''Living the Dream'' was the
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
version of
Spike TV's ''
Joe Schmo Show'', produced by
Touchdown Television
Eyeworks Touchdown (formerly Touchdown Television) is a New Zealand-based television production company specialising in reality and unscripted formats, which has become a leader in the field in New Zealand, and the world. Its formats include ''The ...
for
TV2.
Description
It was a
reality TV show (actually a
parody
A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its sub ...
of reality game shows) that began airing in August 2004 and involves a setup that is reminiscent of the
movie
A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
''
The Truman Show
''The Truman Show'' is a 1998 American psychological satirical comedy-drama film directed by Peter Weir, produced by Scott Rudin, Andrew Niccol, Edward S. Feldman, and Adam Schroeder, and written by Niccol. The film stars Jim Carrey as Tr ...
''.
One man, Sam Chambers, thinks he's on a reality TV show called ''Living the Dream''. However, all of the other members in this reality TV show, including the
host
A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it.
Host may also refer to:
Places
* Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County
People
*Jim Host (born 1937), American businessman
* Michel Host ...
, are actually
actor
An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek term is (), li ...
s and the entire show is an elaborate
hoax centred on the main character. All of the events and games played are staged to give a particular outcome designed to elicit a response from the main character for comedic effect.
The other "contestants" are
stereotypes of common reality TV show contestants. They are (real names follow character names/descriptions):
* Mick the Prick – Jason Fitch
* Rima, the Schemer – Awanui Simich-Pene
* Billy the
Gay
''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'.
While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...
Guy – Jeremy Birchall
* Mule the Former
SAS Soldier – Stephan Hall
* Betty the
New Age
New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars consi ...
flake – Kirsty Cooke
* Tiffany the
Rich Bitch –
Sarah Thomson
* Ben the
Best Mate
Best Mate (28 January 1995 – 1 November 2005) was an Irish-bred, English-trained racehorse and three-time winner of the Cheltenham Gold Cup. He was considered one of the most loved horses in the history of horse racing in the UK, with hi ...
- Charlie McDermott
* Mary the
Virgin
Virginity is the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. The term ''virgin'' originally only referred to sexually inexperienced women, but has evolved to encompass a range of definitions, as found in traditional, modern ...
– Victoria Blackman
*
Mark Ferguson
Mark Ferguson (born 28 February 1961) is a New Zealand-based Australian actor and television presenter.
Biography
Born in Sydney, Australia, Ferguson attended the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) and graduated in 1981. In 1982, he p ...
, the