''American Candidate'' is an American reality television series broadcast by

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global ...

. The series premiered on August 1, 2004, and concluded with its tenth episode on October 10, 2004. The series depicted a competition among twelve diverse contestants for a $200,000 reward. The contestants were required to travel across the United States in order to compete in a series of politically-themed challenges reminiscent of a political campaign. These challenges tested the candidates'

presidential President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...

qualifications and qualities. Each week, a contestant was eliminated through means of audience participation and polling. Whichever contestant remained at the end of competition received the monetary reward in addition to a

national platform The National Platform for EU Research and Information Centre shortened to National Platform is an Irish Eurosceptic lobby group which campaigns against greater European Union integration, and against a Federal superstate. It is a member of the EU ...

. The series was hosted by American television presenter Montel Williams.

Format

Paralleling the

2004 United States presidential election The 2004 United States presidential election was the 55th quadrennial presidential election, held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004. The Republican ticket of incumbent President George W. Bush and his running mate incumbent Vice President Dick Chene ...

, the show featured contestants running as "candidates" in a mock campaign. Initially, the public could announce their "candidacy" on the show's website and garner support. Eventually, eleven contestants were chosen to appear on the show itself. Each week, the contestants would compete in a politically themed challenge, coached by various political experts. The two contestants who fared the poorest each week would debate, and one would be eliminated (voted by the remaining contestants). For the final two episodes, the viewers voted, and eventually chose the final winner.

Challenges

Throughout the series, the contestants traveled in a

bus A bus (contracted from omnibus, with variants multibus, motorbus, autobus, etc.) is a road vehicle that carries significantly more passengers than an average car or van. It is most commonly used in public transport, but is also in use for cha ...

all over the United States, participating in various challenges, each modeled on real activities candidates for public office might expect to undergo: * Week 1: Hometown support * Week 2: Deliver a speech on the War on Terror to residents of New Hampshire * Week 3: Press conference on jobs and the economy in

Allentown, Pennsylvania Allentown (Pennsylvania Dutch language, Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Allenschteddel'', ''Allenschtadt'', or ''Ellsdaun'') is a city in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. The city has a population of 125,845 as of the 2020 United ...

* Week 4:

Charlottesville, Virginia Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...

* Week 5: Focus groups in New York City * Week 6: Political ads in Washington D.C. * Week 7: Philadelphia * Week 8-9: Los Angeles * Week 10: Finale

Contestants

In reverse elimination order: #

Park Gillespie A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are green spaces set aside for recreation inside towns and cities. N ...

(

Conservative Christian Conservative Christianity, also known as conservative theology, theological conservatism, traditional Christianity, or biblical orthodoxy is a grouping of overlapping and denominationally diverse theological movements within Christianity that s ...

, winner) #

Malia Lazu Malia or Mallia may refer to: Places * Malia, Crete, a town on the north coast of Crete * Malia, Cyprus, a village in southern Cyprus * Malia, Iran, a village * Malia, a ''taluk(a)'' (administrative division) in Junagadh district, Gujarat, India ...

Lisa Witter Lisa Witter (born July 5, 1973) is an American entrepreneur and author. She is a co-author of '' The She Spot'' and has been Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the public relations firm Fenton Communications. As of 2018, she wa ...

# Keith Boykin (

gay rights Rights affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people vary greatly by country or jurisdiction—encompassing everything from the legal recognition of same-sex marriage to the death penalty for homosexuality. Notably, , 3 ...

activist) # Bruce Friedrich ( animal rights activist) # Joyce Riley ( Gulf War veterans spokesperson) # Richard Mack ( gun store owner) #

James M. Strock James Strock (born August 19, 1956) is an American writer, speaker, businessman, and former senior-level public official. Strock is the author of three books on leadership, and a fourth on political reform in the United States. Based in Rancho Sa ...

(Entrepreneur, Speaker, Former Public Official) #

Robert W. Vanech The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, ho ...

(entrepreneur, venture capitalist) #

Chrissy Gephardt Christine Leigh Gephardt is an American LGBT rights activist and former social worker who campaigned for her father Dick Gephardt during the 2004 U.S. presidential election. She is the first prominent LGBT relative to promote a major political ca ...

(daughter of

Dick Gephardt Richard Andrew Gephardt (; born January 31, 1941) is an American attorney, lobbyist, and politician who served as a United States House of Representatives, United States Representative from Missouri from 1977 to 2005. A member of the Democratic ...

)

References

External links

* * {{Showtime Network programming 2000s American reality television series 2004 American television series debuts 2004 American television series endings Political mass media in the United States Showtime (TV network) original programming Television series by CBS Studios English-language television shows 2004 United States presidential election in popular culture