Parents' Guide to Whacked Out Sports

TV Spike Reality TV 2006
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Common Sense Media Review

Melissa Camacho By Melissa Camacho , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 16+

Sports-like stunts are dumb and dangerous.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 16+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

age 10+

Based on 2 parent reviews

What's the Story?

WHACKED OUT SPORTS is a \"reality\" series that features both amateur home videos and classic footage of pointless, often dangerous stunts performed by people around the world. Each half-hour episode is an endless succession of pseudo-athletic events like extreme ironing and crashing cars in mid-air. It also shows lots of sports bloopers and spectacular accidents that were caught on videotape. Special features include the Theatre of Pain -- a segment that spotlights someone groaning in pain after surviving a stunt gone terribly wrong -- and the recognition of the Sportsman of the Week.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say ( 2 ):
Kids say : Not yet rated

The show, which is very similar to Maximum Exposure, combines reality with comedy by providing humorous commentary on the stunts and the lack of common sense among those who perform them. But while some adults may find the show funny, the constant stream of footage showing people performing stupid tricks and taking unnecessary risks makes the series inappropriate viewing for younger viewers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why people perform dangerous stunts. What's the appeal (if any) of trying things that could hurt or kill you? Does the media perpetuate this behavior by treating videos of these activities as entertainment? When is risk-taking a good idea, and when should you play it safe? Families can also talk about the importance of using protective gear when bicycling, skateboarding, and rollerblading.

TV Details

  • Premiere date : September 7, 2006
  • Cast : Tom Gottlieb
  • Network : Spike
  • Genre : Reality TV
  • TV rating : TV-14
  • Last updated : September 20, 2019

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