dead,” says Travis, who is now a professional rally car racer. “I’m an extreme athlete and I’m an adrenaline junkie,” adds Travis. “But I don’t want to die. I want to live and have fun doing things. I have an equation that I work out when I decide to do things: What are the chances of death, what are the chances of significant injury, what is the percentage of fun I’ll have, and what is the percentage of shouting that my wife will do if something goes wrong. Thankfully my wife is a professional skateboarder, so she understands my need for thrill and she lets me do a lot of fun things.”