Strip Poker (game show)

Strip Poker was a TV game show which aired in limited syndication exclusively on selected stations owned by USA Broadcasting (whose stations are now owned by Univision) from 1999–2000, and was later rerun on the USA Network from 2000–2001. It was hosted by Graham Elwood, with Jennifer Cole as the card dealer, and was produced by Axelson-Weintraub Productions.

Overview
Two teams composed of two people of the same gender took part; one team was composed of males while the other was composed of females.

The poker part of the game was based on five-card stud, using a deck of 24 cards ranging from 9 to Ace. Before each question, a pair of face-up cards came down a chute. The first question was directed at the guys and had to do with "girl stuff". If they got it right, they received control. A miss gave the girls a chance to take control by giving the correct answer. If they missed, however, the guys got control by default, because the question was in the girls' area of knowledge. Questions alternated between the two teams, with the girls being asked about "guy stuff" on their turns.

After each question, the team that had control won $50 and could choose one of the two cards to add to their poker hand. The other team received the spare card, and one member of that team would have to take off an article of clothing. After four questions, each team had four cards. The fifth pair of cards was always face down, but the question would be played the same way. The team with the better hand after five cards won a bonus $250, and one of their opponents would have to take an article of clothing off.

In Round 2, the rules were the same, except that questions were worth $100 each and the team who did not start Round 1 received the first question. The winning hand was still worth $250.

Round 3 was the Lightning Round. One player from each team stepped up to the microphone to answer the question. They signaled using a whistle around their neck. A right answer was worth $100 and forced the opponents to take off an article of clothing. A wrong answer, however, gave the opponents $100, and the answering team had to take off a piece of clothing. (By this point, it was normal for one team to be so far ahead that one of their opponents would already be answering questions in their boxers/bra and panties.) If neither player answered, they would both have to take off an article of clothing. After each question, the players switched places with their partners.

After six questions were played in this manner, the team in the lead won the game. Both teams kept any cash they had accumulated up to that point; however, the losing team would have to strip down to their undergarments in the center of the stage (if they had not already done so). They were usually joined by the other team, who also stripped down, and everybody danced at the center of the stage.

Audience game
Occasionally, between round 2 and the Lightning Round, Graham would ask a member of the studio audience a question. If their answer was correct, they received a Strip Poker T-shirt, but if incorrect, they had to remove an article of clothing.

References

External links
 Official Website (via Internet Archive)
 

Category:Poker television programs
Category:Television series by Universal Television
Category:First-run syndicated television programs in the United States
Category:USA Network original programming
Category:1999 American television series debuts
Category:2001 American television series endings
Category:1990s American game shows
Category:2000s American game shows