As the success of Double Dare grew, Nickelodeon sent Summers and company
across the country performing the show live in shopping malls, arenas,
and amphitheaters on the Double Dare Road Show, and later the Double
Dare Live Tour.
Dave Shikiar, Marc Summers and Robin Marrella from the
Double Dare Road Show.
A new version of "Super Sloppy Double Dare" was created in 1989 to be
syndicated. 50 episodes of the series taped at WHYY, with another 50 being
shot in Orlando, Florida, in soundstage 23.
Super Sloppy Double Dare's set at WHYY in
Philadelphia.
The 1989 syndicated run of Super Sloppy
Double Dare is perhaps the most well recognized and well received
version of the show. Unlike it's original predecessor in 1987 on
Nickelodeon, this version of Super Sloppy Double Dare was everything the
title says and more.
New, bigger physical challenges and
obstacles were introduced. Many
promotions were shot to publicize this new version, including a series
of commercials titled "Reasons To Watch Super Sloppy Double Dare." After
the first batch of episodes were taped, the show packed its bags,
bottled its Gak, and headed to Orlando. Many of the Super Sloppy Double
Dare specials were shot there, such as the "Salute To Animals,"
"Salute to Breakfast" and "Backwards Day."
Marc Summers hosting in a robe and pajamas during the
"Salute to Breakfast"
A third home video was produced in 1989
titled "How to Throw a Double Dare Party." This video was
aimed at setting up physical challenges clean enough to be done in any
family room. For the not-so-family rooms, they also showed viewers
sloppy versions of some of the physical challenges as well.
With more live tours and hundreds of affiliates airing the syndicated
episodes, along with the rise of Nickelodeon Studios, popularity was high
for Double Dare. Merchandising was at its peak, with everything
from home games to yo-yos to suspenders bearing the Double Dare logo.
With more kids' game shows coming on as competition to Double Dare, it
was again time to raise the bar.
In 1990, Family Double Dare became a
new series on Nickelodeon. During the promotions, it was as if Family
Double Dare had never existed up until this point. The set was a
combination between the Fox Family Double Dare set, and the Super Sloppy
Double Dare set.
The physical challenges in this version
of the show were much like the ones in Fox's Family Double Dare, but
there were some new, bigger physical challenges added. Bigger and better
obstacles joined the elite group of obstacles that had been acquired
over the years. The uniforms consisted of t-shirt with a Fox run-style
Family Double Dare logo and wind pants.
After this season, the show went
on tour and ran in reruns while Marc also did the first season of What
Would You Do? in 1991. The final season of Family Double Dare (and
the original run of the show) was in 1992.
The 1992 season of Family Double Dare boasted more new stunts and
obstacles, small aesthetic updates and several new faces. Jamie
Bojanowski (who succeeded Dave Shikiar) was replaced by Chris Miles, and
new announcer Doc Holliday replaced Harvey. Doc is a morning show
veteran of Orlando radio. Harvey left the show to be
with his wife and newborn son, but appeared in the first episode with
his son, and the "Tournament of Champions."
The Tournament of Champions was an hour-long special which put the two
families with the most questions answered correctly against the two
families with the fastest obstacle course times (ie, Brains vs. Brawn)
in an elimination fashion to narrow it down to the ultimate Family
Double Dare competitors.
The winners were awarded a car, and the
coveted Family Double Dare Tournament of Champions trophy, a
goofy-looking creation that was talked about the entire season.
The special taped in 1992, and aired in 1993. This was the last episode
of the original run of Double Dare.
More than 500 episodes later, a fourth home video was produced in 1994
called "Super Sloppiest Moments," reflecting upon the entire run of
Double Dare. Marc Summers hosted the video from various spots in
Nickelodeon Studios.
One last tour was scheduled for
1994-95, and shortly after beginning, Marc Summers decided to move on
from Nickelodeon. Phil Moore ("Nick Arcade") hosted the remainder of the
tour with Robin Marrella.
Double Dare began airing in reruns until
February of 1999.
In 2000, new episodes of Double Dare were produced. "Double Dare 2000"
brought all the aspects of the original that kids loved. Jason Harris was cast as host, while Summers
stayed behind camera as a producer.
The format of the game remained the same as that of Family Double Dare,
with the exception of the new Triple Dare Challenge. When a team took a
physical challenge in round two, they were given the option to upgrade
it to a Triple Dare challenge, which made it worth $300 and a prize. The
stunt would become more difficult to complete, such as adding a new task
to be completed within the time.
Many crew members from the original
series returned as well. A new substance, "Goooze," was
introduced, and many classic stunts and obstacles returned for an encore
in the spotlight.
In April of 2000, Double Dare 2000 went
on a successful audition tour to malls across the country searching for
families to appear on the show. The auditions consisted of the families
playing a one round game of the show on a mobile replica of the set. The
winning family of the tournament style series of games was flown to
Orlando to compete on the real show.
DOUBLE DARE 2000 also had a successful
run as a live show in Branson's "Silver Dollar City." Fans of the show
could come see the show in person and audition to be contestants. All
aspects of the show, including the obstacle course, were included in
this stage show. Jason Harris himself even headed out to host the first
day.
Double Dare 2000 was unfortunately canceled
early 2001.
The original Double Dare aired on Nickelodeon Games & Sports from its
inception in 1998 to 2006. Double Dare 2000 ran on the network
from 2000 to the end of its existence in 2008. Occasionally, Marc
Summers and the gang come out of DD-retirement for a radio reunion or
interview to play some Double Dare games with fans.
Double Dare was truly a popculturephenomenon. Its
legacy lives on as one of the greatest children's programs in the
history of television. Never again will lightning be trapped in a
bottle twice to create such a perfect combination of just the right
ingredients necessary for such a ground-breaking show. The phenomenon lives on.
Check out C'mon Fwank's Double Dare tribute video at our YouTube
account, "cmonfwank" or below!
