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Steve Harvey To Host ‘Funderdome,’ ABC Taking Applications Now

By Jeffrey Totey
Published on: 07:25 PST, Aug 15, 2016

Steve Harvey will host a new competition series for ABC titled Funderdome, which will air in October. The new seed-building entrepreneurial show is being developed by Mark Burnett, who also created ABC’s Shark Tank. The 13-epsiode series is said to face off two new entrepreneurs with big dreams and ideas, according to a recent press release from ABC. However, instead of “sharks,” these contestants must win over a live studio audience in order to receive anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000.

According to the press release, the audience members will represent the customer and will determine which of the two businesses sound the most solid. However, there is a twist. Just before Steve Harvey is to announce the winner of each round, the two entrepreneurs will face another stressful situation: One of them will be allowed to cash out and walk away with a lesser amount of seed money. This could work out in their favor or they might lose out on winning the whole cash prize, which would be a lot more.

Produced by MGM Television, ABC says that “Steve Harvey will host, infusing humor, passion and support for the American Dream.”

Steve Harvey appears to do no wrong, bringing rating successes to just about every television hosting gig he does. Even the Miss Universe pageant wants him back after he made the horrendous mistake of announcing Miss Columbia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner instead of Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach last year. Ironically, this year’s pageant will be held in the Philippines.

In addition to Harvey’s own talk show and regular hosting duties of the syndicated Family Feud, Steve has had much success in recent years with multiple projects. His stint of hosting NBC’s Little Big Shots ranked as the biggest reality broadcast launch in almost five years, reports Black Enterprise, which calls Harvey “the hardest working man in show biz.” Steve is currently finishing out his second season of hosting the summer’s Celebrity Family Feud for ABC, which, before the airing of the Summer Olympics, had the distinction of being the most-watched broadcast series on Sundays, with more than eight million viewers tuning in. At the time, it was also the fifth-most-watched TV show this summer.

“I’m thrilled to have another passion project on the ABC schedule. This is just the type of show that gives folks a vehicle to breathe life into their dreams,” said Harvey.

The feeling appears to be mutual.

Mark Burnett also stated, “My dream has been to work with Steve, and this is the perfect project for us to do together. He is an amazing talent and has an enormous heart for entrepreneurs, some of whom will get their business jump-started because of him.”

Mark Burnett has had a couple of busy weeks recently as well. His wife, Roma Downey, received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last Thursday, and the two are heavily promoting their Ben-Hur movie remake coming out this weekend. Burnett also has another reality music series planned for FOX, Beat Shazam, to possibly take the place of American Idol. This game show will have competitors identify popular music much like the popular app. No premiere date has been set for the new FOX show.

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ABC is currently casting “great innovators whose personalities match the creativity and uniqueness of their business/product” for Funderdome now. Those who want to apply must be 18-years-old or older to submit an inquiry, however, parents may submit an inquiry on behalf of their minor children. Those interested in applying to appear on TV with Steve Harvey on Funderdome should visit the casting site.

[Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images]

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