“Do you could have it?” It’s a query requested by Nickelodeon to those that competed on GUTS, the favored competitors sequence that originally excited Nick youngsters from 1992 to 1995. Soundstage 21 at Common Studios Florida was reworked into the “Excessive Enviornment,” the place a crowd cheered on the younger individuals as they squared off in numerous impediment course-style challenges.
All of it led to the second everybody waited for, the ascent up the mountainous Aggro Crag. Yeah, cash can be good for successful. However let’s be sincere what these teenagers wished was that coveted neon inexperienced Aggro Crag trophy. Now virtually 30 years later, Mike O’Malley (who co-hosted the present with Moira Quirk) seems to be again on this nostalgic period fondly.
The actor and author nonetheless meets followers at conventions who inform him in regards to the influence 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, Pricey 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 just lately O’Malley’s performing credit additionally prolong to Snowpiercer and a recurring function in Abbott Elementary.
For sure, he has been busy, which is why we’re grateful he sat down with us to reminisce in regards to the making of GUTS.
I do know you had a present previous to this in Get the Image, however what had been your first impressions about doing GUTS whenever you had been approached?
Mike O’Malley: I met with Albie Hecht, who was an government producer who’s a really charismatic man. He defined the scale and scope of the present he wished to do. The concept was this was an motion sports activities fantasy present for teenagers. Youngsters need to know what it’s wish to dunk a basketball, properly we’re going to offer them the chance to do this. I believed it was nice. The concept I might be the sportscaster and do all of it. The interviewing, the sideline reporting, the play-by-play and shade commentary. I don’t assume I noticed that till we began entering into it. I believed it was an ideal match for me. I cherished sports activities. I used to be about 24 years previous. It was a great time to be that sort of a bunch 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 seems to be so large whenever you’re a child watching at residence.
I believe at the moment it was the most important soundstage on the East Coast. It was simply large…I believe you stroll in and see the Aggro Crag. It’s actually large. You assume that is only a actually cool thought for teenagers.
Discuss your dynamic with Mo and the way that advanced over time.
I met Moira. Her nickname was not Mo at first. I believe we simply stated, “Let’s go to Mo.” I used to be attempting to think about one thing humorous to say once 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 an excellent humorousness. She may be very humorous. That didn’t come throughout on the present, perhaps it did in a while once we joked. We simply had nice camaraderie. We had been the grownups doing this present. Right here we had 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 youngster who wished to be concerned in present enterprise as a result of there have been a variety of alternatives, particularly at Nickelodeon, to get your foot moist.
Did you could have a favourite problem?
I believe the Aggro Crag was one of the best a part of it. It was very difficult. You needed to go up in a zigzag and hit these actuators and you then needed to climb. You had been operating. There was an incline, however you then had these knuckleheads on the prime who had been throwing these styrofoam boulders at you. There’s mylar confetti and smoke and water blowing in all places. You’ve these goggles on. I can’t think about the strain these youngsters felt. Hear, they bought a observe run at it. Clearly, not with the entire particular results and nuclear flying crystals and water and fog. The Aggro Crag was one of the best factor.
Nonetheless, folks ask me the place they’ll get a chunk of the Aggro Crag. It was attention-grabbing for me as a result of it was a enjoyable present to make. I’ve mates 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 believe everybody working for Nickelodeon on the time was very high-minded about creating stuff that was a cool place with youngsters in cost. It was actually nice. No one ever talked right 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 through the 2024 Shine International Resilience Awards at Paramount Photos Studios on October 15, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Picture by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Photographs for Shine International Inc)
Something you stored from the set?
I nonetheless have my IDs. I did maintain a few the jerseys. I’ve my hockey jersey from International GUTS. I believe 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 like operating into grown women and men who’re simply profitable adults and say, “I cherished you on GUTS.” Final 12 months, 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 great snicker. I used to be with my sons. They watch his crew each sport and love the Celtics. Now right here is he telling me that when he was a child, he cherished watching GUTS. It gave me the chance to smile with my youngsters there. That was good.
Pat McAfee has a chunk of the Aggro Crag, no?
He has a chunk of the Aggro Crag. I ought to get him a number of the GUTS memorabilia to get on his present. It’s humorous as a result of he has given such a distinguished place on his desk to the Aggro Crag. People who find themselves over 45 don’t actually know what it’s. So once 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 individuals are like, “Hey, GUTS!”
Had you tried climbing the Aggro Crag your self?
Not with all of the circumstances. I did attempt to climb it as soon as, nevertheless it was difficult. It was not simple. I like what these youngsters needed to undergo.
Have you ever stayed in touch with any previous individuals?
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 ebook for the Broadway musical Escape to Margaritaville, and there was a man who was within the Broadway refrain of the workshop musical we had 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 immediately’s tv panorama?
You and other people 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 had been a child, you had been watching Nickelodeon…I at all times assume that children need to watch programming the place they get to do the stuff they by no means thought doable. I believe there’s at all times a chance for that. The more durable factor is attempting to get folks to indicate as much as watch that factor and make them conscious…That’s the problem.