Spectral Broadcasting Network (SBN) announced its latest primetime lineup addition today, pairing comedian Jeff Foxworthy with investigative journalist Chris Hansen for a studio game show titled Are You Smarter Than A Federal Agent?
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The program mimics the aesthetic of traditional daytime trivia shows, complete with bright stage lighting and a cash-prize scoreboard. However, the contestants are all individuals currently under federal investigation for sex offenses who were lured to the studio under the impression they had been cast for a standard reality television pilot.
The gameplay centers on legal entrapment and real-time testimony:
- The Oath: Before the cameras roll, contestants sign standard release forms that double as sworn affidavits, placing all subsequent answers under penalty of perjury.
- The Hosts: Foxworthy leads the opening rounds with folksy, disarming trivia questions regarding state lines, digital timestamps, and telecommunications statutes. Once a contestant contradicts digital evidence held by the production team, Hansen steps out from behind the central LED screen to read back the contestant's own chat logs and travel receipts.
- The Studio Audience: During the final "Sudden Debt" round, the studio lights are raised to reveal that the live audience is composed of victims, forensic accountants, and federal prosecutors holding active indictments.
Rather than winning a cash prize or a new car, contestants who fail to reconcile their trivia answers with federal evidence are met backstage by U.S. Marshals upon elimination. SBN executives state the twelve-episode first season has already wrapped production, with all twelve contestants currently awaiting arraignment.
