Days before a man was accused of opening fire on the crew of "Repo Games," creator SallyAnn Salsano talked to TheWrap about the prospect of people getting violent over losing their cars.
The show, in which real repo men (left) let people answer trivia questions to try to keep their cars from being repossessed, debuts tonight on Spike TV.
See also: 'Rep Games' Makes Losing Your Car Seem Fun! (Video)
In an interview with Salsano, who is also the executive producer of "Jersey Shore," we asked if anyone involved with "Repo" has been "punched in the face" by people angry to see them.
"Um, well," she said, waiting a beat, "You have to tune in to see."
Chances are, more people will tune in because of Monday's incident. TMZ reports that the man accused of opening fire Monday night was not a contestant, just a guy irate about a van parked in front of his home. The crew caught the incident on camera.
Salsano talked to us about the new show, keeping "Jersey Shore" authentic, and the "edge-of-our-seats" feeling the "Repo" crew gets before surprising each new contestant.
How would you explain "Repo Games"?
With today's economy and what's going on, to give people a chance really makes sense. And it's kind of a fun show. I always say it’s like "Cops" meets "Jeopardy" meets "Jay Walking," and then have a couple of drinks and that's the show.
Part of "Jay Walking" is making fun of the things people don't know. You're kind of laughing at them.
I think it is funny. We play the game behind the scenes, like who knows what, and I know for me, sometimes, you get so mad at yourself because you don’t realize — a question sounds so easy, and you don't realize that you don't know it.
Human nature is, people have funny reactions to a lot of different things. The thing I love about this show is there's no casting. Just like "Cops," we don't know what we're getting. It depends who’s up for repo that day. So the whole thing is kind of like a TV lottery.
Why does anyone sign the release to be on the show? Everyone will find out about your financial issues and what you do or don't know.
Well, at this point, when we show up at their houses, they've essentially already lost. Their cars are up for repo. So at this point, we're giving them a chance to actually win and turn it around. So there's not really anything more to lose. There's only something to gain when you're doing the show.
Isn’t there a huge risk of public humiliation?
I mean, every day when I leave my house I have a huge risk of public humiliation. I think it just depends on how you look at it. Have you seen the show yet?
Not yet.
Alright, so that's why you're saying that. I think when you see the show you'll feel better. It is a fun show that has a ton of play-along and everyone has a good time with it. Yes, these are people whose actual cars are up for repo. Yes, sometimes it's completely fascinating what people don't know, and you will chuckle and have a good time with it. But just as often as that, sometimes you're like, there is no way this person is going to know that, and bam.
Sometimes you're surprised at what some people know. … Sometimes you look at someone and you're like, there's no way this person will know this, and they're the smartest person you've come across.
And it's all different types of people that their cars are up for repo, the country's in a crazy place right now. So it's not stereotypically all one type of person.
Do you ever see someone and think, we can’t put this on, this is just too sad?
No. I think it's kind of like depending on how the people react to it. It's a game show, it's supposed to be fun. You will get some heartwarming stories, and you'll feel good, but since it is a game show not everybody can win. Otherwise it wouldn't really be a game or a show. Then it would be like we just show up — it would be like Ed McMahon every week handing out cars. Even the people that didn't win have had a good time and it always ends with kind of a hug. It never ends badly.
Do people get compensation for appearing?
There's not, per se; we don't pay people to be on the show because otherwise it wouldn't be genuine. But definitely people's time is worth something. Depending on what's going on. It's a formula, if you will.
You win or you lose. Like the people that come on [other shows], they're flown to L.A., and they're put up, blah blah blah. Every show has their own way of doing things. This is just a game of chance, where people are down on their luck, and we try to show up and make it better. And in the process everyone has a good time, win or lose.
With "Jersey Shore," you're getting a look at real people's lives but they're becoming better off financially in the process. So they're different from the people they were. Do you have a hard time now that they're not normal kids anymore?
If you treat them differently, they're not. To you they're not normal kids from Jersey anymore. To me they are… because I go to their house and they live in the same house, they're still in the same bedrooms, and they listen to their parents. And their parents still call me when can't find their kid — they're like, Hey, do you know where Snooki is?
The only difference is now is if we're all stopping at the side of the road on a road trip to go to 7-Eleven, they might buy me a Gatorade rather than me buying them a Gatorade.
Anything to add?
No. "Repo Games" is fun and I really think, if it's as much fun for you guys to watch as it is for us to make … we don't know what's going to happen. We don't know who's going to be excited to see us, who's going to be pissed off to see us, and after rolling up to people's houses, we're on the edge of our seats, so I think the people at home will feel the same way. This show is kind of so wrong it's right. It's really just fun.
