A-B-C Reason for fame is all about keeping one's identity secret, so it goes without saying that there are quite a few rules contestants have to follow.
The series, which premiered in July 2022, follows 12 contestants, each with a celebrity relative, who all film the series in one location and are tasked with uncovering the identities of everyone else while keeping their own identities a secret.
Being largely cut off from the outside world while filming makes researching the competitors even more difficult, but they decipher clues with the help of various games and a giant clue board located around the house.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, executive producers Eric Detwiler and Scott Teti spoke about the show's extensive rules, including the ones contestants must follow before competing as well as the ones they must follow while they're competing. rear They will be eliminated.
For more details on the rules, read on Reason for fame The contestants must comply.
Warning: spoilers ahead. Reason for fame Seasons 1 and 2 follow.
Contestants must go through a screening process
Detwiler and Teti told People that contestants hoping to appear on the show go through a thorough vetting process that involves multiple interviews with producers “over the course of several weeks.”
“After the field has been narrowed down by our producers, those lucky enough to be selected to move forward in the casting process must clear both a background check, as well as a medical and psychological evaluation by a licensed medical provider before they are allowed to film,” Detwiler and Teti added.
You must be 18 years of age or older to apply for the show.
John Fleener/ABC
“To be on the show, contestants must be at least 18 years old,” Detwiler and Teti say. There is a minimum age, but no maximum.
“So far, the youngest contestants have been Logan (Jason Alden's cousin) in Season 1 and Travis (Neil deGrasse Tyson's son) in Season 2, both of whom were 22. The oldest were Jada (Dolly Parton's niece) in Season 2, who was 44, and M. Lamar (Laverne Cox's twin brother) in Season 1, who was 50,” Detwiler and Teti joke. “Is there a chance that in future seasons we might see someone's parents or grandparents featured? Oh, the stories they'll have to tell…”
Contestants must be directly related to a celebrity relative.
ABC/John Fleener
Detwiler and Teti said “distant relatives (such as cousins or older relatives) will not be considered” for casting the show.
“Most of the show's participants are related to a famous person's relative – a sibling, parent, aunt/uncle or cousin,” it said, but noted that half-siblings are also considered, such as Alicia Keys' half-brother Cole in season two.
Carly, a season two contestant who was eliminated in the first episode after her relationships with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were revealed, was given an exception to promote her relationship with Hanks, her uncle by marriage: “In Carly's case, her relationship with Tom Hanks by marriage (to her aunt Rita) was allowed given that she had had a close relationship with her uncle since childhood.”
Contestants' celebrity relatives do not have to be living.
Although there are certain conditions that prohibit contestants from having “distant relatives,” Detwiler and Teti added that a contestant's celebrity relatives do not have to be living to be considered for the show.
“Similarly, Pepper Martin. His grandfather, Dean Martin, passed away many years ago, but his music and legendary status as an American icon live on,” they point out.
If a contestant is related to more than one celebrity, they may only select one as a relative.
John Fleener/ABC
“In the rare case that a contestant is related to multiple celebrities, the contestant agrees in advance which celebrity relative they will play during the competition,” Detwiler and Teti say. One big example is Carly, who is related to Rita Wilson by blood but chose to play the celebrity relative of her uncle by marriage, Tom Hanks.
Contestants must return electronic devices before filming
Detwiler and Teti said participants were required to turn in their cell phones and other electronic devices before filming to ensure a fair game. “It would be unfair for participants to stalk social media, make phone calls, or otherwise try to find out the identities of other participants online,” they said.
“Contestants must successfully play the game, follow the rules and rely solely on their memory and personal discoveries throughout the competition to discover the true identity of other players' celebrity relatives. Violation of the rules may result in elimination from the competition,” they added, noting that in the season 1 premiere, Chuck Norris' grandson Max was eliminated from the show for surreptitiously carrying a cell phone.
Contestants can't choose their roommates
John Fleener/ABC
“Unlike other house competition shows, Reason for fame “Contestants will be assigned bedrooms by producers,” Detwiler and Teti revealed, noting that “the producers don't want the bedroom selection process to get in the way of the competition…we want to get to the good stuff quickly!”
Contestants must submit “two truths and one lie” in advance
In the first episode, each contestant tells their co-star “two truths and one lie,” but Detwiler and Teti say it's actually ” [producers] It's time to verify and check the facts.”
“This also gives contestants an opportunity to strategize their gameplay before competing,” they added, noting that in season one, Whoopi Goldberg's granddaughter Amara lied about the Adult Video Award being the biggest honor a celebrity relative could receive.
Contestants do not have to use their real names
John Fleener/ABC
To make the game more interesting and challenging, contestants are not required to use their real names (for example, season 1 contestant Jasmine decided to use the name Kai).
Even the host doesn't know the contestants' identities.
John Fleener/ABC
As for the contestants' true identities, Detwiler and Teti reveal that co-hosts Kevin and Frankie Jonas are “in the dark,” along with the cast members. “The producers wanted the hosts to act it out and have genuine reactions when their celebrity relatives were revealed on Guess Off,” they point out.
Contestants are allowed to spy on other contestants… to a certain extent
As depicted on the show, spying and snooping on other contestants is not uncommon in the house: “Contestants must ensure that they are 'listening' to every conversation, even if no one else knows or notices,” Detwiler and Teti say.
Participants are not permitted to trespass on other people's private property, but “if participants are careless, [leaves] I made my diary public so that anyone could see my notes.”
Each contestant has the same number of clues
John Fleener/ABC
“While the 'clue wall' and challenges may appear to provide some contestants with more clues than others, this is not the case,” Detwiler and Teti wrote in their statements, with producers adding that each contestant will receive “the same number of clues” in the competition.
Not every clue has to be a real clue
Each contestant has the same number of clues, but Detwiler and Teti point out that they mix in a few extra hints as “missteps” “to mislead the contestants.”
“Sometimes, participants mistake a red herring for a clue,” they continue. “Then the mistake becomes conclusive, raising more doubts than the actual clue and leading participants further down the maze. But sometimes these red herrings lead to even more discoveries than the originally intended or overlooked clue. That's when Reason for fame!”
In the “Guess Off,” contestants are eliminated if they don't correctly name a celebrity relative.
John Fleener/ABC
Detwiler and Teti point out that when guessing someone's famous relative, a person “only has one chance to say the name correctly, with all the correct pronunciation.” They are I’m the one going home.”
Even the slightest mistake with the middle and last names could get you eliminated, like when Hugo almost guessed Neil Tyson deGrasse instead of Neil deGrasse Tyson in season two.
Contestants don't go home immediately after being eliminated
One thing that fans may be surprised to learn is that contestants don't actually go home when they're eliminated. Instead, Detwiler and Teti revealed that they'll be “quarantined” until the finale film airs.
“They'll stay in the hotel until the finale, then return to the house to play the game one last time,” the producers explain. “Some of the quarantined players have had plenty of time to reflect and process information about the others, so when they reunite with their cast mates, they often have a lot to talk about!”
