Street Smarts

Before the game actually starts, two studio contestants are introduced, as well as three "street savants", whose interviews were pre-recorded.

Most of the questions asked of the savants are designed to be things people should know, but apparently do not (similar to the segment Jaywalking on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno). For example, in one episode, a savant was asked "What color is the exterior of the White House?" After some thought, the savant answered "Beige." Another notable example was an elderly woman who claimed to be a nurse and, when asked what HMO meant, she got it confused with the premium television channel, HBO. Occasionally Nicotero, when asking the savant, would break the fourth wall, such as when a savant who was in the US Navy was asked to define "league" as in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. After getting it incorrect, Nicotero walked up to the camera and said to the contestant "I bet you thought she would get this right!" Sometimes the questions would be vocabulary-based, in which a word, such as pinochle, was shown to the contestant, who would then have to speculate whether or not the savant used the word properly in a sentence.

Other questions are trick questions that are designed to catch some people off guard. These are also to see if the savants are paying attention. For example, Nicotero asked one savant, "Canada is the capital of what state?" (Mark DeCarlo was able to successfully put the dunce cap on Mark L. Walberg on that same question and earn $200 for it.) The savant replied, "Australia!" Later, another savant pointed out the right answer by saying, "It's not! It's a country!"

Sometimes shows took on a certain theme, with Nicotero interviewing the savants in a costume akin to the theme. A couple episodes had been known as "Revenge Episodes", in which savants who believed they had been humiliated on air could get the chance to make money as contestants themselves. Some of the people who were invited back for "Revenge Episodes" were not humiliated, but simply very entertaining. One of these persons was Russell Fletcher who showed up as a savant and then was invited back as a contestant. Fletcher was mostly invited back to the show due to the enormous amount of e-mail and snail mail that was directed at him because of his showing of real knowledge in most areas of questions. In November 2000, one episode revolved around the United States 2000 presidential election where Nicotero wore an Uncle Sam costume when questioning savants and all questions pertained to American elections or political workings, such as "Why did Bill Clinton refuse to seek a third term?"

Other shows invited classic television stars and game show hosts to play for their favorite charities. The episode that pitted Mark L. Walberg (who at the time was hosting the game show Russian Roulette) against Mark DeCarlo (who at the time was voicing Hugh Neutron (the title character's dad) on Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius) was notable in that Walberg won the game with $2 to DeCarlo's $1. But because it was a charity episode, Walberg received $1,000 for Goodwill Industries of Southern California while DeCarlo received $500 for the M.S. Society of America. Search by title NO RESULTS FOUND

Television April 15, 2003 “Street Smarts” Reflects Top Entertainment Trends This May: Reality TV, Nostalgia, And The Musical (April 15, 2003 - Burbank, CA) – A game show based on pop culture quizzes, “Street Smarts” pays homage to pop culture this May by highlighting three current trends in entertainment: reality TV, nostalgia, and musicals. Reality TV is obviously an important trend, and “Street Smarts” recognizes its impact with “Street Smarts Reality TV Week.” Nostalgia, always popular in times of economic and political uncertainty, has given rise to shows like “American Dreams,” cable networks like Nick at Nite® and TV Land®, and a slew of programs dealing with the somewhat archaic notion that getting married is more important than being in love. “Street Smarts” recognizes this trend toward nostalgia with “Street Smarts Reunion Week” which reunites co-stars of classic TV shows and classic eras giving the audience that warm, fuzzy feeling. And, the musical has made a strong comeback with “Moulin Rouge,” “Buffy: The Musical,” and, most recently, Oscar-winner “Chicago.” “Street Smarts’” answer to this trend is “Street Smarts: The Musical.” “Street Smarts: The Musical” airs on May 21st. In a history-making episode, “Street Smarts” outsmarts other shows by becoming the first syndicated game show to air an all-singing, all-dancing musical episode. With an original score to back them, the shows host, contestants—you may recognize Jules Sanchez, he’s part of the “American Idol” DVD and has the distinction of being the first contestant in American Idol history to get a ticket to Hollywood—and even the producers sing and dance their way through the entire episode. Audience reactions at the taping ranged from “Better than ‘Chicago,’” and, “Sexier than ‘Cabaret,’” to simply, “Street-licious!” “We took a good look at what’s going on in entertainment right now, especially with musicals like ‘Chicago,’ and decided to take these trends and run with them. I think we’ve put together some fantastic shows!” says executive producer Carla Kaufman.

To celebrate the series being the first street-interview show in 20 years to be renewed for a fifth season, Street Smarts offered its winning contestants an opportunity to compete for $100,000 in a season-ending, single-elimination tournament for what proved to be its final season. On each episode the winning contestant was given the choice to either take whatever money he/she had won and leave, or forfeit the money and receive a spot in the tournament instead. Thirty-two contestants elected to give back their winnings to take the chance at winning $100,000.

The tournament took place over the final thirty-one episodes of the season, and each game was played for points instead of money. The first sixteen episodes comprised the first round, referred to as "The Thunderous 32" on air. The winners of those episodes advanced to the second round, consisting of eight episodes and called "The Savvy 16". The eight winners from those episodes advanced to the third round, consisting of four episodes and called "The Great 8". The winners would face off in the last two episodes before the final, called "The 'Phat' 4", and the winners of those two games faced off in the final match, referred to as "The Six-Figure Showdown", for the $100,000 grand prize.

The tournament concluded on May 25, 2005, with Teresa Lee winning the final match and the $100,000. The tournament final also served as the final episode of Street Smarts (as the series was not renewed for the 2005-06 season), and reruns continued until September 23, 2005.

Reruns of the show have aired in the past on both WGN America and Game Show Network.

Originally, the show was to have three "field reporters" who would appear on location with the savants and ask them the questions with the main host only appearing in the studio. The idea was later scrapped mostly due to lack of talent from those who auditioned, and Nicotero, who originally signed on as a field reporter, was promoted to main host as well as asking questions to all savants.

• Official Website (via Internet Archive)
• Street Smarts at IMDb (US)
• Does Doug Know? at IMDb (UK)
• clip of the French-Canadian version of Street Smarts,Les Beaux Parleurs (Canada)