A new Japanese export is luring U.S. consumers: television game shows that inflict pain, suffering and humiliation for a laugh.
Contestants on ABC Inc.'s "I Survived a Japanese Game Show" had to battle through a wind tunnel while opponents hurled trash at them and were smashed against a car windshield while dressed as a bee. The show ranked 10th on its June debut, with 8 million viewers, according to weekly ratings from Nielsen Co.
"It was one of the most absurd things we've ever put on the air, so that was certainly a risk," said John Saade, senior vice president of alternative programming at ABC. "There are a couple of agents now who have jetted off to Japan and are buying up formats left and right."