Sunday, April 02, 2006

'Cash Cab' Carry Me Away!

Oh, I admit it's a fantasy. It's one that I suppose could happen although I tend to take the subway more than taxicabs in Manhattan. But, I do take cabs now and then. Sometimes I even get a cabbie who can speak English or one doesn't drive like a maniac. Yep, it happens!

But ... what if I got in a NYC taxicab and all of a sudden lights started flashing throughout the cab's ceiling as if in a bad flashback to the Studio 54 disco days? What if I had a driver whose name was easy to pronounce? Oh, something as easy to say as "Ben Bailey"? What if, out of the 13,000 taxicabs in the city, I caught the Cash Cab? Easy money or I'd fall on my face, kicked out of the cab in the rain, in a bad neighborhood or wherever I happened to hit the third wrong answer to the quiz questions posed by Ben, a real NYC cab driver in a real NYC taxi. Albeit, it's the Cash Cab, a relatively new show on the Discovery Channel.

Like many successful shows as far back as All in the Family and as recent as American Idol, this show originated in the United Kingdom. But now that it's based in New York City, it takes on a life close to my heart and perhaps the hearts of others who like to see actual Manhattan doings. New York is one of those cities which draws folks in from far and wide. I'm lucky enough to live close enough to go into Manhattan for an evening out and still make it to work in the morning, but many who are mesmerized by its magic settle just see it on television and in the movies. Cash Cab isn't only a fun little game show, it's a trip (or several) through the city and a peek at the city life in Manhattan.

Unlike a show such as Street Smarts, it isn't for the the totally clueless. The questions aren't horribly tough to start out, but do require a thinking mind and an idea of what's happening in the world. Once in the cab, the disco light ceiling lights up and cabbie Ben Bailey tells the passengers they're on television to participate in a game show. Now, I did a bit of research - some of the passengers are indeed "plants" but even they don't exactly know it's the Cash Cab. They know they're going to be on television and think the cab is just the vehicle they'll take to their destination. After being told what they're in for, the passengers have to spend about 15 minutes filling out release forms, so the show tends to lose folks in a true hurry. Me? Unless I was hitting the last train or bus back over or under the river to New Jersey, I'd take the time! Heck, even if I was, it's only a three hour or so wait in Penn Station before 5:15 AM rolls around. I shouldn't be out that late at night anyway, right? May as well win money!

The first round of trivia questions are worth $25 each. Then the rounds go to $50 and $100 each. There's also a Red Light Bonus Question if you happen upon a red light. (A red light in Manhattan is more common than green, sheesh!) If you get three questions wrong, you lose all your winnings and get tossed out of the cab wherever you may be. Contestants are allowed two shout-outs for help with questions. They can ask someone on the street or make a call. At the end of the ride (if you make it to your destination), the offer is made to double your winnings or lose it all based on a video bonus question. I only found this show a week or so ago and haven't seen anyone taking Ben up on that offer. The passengers are filmed walking away with the cash or empty-handed. I believe they're actually mailed a check and the cash is just for the filming, but it's still money for nothing and the check's for free! Or, something to that effect.

What I enjoy about this show besides sitting at home answering the questions in the same manner I do when I watch Jeopardy are the locales, where the people are going, what their plans are - Ben asks them at the start of each ride. Because I'm in and out of the city a lot, I know the locations and some of the things I might actually do when I'm there. I mean ... it could happen to me! I'll be watching for cab number 1G12 the next time I go into Manhattan!

But, in reality I'll probably get a cabbie named Abdul eating something reeking of onions and complaining about street fairs blocking the main thoroughfares. I've only had a few interesting taxi rides in my life - once when the cabbie told me he had to take a detour because Godzilla was tying up traffic all around Central Park West (a movie was being shot, but he told me Godzilla and I said, "Cool!") and another with a minor accident between two cabs which turned to a screamfest between the drivers. This is the best thing since Adam West (Batman) told me to buckle up my seatbelt in a cab.

Cash Cab can be seen in the NYC area on the Discovery Channel at both 6:00 and 6:30 PM weekdays. Give it a peek and let me know if you'd like to take that ride! I know I would.

9 comments:

dawn said...

jackie,
I found cash cab acouple of months ago on tv. I loved it. I now llook at every cab passing by at lunch time just incase it's him. Although there a million cabs in manhattan you never know

Anonymous said...

I LOVE.......LOVE....LOVE this show! You New Yorkers get all the fun.....LOL. While flicking through the channels looking for something other than the depressing evening news,I found Cash Cab. Ben is such a cutie and has just the right personality for this job. I love the faces he makes waiting for some of the less than bright bulbs to come up with an answer. It's just everyday folk,out going to their daily lives and here they get a chance to win money and sometimes BIG money! Such fun!!! The one time I laughed my butt off,a group of Aussies,obviously out on a toot,got in and once Ben told them the rules and that they'd be on TV,they all got out of the cab and left!! FUNNNEEEE! I hope this continues for a while and I have told my brother,who lives in NYC,to be on the lookout for this cab!!

Jackie S. said...

Dawn and Sharon - Thanks for stopping by! I recently discovered the show, but I'm already an addict!

Anonymous said...

I'm a random drop-in from a Google search on the show and absolutely love Cash Cab. A friend of mine turned me on to it and I've been watching ever since. Ben is absolutely hilarious and the show is always fun to watch!

Were I to ever stumble upon the Cash Cab in NYC, I'd absolutely play. The pace of the show is fast but not hyperactive, the questions varied and interesting and Ben's commentary is always fun to listen to.

One of my favorite episodes had an executive of some kind, very stuffy and overall distrustful of the show but willing to stiffly humor Ben. He finally was wearing a smile at the end when he walked away with a respectable sum of money :)

Between Discovery and TLC, they've got some of the best shows on lately, IMHO.

Randy
Cleveland, OH

Anonymous said...

Has the Discovery Channel given up on "Cash Cab?" A great show. Does anyone know if reruns are showing at the end of January and forward? Does anyone plan to pick up this show?

Chuck in Bluffton, SC

1/22/07

Anonymous said...

I came across cash cab on Discovery channel two weeks ago. It is a breath of fresh clean humor and fun at it's best.I really do enjoy Ben's wit and humor, he seems of a great guy to know. I watch it almost every day from 5:00-6:00pm. Cash Cab is a good break from the daily rat race of life. Thank you Discovery Channel & Ben for great entertainment you provide for your viewers. Oh and for all you riders, go for the video bonus questions.

Thanks, Wesley in Raleigh, NC

Anonymous said...

Me and my husband watch cash cab twice a day on the discovery channel. I love Ben Bailey and the faces he makes. I wish they had a show like this in California. I visited New York plenty of times. What are the odds of catching a cab in Manhattan and it just happens the be the cash cab. One in a million. But it is a great show and I love to try and guess the answers. I love this show and love the New Yorkers who are so open to wanting to play the game. Somehow I don't remember the New Yorkers being so friendly. But anyway discovery, thanks for supplying us with another reality show, I just love reality shows and this one is at the top of my list. Ben Bailey has such a great sense of humor. LOL Joyce, Ontario, CA

Anonymous said...

This is a great show bar nun. I love the faces Ben makes just before he tells the players " that's it". He keeps me laughing throughout the show. I can't really believe New Yorkers are this friendly though. At any rate,the players and Ben are great. This is a great break from all we see on tv daily. Thank you Ben Baily and Discovery channel for the few minutes you make us laugh. If I come to New York I hope to hail the Cash Cab. Oh, players, go for the video bonus.Discovery Channel, keep Cash Cab and Ben. W.T. Raleigh, North Carolina

Anonymous said...

Ben Baily is the greatest. Ben is Cash Cab. This is one of Discovery Channel's best shows yet. I love Ben's pause before, "that's it". Just a good laugh daily from the same old same old on tv. Keep up the great show Ben and Discovery Channel.