“Do you will have it?” It’s a query requested by Nickelodeon to those that competed on GUTS, the favored competitors sequence that originally excited Nick children from 1992 to 1995. Soundstage 21 at Common Studios Florida was remodeled into the “Excessive Area,” the place a crowd cheered on the younger contributors as they squared off in varied impediment course-style challenges.
All of it led to the second everybody waited for, the ascent up the mountainous Aggro Crag. Yeah, cash could be good for profitable. However let’s be sincere what these teenagers needed was that coveted neon inexperienced Aggro Crag trophy. Now virtually 30 years later, Mike O’Malley (who co-hosted the present with Moira Quirk) appears again on this nostalgic period fondly.
The actor and author nonetheless meets followers at conventions who inform him concerning the impression the sequence had on their childhood. He is now married with three youngsters. For O’Malley GUTS got here early on in what turned out to be a massively profitable profession.
He starred as Jimmy Hughes within the comedy Sure, Expensive for six seasons and was nominated for an Emmy as Burt Hummel on the favored Fox sequence Glee. His work behind the scenes is equally as spectacular, writing for acclaimed reveals like Shameless. To not point out creating and government producing Survivor’s Regret and the scrappy underdog Starz sequence Heels. Most not too long ago O’Malley’s appearing credit additionally prolong to Snowpiercer and a recurring position in Abbott Elementary.
For sure, he has been busy, which is why we’re grateful he sat down with us to reminisce concerning the making of GUTS.
I do know you had a present previous to this in Get the Image, however what have been your first impressions about doing GUTS if you have been approached?
Mike O’Malley: I met with Albie Hecht, who was an government producer who’s a really charismatic man. He defined the dimensions and scope of the present he needed to do. The thought was this was an motion sports activities fantasy present for youths. Youngsters need to know what it’s prefer to dunk a basketball, properly we’re going to offer them the chance to do this. I assumed it was nice. The concept that I might be the sportscaster and do all of it. The interviewing, the sideline reporting, the play-by-play and colour commentary. I don’t assume I spotted that till we began moving into it. I assumed it was an ideal match for me. I liked sports activities. I used to be about 24 years outdated. It was a superb time to be that sort of a number on that present. I used to be like an enormous brother, camp counselor sort of dude.
Aggro Crag (Nickelodeon)
How was it strolling into the soundstage for the primary time? It appears so huge if you’re a child watching at house.
I feel at the moment it was the most important soundstage on the East Coast. It was simply huge…I feel you stroll in and see the Aggro Crag. It’s actually large. You assume that is only a actually cool concept for youths.
Discuss your dynamic with Mo and the way that developed over time.
I met Moira. Her nickname was not Mo at first. I feel we simply stated, “Let’s go to Mo.” I used to be making an attempt to think about one thing humorous to say after we went to her. That’s what it was and ended up being now, “Hey, what’s up with Mo?” She is simply nice. She has a terrific humorousness. She may be very humorous. That didn’t come throughout on the present, perhaps it did afterward after we joked. We simply had nice camaraderie. We have been the grownups doing this present. Right here we have been each in Florida. She is an actor too. It was working at Common Studios. It was simply a good time to be down there as a teenager who needed to be concerned in present enterprise as a result of there have been plenty of alternatives, particularly at Nickelodeon, to get your foot moist.
Did you will have a favourite problem?
I feel the Aggro Crag was the very best a part of it. It was very sophisticated. You needed to go up in a zigzag and hit these actuators and then you definately needed to climb. You have been operating. There was an incline, however then you definately had these knuckleheads on the prime who have been throwing these styrofoam boulders at you. There may be mylar confetti and smoke and water blowing in all places. You may have these goggles on. I can’t think about the strain these children felt. Hear, they obtained a observe run at it. Clearly, not with the entire particular results and nuclear flying crystals and water and fog. The Aggro Crag was the very best factor.
Nonetheless, folks ask me the place they’ll get a bit of the Aggro Crag. It was attention-grabbing for me as a result of it was a enjoyable present to make. I’ve buddies I made for all times. I’m nonetheless in contact with these I labored with making that present. We’re nonetheless shut. The making of it was a really collegial expertise. I feel everybody working for Nickelodeon on the time was very high-minded about creating stuff that was a cool place with children in cost. It was actually nice. No person ever talked all the way down to the children or used kiddy voices. It’s the age in sixth and seventh grade the place you need to be handled with respect.
Mike O’Malley speaks onstage throughout the 2024 Shine International Resilience Awards at Paramount Photos Studios on October 15, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Picture by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Pictures for Shine International Inc)
Something you saved from the set?
I nonetheless have my IDs. I did maintain a few the jerseys. I’ve my hockey jersey from International GUTS. I feel I’ve one other one that’s upstairs in my home I wore within the first season. I didn’t take any piece of the set or something. I really like operating into grown women and men who’re simply profitable adults and say, “I liked you on GUTS.” Final yr, I met Joe Mazzulla. The coach of the [Boston] Celtics at an occasion, and he shook my hand. I’m an enormous fan of the Celtics and Joe. We had a superb chortle. I used to be with my sons. They watch his workforce each sport and love the Celtics. Now right here is he telling me that when he was a child, he liked watching GUTS. It gave me the chance to smile with my children there. That was good.
Pat McAfee has a bit of the Aggro Crag, no?
He has a bit of the Aggro Crag. I ought to get him a few of the GUTS memorabilia to get on his present. It’s humorous as a result of he has given such a outstanding place on his desk to the Aggro Crag. People who find themselves over 45 don’t actually know what it’s. So after I’ll be out you’ll hear from somebody who says, “Hey man, Aggro Crag.” Folks my age don’t know something about it or perhaps know I used to be on this present. Then different persons are like, “Hey, GUTS!”
Had you tried climbing the Aggro Crag your self?
Not with all of the situations. I did attempt to climb it as soon as, however it was sophisticated. It was not simple. I like what these children needed to undergo.
Have you ever stayed in touch with any previous contributors?
Jana “The Warrior” Waring (Helms) was a star when she gained. Then she got here again for the All-Stars model particular for the house video we recorded and gained that once more. She was then concerned in a tragic accident the place she was paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair now. I co-wrote the e book for the Broadway musical Escape to Margaritaville, and there was a man who was within the Broadway refrain of the workshop musical we have been doing. He gained. Greg (Haney). Small world.
GUTS (Nickelodeon)
Have you ever been requested to host once more or obtained pitches?
Nothing concrete so far as them saying, “Hey, we’re making one other season of GUTSi. Do you need to try this?”
I do know there was a more moderen iteration My Household’s Bought GUTS in 2008, however do you see the unique idea working in at the moment’s tv panorama?
You and folks your age who grew up watching Nickelodeon on the time have a shared expertise as a result of there was a monoculture. A shared viewing expertise that everybody across the nation was watching. You have been a child, you have been watching Nickelodeon…I all the time assume that children need to watch programming the place they get to do the stuff they by no means thought attainable. I feel there may be all the time a chance for that. The more durable factor is making an attempt to get folks to indicate as much as watch that factor and make them conscious…That’s the problem.
