Fred Savage Interview | Child Support Is NOT Your Ordinary Game Show

Is ABC’s game show Child Support safe for kids? Find out in this exclusive Fred Savage interview. Disney & ABC invited me out to LA to cover Child Support. All game show loving opinions are my own. Travel and accommodations were covered. #ChildSupportABC

Fred Savage Interview | Why Child Support Is NOT Your Ordinary Game Show

We’ve seen game shows before. We’ve even seen game shows with kids before. But we’ve never seen game shows hosted by your childhood crush from The Wonder Years before. ABC’s newest prime time game show, “Child Support,” may have you scratching your head at the name and wondering if the kids can see with you. But let me tell you right now, you’re going to want to grab the whole family for this one. Go behind-the-scenes and see exactly why Child Support is NOT your ordinary game show in this exclusive Fred Savage interview.

Bring your best swooning face.

Fred Savage Interview Video

Because you know that you want to hear if his voice is the same as The Wonder Years days. Listen in!

How the “Child Support” game show works

Want a little more insight how the “Child Support” game show works? A cross between “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” and “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader,” this show features contestants answering questions in levels – with opportunities for folks to take home at least portions of the big prize, $200,000. Would you believe that they filmed the entire series of shows over 2 days?

“Child Support” is a one-hour studio-based series from Golden Globe® and Emmy® Award-winning Ricky Gervais and Banijay Studios North America. The series will feature adult contestants and priceless interactions between funny man Ricky Gervais and a group of five kids who say the most unpredictable things.

Hosted by Fred Savage, contestants are asked to answer 10 questions correctly to earn the top prize. If they answer incorrectly, the contestants have a chance to be saved by the five kids who have been asked the same question by Gervais.

The name has you thinking twice

I admit, I wondered why the heck they would name a family-friendly game show, Child Support. It’s not a term used today with a positive outlook. And Fred Savage admits that he still has reservations about the name as well. But here’s why “Child Support” is the name that stuck.

I’m like, “Ricky, this is not something that people have a very positive association with. Do we want to be the face of Child Support?” He had similar reservations. He’s like look, there’s no better network who’s looking out for families than ABC and Disney. They’re not gonna do anything that’s gonna be inappropriate or negative or hurtful for kids. The name is controversial maybe. It’s noisy, so maybe in the noise, it’ll be like, “wait, what?” And then if we cause you to look again, maybe that’s the win there.

Fate rests in the hands of 5 kids

What’s different about “Child Support” is that the contestant has the opportunity to guess the answer to the question BEFORE the kids are involved. Only when the contestant gets the question wrong do the kids and Ricky Gervais step in to help. The fate of the contestant truly relies on these kids and their answers. And honestly, you could never guess which way it was going to go. It’s so unpredictable! You are literally a fly on the wall with Ricky Gervais and 5 kids in a room as they answer these hard game show questions. A mix of popular culture and general knowledge questions, these 6 people are cracking up left and right! But I think the cooler part of this show is that many of the kids remain throughout the season – allowing the audience to get to know the kids and anticipate their answers. And you know with a little coaxing by Ricky Gervais, there’s bound to be a ton of laughter.

The contestants are as real as it gets

Could you win $200,000? I found myself yelling at the TV screen for these contestants to answer the questions correctly, cheering them on. They’re people just like you and me, under a lot of pressure to win a lot of money. There’s a piece of us in the Child Support game show contestants, and we’re all rooting for that underdog to win big. Fred Savage wasn’t entirely certain how the contestants were chosen. But there’s one thing for sure, they know how to pick them. Look for Martin answering the M.I.T. question (such a BIG personality) during episode one!

There’s people who cast game shows. The contestants I thought were great. All of them are fantastic. They were able to get a great variety of really interesting, enthusiastic, compelling people. They did a great job at selecting contestants that you really, at least I really connected with and rooted for.

So are Fred Savage’s emotions

100% genuine. Fred Savage admits that he’s a HUGE lover of game shows. And he’s right there in the moment with us all. He chatted with us about what’s going through his mind when the contestants are with him.

I don’t know the questions in advance at all. So that’s why I read it very slowly because I’m not prepared. I’m really trying to figure it out with them, which is why I’m trying to help them and encourage them. I’m like, “Okay, talk that through. Go down that road.” I can’t lead them, but it would be just thinking along with them. I don’t know the answers in advance. It was completely genuine. I ride all the rollercoaster of emotions. When they win, I’m thrilled and when they don’t, I’m just crushed.

Is this Child Support safe for kids to see?

The name of the show, Ricky Gervais’ presence and a prime time slot, this game show definitely had me questioning the “family-friendly” aspect before I went into this interview. But Fred Savage made a strong point to say that this was a show he wanted to watch with his family, no over-the-heads-of-kids innuendos allowed. And I 100% appreciate a prime time show that’s safe for my kids to watch with me too.

I think going into it, knowing this was a family thing and knowing this was something I would want to watch with my kids, I wanted to make sure that it was appropriate, that it was not a lot of winky winky innuendos and entendres. As someone who works with kids, I don’t think it’s funny to take advantage of their innocence or naiveté to get comedy out of. I can safely say that there was none of that and so this is definitely a family show and it’s something I want to watch with my kids. 

I think the best part of this show is realizing how much we underestimate kids’ intelligence. Not only are the kids on the show much smarter than I had expected, but watching this show with my family allows the opportunity for my kids to flex their intelligence muscles too. Kids know A LOT of stuff – they’re little mind sponges. From hilarious antics to innocent one-liners, these kids are spot-on surprising in their answers – even if they’re wrong.

And don’t worry, y’all! I got my picture with The Princess Bride & The Wonder Years star. My childhood was seriously excited for this Fred Savage interview.

Catch Fred Savage, the host of the newest prime time game show ‘Child Support’ starting TONIGHT, Friday January 5, 2017 at 8/9 pm EST only on ABC.

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Will your family be watching ABC’s newest game show, Child Support?

I was invited to attend an all-inclusive press trip, sponsored by Disney. Be sure to follow Raising Whasians for more Disney insider information, movie updates and entertainment!

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