Cash Cab is an American game show that originally premiered in 2005 on the Discovery Channel, hosted by stand-up comedian Ben Bailey.
[4] On March 27, 2017, Discovery announced it was working on episodes featuring "appearances from notables in comedy, film, and TV".
In Cash Cab: After Dark – and beginning with the regular episodes of Season 3 – all of the money values were doubled to $50, $100, and $200.
Once players have exited the Cash Cab, a camera crew from the trailing production van is already on the street waiting to tape their departure.
Contestants have two forms of lifelines known as "Shout-Outs" at their disposal during the game; each can be used only once, and neither may be used on a Red Light Challenge or a Video Bonus.
The call can take up to a maximum of 15 seconds before the contestant has to answer, with the result being either additional money or a strike.
The contestant may also elect to use a Street Shout-Out, in which Bailey immediately pulls the cab to a curb so that anyone on the sidewalk can be asked for help, without any official time limit.
Bailey plays a video clip and asks the contestant(s) a single question based on its content.
If the question is answered correctly, the contestant(s) win double what they have earned so far, but if they are wrong, they lose all of their money "at the very last moment," as Bailey says, and "leave with nothing but a cab ride."
Unlike some other versions of the game, U.S. contestants who decline to attempt the Video Bonus are not shown the question they would have been asked.
Beginning in Season 4, randomly selected passengers, on rare occasions, can win double the amount of money in a normal game.
[14] This topped the old record held by contestants Sean Devney and Steve Irolla, two New York City tour guides who won $4,100 after answering the "Video Bonus" question correctly.
[14] One episode of the program was a special celebrity edition, featuring actor Thomas Haden Church of Spider-Man 3, NHL players Jed Ortmeyer and Ryan Hollweg of the New York Rangers and journalist Harry Smith, formerly of CBS' The Early Show.
Guests have included Mayor of Las Vegas Oscar Goodman, comedian David Brenner, the band Neon Trees, and magicians Penn & Teller.
On December 4, 2017, Discovery aired a special Celebrity Edition, where the unsuspecting passengers hailed the Cash Cab, and were joined by celebrities helping them, featuring NCIS: New Orleans actor Scott Bakula, comedian Gilbert Gottfried, and Friends actor Matthew Perry.
[18] A support van tails the Cash Cab, containing producers and a camera crew for the various street shots.
The lighting and the music that go off when contestants enter the cab consist of a switchboard that is connected to an iPod and the car stereo.