Will Idaho man win ‘extreme’ new TBS talent show and $100,000? Snoop Dogg is a judge.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any cringier, er, scarier for Idaho, we truly have something to fear.
The critical eye of Snoop Dogg.
Set that DVR. Prepare to rally around the Gem State flag. Idaho is about to be represented on national TV again. Extreme BMX rider Kurtis Downs, who grew up in tiny Firth — near Idaho Falls — is a high-flying contestant on the new “Go-Big Show.” Premiering at 10 p.m. Jan. 7 on TBS, it is “the most extreme talent competition show ever,” according to a media release.
Of course it is. Snoop Dogg is a judge — along with actress Rosario Dawson, singer Jennifer Nettles and pro wrestler Cody Rhodes.
Unlike “Destination Fear” last month on Travel Channel, which featured a “terrifying” trip to the Old Idaho Penitentiary in Boise, “Go-Big” should offer actual thrills.
For competitors, it’s the stack of money on the line. A $100,000 grand prize will be awarded in the season finale.
For viewers, it’s the risky skills on display.
“ ‘Go-Big Show’ showcases supersized talents on a scale never before seen on television,” TBS says. “Featuring monster trucks, alligator trainers, stunt archery and other radical feats, the program celebrates daring acts alongside personal, behind-the-scenes stories from the challengers as they battle head-to-head to impress the judges ... .”
Before our heads explode, though, let’s remember something. This formulaic show is another celebrity-driven, ham-it-up judging spectacle.
At least, as TBS points out, nobody will be singing. (Unless Snoop puffs a blunt and starts rapping.)
Each week, there will be three head-to-head clashes and three winners who advance.
Will Eastern Idaho’s 28-year-old tricycle trickster “go big” or go home? (Although he’s an Idaho native and graduated from Firth High School, Downs relocated to Draper, Utah, and has “lived out of a bag” since joining the touring Nitro Circus, according to a 2018 Post Register article. He also rides for Utah-based Fezzari Bicycles.)
“Kurtis Downs is one of the most dynamic and innovative BMX riders in the game and is known as the contraption king of Nitro Circus,” TBS says, “as he is able to jump anything off the ramp. Growing up in a small town with less than 600 people, Kurtis began riding dirt bikes at a young age and later transitioned into BMX. He had a podium finish at the inaugural Nitro World Games in BMX Best Tricks and received a medal in his first-ever X Games appearance.”
Downs has serious skills. Frankly, he’s borderline insane. Get a brief sneak peek of Downs’ performance at the 8-second mark of the “Go-Big Show” trailer at the top of this article.
Without question, I’d rather spend a night in an Old Pen cell than a minute following Downs on a bike — or a Big Wheel.
This story was originally published January 5, 2021 at 1:57 PM.