Family Feudis known for many things, most notably the outlandish answers contestants have given in recent years - and hostSteve Harvey’s reaction to them. However,Family Feudfans might not know isthat the process of applyingas a contestant on the show is extremely rigorous. The official site lays outa standard set of rules: a team of contestants has to consist of five family members who areactuallyyour family, as in “related by blood, marriage or legal adoption”. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Contestants' jobs can also play a role in whether they get ontoFamily Feud. No one working forFamily Feudor Steve Harvey’s production companies can compete…but neither can anyone who’s running for a political office. So that means if someone was planning to run for President or enter the political space,Family Feudis off limits to them. The rules only get more rigorous, especially when it comes to the audition process!
‘Family Feud’ Doesn’t Allow Any Other Game Show Pros
If you’re planning to appear onFamily Feud, it will more than likely be the only game show you appear on. The rules state thatanyone who’s shown up on two or more game shows in the last year is ineligible for competition. That means if you’ve shown up onJeopardy!,Wheel of Fortune, orThe Price is Right,Family Feudis off-limits. But what about past contestants? If someone previously showed up onFamily Feud, they can get back on the show. It’ll just take them ten years before they can apply again. These rules might seem draconian, but on a second glance they make sense. Part ofFamily Feud’s appeal is seeing the variety of families who compete; seeing someone on a previous game show or having repeat contestants might take away from that variety.
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If contestants do fulfillFamily Feud’s requirements, they’ll fill out the online application (and even send a video featuring their family if they’re inclined.) If they’re selected,they’ll have to participate in a mock version of the game,but even that doesn’t guarantee that a contestant will make it. FormerFamily FeudcontestantDanielle Greenrevealed on her personal website,The Creative Bite, that after she & her family participated in a mockFamily Feudgame, and they had to doanotherround of interviews, after which they were placed in a database of families who could be called up.
Eventually, Green and her family did make it toFamily Feud. Before their appearance, the Green family was told that their clothing had to be family-friendly to make it on the show. They alsohad to do yet another live audition the morning before the episode taped,and even then they had to wait before they were confirmed. Green even revealed how producers influce the show; during the live audition, she noted that someone would be waving signs that said “LOUDER” to indicate the families should make more noise. Head of casting/co-executive-producerSara Dansbyactually revealed on the officialFamily Feudwebsite thathigh energy is a must:“There’s no such thing as too over-the-top. Pick the most outgoing members of the family when putting together your team. We love loud and energetic contestants."
Has Anyone Broken the ‘Family Feud’ Rules?
Believe it or not, there’s only been one time thatFamily Feudcontestants broke the rules. Those contestants?None other than the Kardashian family, who appeared onCelebrity Family Feud. WhenKim Kardashianwanted to bring on her grandmother despite already having a five-person team, Harvey announced thatFamily Feudwould break its five-person rule. But even with the extra help, the Kardashians were caught cheating - and Harvey would later reveal thatthe experience wasn’t a pleasant one. It shows thatCelebrity Family Feudwas operating on a far different level fromFamily Feud.
Overall, if you want to playFamily Feudyou have to make sure you have a team of people who’re actually related to you, know the game in and out, and also navigate a labyrinth of rules & auditions. Also be prepared for someone to say something that’ll make Steve Harvey rethink his entire life decisions.Family Feudis available to stream on YouTube TV.
