‘I Dare You’ Season 2: A ‘passion project’

MANILA, Philippines – Reality television is already nothing new. Shows such as “Fear Factor,” “Who Dares Wins,” and “Survivor” have long since challenged people’s greatest fears.

But the newest season of reality show “I Dare You” promises to go beyond the fear and to create challenges that not only test endurance, but heed the call of the nation as well.

Dubbed a “passion project,” the show will have the most beautiful stars deglamorized all in the name of service and heroism.

Season 2, a project that took a year in the making, offers a deeper experience for the celebrities as they immerse themselves in the everyday lives of their citizen partners.

Dare to change

“Tinatanggap niyo ba ang hamon ng pagbabago?” (Do you accept the challenge of change?) – goes the show’s tagline. For the fresh batch of hosts John Prats, Robi Domingo, Deniesse Aguilar, and returning host Melai Cantiveros, their “yes” to that question signaled one of the most challenging and fulfilling experiences in their lives.

The hosts, who were all former reality show “Pinoy Big Brother” contestants, also took part, together with their respective Celebrity Kakampi (artista challenger) and Bidang Kapamilya (citizen challenger).

While the first season saw one-day immersions, the second season presents a longer time frame, where deeper bonds are forged.

“Mas na-i-immerse kasi minimum namin, one week nilang nakakasama. Mas mahaba yung transition at immersion ng artista, mas nakakasama at nakikilala nila yung tinutulungan nila,” said John. 

(The minimum immersion is one week, so the transition and immersion of the celebrity is longer and they get to know more the people they’re helping.)

For the hosts, saying good-bye is a challenge itself, after weeks of spending time with the partner communities.

“Hardest part yung end part, dun sila nalulungkot kasi na-a-attach sila,” explained John, who cited one particular episode which took 22 days to complete. (The hardest part is the end, when everyone gets sad because they’ve become attached to each other.)

“Nagustuhan namin yung pagiging genuine nila, yung connection namin with them, to the point na ayaw mo na silang kalimutan, and we feel that yung viewers, mararamdaman din nila,” added Robi, who also guested in the first season.

(We admired their being genuine, our connection with them, to the point that you wouldn’t want to forget them, and we feel that the viewers will sense that.)

Here’s the ‘I Dare You’ music video:

Passion project

More than a mere game, they say, the whole show is an immersion and an experience that transforms celebrities into true “Kapamilyas.”

“More than the challenges, yung show na ito, may puso talaga [this show really has a heart],” said Robi, whose challenge centered on the indigenous peoples and education – advocacies close to his heart, he said.

He shares how they were made to teach students from the first to 3rd grade, all cramped in one classroom.

On a lighter note, Robi had an awkward but funny situation wherein he was made to wear a bahag.

Robi admits the experience was an eye-opener and that he truly learned to empathize with the people.

Deniesse said she also sensed this deep connection with the community.

The slender young lady was made to wear a bulky suit and carry heavy equipment with Celebrity Kapamilya Baron Geisler, as a volunteer firefighter.

“Hindi lang siya basta reality show kasi yung mismong celebrity Kakampi, nilalagay niya yung sarili niya sa buhay ng bidang Kapamilya,” Deniesse said.

(This isn’t just a reality show because the celebrity “Kakampi” puts himself in the place of the “Kapamilya.”)

Here’s the ‘I Dare You’ trailer:

The learning isn’t limited to the celebrity challengers. For the hosts, the show isn’t just about giving, it’s about long-term progress.

“Dati, bibigay ng sapatos, tsinelas, ngayon, mas long term yung gusto naming i-abot,” said Robi.

(Before, we would give shoes, slippers, but now, we want to give something more long term.)

Rather than giving fish to someone, so to speak, Season 2 is focused on teaching him how to fish.

In the premiere episode featuring host John and Celebrity Kapamilya Jewel Mische, the people of disaster-prone Barangay Masantol in Pampanga were trained in disaster management.

“Hands-on yung hosts kasi nandoon kami every step nila [The hosts were hands-on because we were there every step of the way],” said John, who rode a helicopter, crawled in mud, and pushed himself to his physical limits during military training.

“Kaya ko ‘to, nag-gym ako [I can do this, I go to the gym],” he said at the start of the training. But he learned it takes more than physical endurance.

John considers the challenge as a truly humbling experience that made him appreciate the hard work put in by rescuers and the military.

“Sobrang experience siya and ang ganda nung reward na nakuha namin [It’s really an experience and the reward is worth it].” he said. – Rappler.com

‘I Dare You’ Season Two premieres on October 12 after ‘Maalaala Mo Kaya,’ a timeslot previously filled in by the recently concluded ‘The Voice of the Philippines.’