In what might be the most unusual reality competition show of 2024, Max is set to premiere Human vs Hamster on November 22. The eight-episode series, which will also air on The Magnolia Network, pits teams of humans against surprisingly skilled hamsters in various challenges. From hot dog eating contests to hamster wheel races, this unique competition aims to settle the age-old question: which species is superior at arbitrary tasks?
Produced by A Smith & Co. Productions and executive produced by Chip and Joanne Gaines, the masterminds behind "Fixer Upper" and "Floor Is Lava," Human vs Hamster features "10 extraordinary hamsters" competing against teams of humans from across North America. Perhaps most telling about our species' confidence is that we need teams to take on individual hamsters.
Human vs Hamster trailer teases the most bizarre Man vs Animal moment in recent television history
The recently released trailer showcases what appear to be completely serious adults engaging in heated competition with rodents roughly the size of a tennis ball. It’s officially a battle of the species, and the human teams appear to be more than prepared to establish themselves as superior beings. What decades of science and evolutionary studies could barely prove, the contestants of Human vs Hamster will have to.
One particularly confident human team declared:
"We're gonna show these hamsters that the only scrubs here are the ones we're wearing."
The hamsters, not to be outdone, responded through captions with an ominous, "Prepare to lose filthy humans." These tiny competitors sure do sport a big attitude.
The competition will feature various challenges playing to both species' strengths. While hamsters are natural diggers, hoarders, and surprisingly adept at learning simple tasks, humans bring opposable thumbs and complex problem-solving skills to the table.
Human vs Hamster promises a blend of physical challenges, including a hamster wheel race (finally, a good way to test whether treadmills ever worked for us at all), bowling, and a hot dog eating contest (where humans might regret challenging creatures known for storing food in their cheeks).
Who are the hosts for Human vs Hamster Season 1?
The show has assembled an eclectic hosting trio: football commentator Kyle Brandt and "Saturday Night Live" star Sarah Sherman will lead the proceedings, with hamster enthusiast Brian Balthazar providing expert commentary. One can only imagine the career path that leads to becoming a professional hamster expert serving as the voice of reason on such a show, but here we are.
The human contestants come from various backgrounds, including nurses, magicians, and firefighters, competing in pairs. It's worth noting that while firefighters regularly save lives and magicians can make things disappear, they're now being challenged by creatures whose greatest evolutionary gift is stuffing their cheeks with food. Talk about those turntables.
The inspiration behind Human vs Hamster
In a wonderfully absurd origin story for a TV show, Chip Gaines revealed at PaleyFest NY 2024 that Human vs Hamster was born from watching Jason Kelce's viral shirtless celebration. Yes, you read that right - a future Max series featuring hamsters competing against humans apparently traces its creative roots to a topless NFL player.
During the "Conversation with Chip & Joanna Gaines" event on October 21, Chip shared a peculiar moment of inspiration:
"I was watching Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce, and somehow, maybe... Kelce, at the time, ripped off his shirt at some big football event or something after he had retired"
He explained, presumably while everyone in the audience tried to connect the mental dots between a shirtless football player and competitive hamsters.
Drawing an unexpected parallel to another creative genius, Gaines continued:
"Willie Nelson says he wrote some of his most famous lines literally in 15 minutes, like in the you know, the way from point A to point B."
He then added, with what we can only imagine was complete sincerity:
"I feel like this was my point of inspiration. Watching Kelce rip his shirt off."
While reality TV has given us everything from singing competitions to survival challenges, Human vs Hamster ventures into uncharted territory. The series promises to deliver what every good reality show needs: drama, competition, and the distinct possibility of humans embarrassing themselves on national television.
Whether this series will herald a new era of interspecies competition shows, remains to be seen. But one thing's certain: when Human vs Hamster debuts this November, viewers will witness either humanity's finest hour or our most humbling moment at the paws of our tiny challengers. Let the games begin!
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Human vs Hamster premieres on November 22, 2024, on Max.
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