Marc Summers says a single line at the end of his Double Dare audition helped him land the job. He shared the story in a new interview with PEOPLE marking the Nickelodeon game show’s 40th anniversary.
The series premiered on October 6th, 1986, after taping its earliest episodes at WHYY-TV in Philadelphia.
Summers was a stand-up comedian with some hosting experience when he tried out. He went on to host more than 500 episodes across the original show, Family Double Dare and other versions and specials.
Summers recalled in a 2017 Tech Insider interview that he stayed clean for his first 65 episodes before producers told him to join in the mess.
A Friend’s Unused Audition Led to a Final Test With Kids
Ventriloquist Dave Garrison had received an audition invitation from Nickelodeon, a network he had never heard of, but wanted to move into producing. He offered the opportunity to Summers, who arrived in his place and asked the producers whether he could try out instead.
Summers left convinced he would get the job, only for his agent to point out that he had about 10 other clients auditioning. After three callbacks, co-creator Mike Klinghoffer still had concerns about Summers’ limited experience working with children.
Summers suggested testing both remaining finalists with kids. They were flown to New York, where he auditioned first and left the studio before the other candidate went in. Two days later, he learned he had been hired.
When Summers asked what had separated them, he was told the other man had finished by asking whether the producers wanted anything else, Entertainment Weekly reported. Summers had looked into the camera and said, “We’ll be back with more Double Dare after this.” He said the commercial-break throw had struck the producers as more professional.
The Original Slime Mixed Four Ordinary Ingredients
Vanilla pudding, applesauce, green food coloring and a little oatmeal made up the original mixture, according to Summers. The oatmeal thickened it, while the food-based ingredients met insurers’ requirement that the slime be edible if it entered a child’s mouth.
When Summers returned as an executive producer and on-air contributor for the later revival, the show was using a different formula. He said producers could adjust its thickness and how quickly it dripped, but he preferred the older mixture’s appearance and smell.
His Favorite Episode Ended With a Trip Through Chocolate
Bobby “The Brain” Heenan and Gorilla Monsoon’s Super Sloppy Double Dare appearance remains Summers’ favorite. He remembered the WWF personalities as funny, skilled performers who connected with the children.
Summers told TV Insider that he had known Heenan from their days working at a theater in Indianapolis, where Summers was an usher.
Before the obstacle course, the pair asked whether Summers minded getting messy. He gave them permission to do whatever they wanted, and they picked him up and sent him through a vat of chocolate. Summers described being lifted by the two men as an honor.
Double Dare’s Cast Reunited on TV and in Philadelphia
Nickelodeon celebrated Double Dare‘s 30th anniversary with a television reunion special that aired on November 23rd, 2016.
On October 4th this year, Summers returned to Philadelphia for a sold-out reunion at City Winery with members of the original cast and crew. Announcer John Harvey and on-air sidekick Robin Russo, known to original viewers as Robin Marrella, were among those joining him.
The independently produced event featured behind-the-scenes stories, archival material and audience physical challenges. Summers told TV Insider that requests from fans unable to attend prompted the decision to offer a pay-per-view recording.
The reunion’s website advertises an October 31st through December 31st pay-per-view window for the recording. The preorder package includes the behind-the-scenes featurette Get Set: The Making of Marc Summers & Friends!