MTV's The 70s House

Infobox Television
bgcolour =
show_name = The 70's House


caption = "Host, "Dawn"
format = Reality television70
camera =
picture_format =
audio_format =
runtime =
creator =
developer =
executive_producer = Adam Cohen
Cara Tapper
Joanna Vernetti
starring = Natasha Leggero
Aaron Matthew Lee
Bil Dwyer
Andrew Severyn
Corey Hartwyk
Sarah Bray
Lynda Khristine
Ashley McCarthy
Hailley Howard
Geo Herrera
Jami Stallings
Joey Mendicino
Lee Wireman
Peter
Ruben
narrated =
opentheme =
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country = USA
network = MTV
first_run =
first_aired = July 5, 2005
last_aired = September 6, 2005
num_episodes = 10
website =
imdb_id = 0472936
tv_com_id = 38881

MTV's The 70's House was a reality television show created by Aaron Matthew Lee. The show premiered July 5, 2005 and ended September 6, 2005. The show featured 12 contestants (6 male, 6 female) who thought they were participating in a The Real World-type reality show, but instead were thrust into a 24/7 simulation of the 1970s. They were required to part with all modern technology including cell phones, laptops, and MP3, as well as all modern clothing and lingo, only to adopt their cultural equivalents of the '70s. It was billed as a competition to see who can "be the most '70s."

The 12 contestants were: Andrew Severyn, Ashley McCarthy, Corey Hartwyk, Geo Herrera, Hailley Howard, Jami Stallings, Joey Mendicino, Lynda Khristine, Lee Wireman, Peter, Ruben, and Sarah Bray.

On each episode contestants were assigned tasks by Oscar, the house's unseen owner who communicated over speakerphone in an obvious parody of Charlie from Charlie's Angels. Dawn, the peppy host, acted as a liaison between the contestants and Oscar and instructed them on how to complete the tasks. After finishing the task Oscar awarded a prize to the contestant (or team) which best completed the task. Two contestants were then chosen, based on that day's performance and how well they otherwise kept their '70s facade. These contestants competed in an elimination challenge at the end of the show and the loser would be eliminated from the show. In the ninth episode, however, three contestants competed in the elimination round and two were eliminated.

The show had various gimmicks meant to test the contestants willingness to adhere to their '70s lifestyle. The most prominent gimmick was the "Hustle Alarm." Whenever a buzzer sounded and "The Hustle" was played, contestants were required to do the Hustle regardless of what they were doing. They were shown throughout the season doing the Hustle at various times including the middle of the night and early in morning.

Stand-up comedian Natasha Leggero played Dawn, while Bil Dwyer played the elimination challenge host, Bert Van Styles. Aaron Matthew Lee, the creator of the show, provided the voice of Oscar.

The winner received a prize package from Hewlett-Packard, a 2005 Volkswagen Beetle and a trip to Europe.

Results

Goofs

In addition to mistakes made by the contestants, several anachronisms were also made by the producers of the show.
* During the "To Tell the Truth" elimination segment, actor Christopher Atkins was brought in as a '70s star and stated that "The Blue Lagoon" was released in 1979. However, the film was actually released in June 1980 (although it was shot in 1979). Atkins' only screen role in the 1970s was a bit part in "The Streets of San Francisco".
* Cell phones were one of the items banned from the house. However, cell phones became publicly available in 1977, and digital cellular telephone technology in 1979. The unavailability of '70s era cellular phones may account for the ban.
* During the elimination round when a game of Operation is played, the game featured "Brain Freeze," which wasn't part of the game until October 2004.
* During the episode "Dodgeball", the contestants were brought in 1970s-style clothing to a dodgeball court for a contest. Their opponents were all modern day WWE wrestlers. Dawn does, however, comment on the fact that wrestling has its roots in the '70s. The WWE itself was founded even earlier than that, in the '50s.