Parents' Guide to

Celebrity Circus

By Anne Louise Bannon, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 8+

Stars strut their stuff under the big top.

TV NBC Reality TV 2008
Celebrity Circus Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

See all

There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.

What's the Story?

At first glance, CELEBRITY CIRCUS looks like yet another competition show in which low-level celebrities risk their limbs -- and their reputations -- doing stuff they've never done before. In this case, they're performing circus acts (the kind that more closely resemble the storytelling and dance elements of Cirque du Soleil than an over-the-top Barnum and Bailey three-ring extravaganza) in front of a panel of three judges.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

While this is yet another competition show, the shock is that it's not as cheesy as you might expect, largely because of the Cirque du Soleil influence. Some of the acts are rather beautiful. And there's nothing easy about what the celebrities are doing. The acts -- from the high wire to the ominously named "wheel of death" -- take enormous physical strength, so this is no walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination.

Bottom line? In spite of the fact that we've all been here before in one way or another, there's an odd charm to the whole thing.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the role that hype plays in making the circus -- or the media, for that matter -- exciting. Would watching the show be as suspenseful if the host talked about safety gear and procedures? Which acts do you think are actually the hardest to perform? The most dangerous? Parents can also remind kids not to imitate what they seen on television at home.

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate