GSN Announces 'Dog Park Superstars' New Original Special, Premieres 8/29

GSN (Game Show Network) announced today a one- hour special, DOG PARK SUPERSTARS, an action-packed show in which dogs and their owners compete in intriguing and funny games of skill, teamwork and obedience. Comedian Owen Benjamin ("The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "Punk'd") and actress-producer-dog maven Laura Nativo ("Greatest American Dog") will serve as co-hosts. DOG PARK SUPERSTARS airs on Sunday, August 29th at 7:00 p.m. ET/ 4:00p.m. PT.

In DOG PARK SUPERSTARS, five dog/owner teams of every shape and size will face a wild roster of challenges with plenty of surprise twists and turns. Some games will require the skills of the animal, while others will call on the abilities of the owner - the only way they can successfully take on the challenge is by working together. All the action will be highlighted by the show's sportscaster-style hosts as they deliver colorful play-by-play, expert analysis and breathless interviews.

With flashy graphics, dramatic music and slow-motion replays from the dog's point-of-view, DOG PARK SUPERSTARS viewers will get to know the competitors and cheer for the top dog - or root for their favorite underdog. Each challenge will be timed and each score will determine who stays in the game and who is sent to the doghouse.

Over the course of three rounds - facing challenges that test the things an owner's dog can do, what the owner can keep their dog from doing, and how well the owner knows their dog - the competitors will be whittled down from five to the final three. These three amazing dog/owner pairs will face off in the final and biggest challenge. The winning pair will be awarded with a giant gold hydrant-shaped trophy and the pooch will be crowned the next DOG PARK SUPERSTAR!

Host Owen Benjamin is known for his unique blend of comedy and music, having played classical piano since childhood. Benjamin has appeared on NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," E!'s "Chelsea Lately" and Comedy Central's "Live at Gotham," and was a regular on MTV's "Punk'd." His feature credits include I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry and The House Bunny, and he will soon be seen in All's Faire in Love with Christina Ricci and Born to Be a Star with Nick Swardson. His short films and web series ("Owen Benjamin Presents" and "Gaytown") have accumulated over 10 million hits.

Host Laura Nativo - a certified APDT dog trainer nicknamed "The Fairy Dogmother" for her ability to understand, connect with and positively inspire dogs - starred in the CBS hit reality show, "Greatest American Dog." With her celebrity pomeranian, Preston Casanova, Nativo hosts a live interactive show for dog lovers, "Preston's Planet," on TheStream.tv, as well as a web series, "The Adventures of Laura & Preston." Nativo volunteers at animal shelters and is the founder of The Pawtastics, a nonprofit volunteer organization comprising celebrity dogs, studio dogs, exceptionally trained canines and their owners, who aspire to take therapy dog work to another level. She and Preston were awarded the 2010 "Pet Star" Golden Paw Award at the Westminster Dog Show for their philanthropic work.

Among the challenges facing the dogs and their owners:

Levitation: The owner must balance four foam balls over a stream of steadily flowing air: once all four balls are up, the dog must then knock the balls down in order for the team to earn points. The dog/owner team tries to get as many points as possible in two minutes. Dogs know how to fetch, but will they know what to do when they see the balls floating in mid-air?

Concentric Circles: Like Skeeball, the owner must toss three colored balls in a specific order - red, then white, then blue - into a series of smaller and smaller dog bowl-shaped holes in order to earn points. The dog can help by fetching the balls and bringing them back, but if the dog decides to keep the ball or brings the wrong one back it could really ruin its chances!

Swishes and Dunks: This is the ultimate test of a dog's ability to stay! The owner is seated in a dunk tank and must lob doggie toys into a giant basketball hoop to earn points, but if his or her dog crosses the line to chase the toys or ventures off the platform, the owner is dropping in the drink!

Final Round-The Dog 'N' Ball Run: The dog/owner team must navigate a challenging series of obstacles typically set up for just a dog to accomplish. The owner must catch and carry a large number of balls without using his hands, then the dog must help its human find his way through weave poles, a Dutch door and some bonus hurdles in order to reach the end and earn points. The team with the most balls in the dog bed at the end of three minutes will be crowned the new DOG PARK SUPERSTAR!

About GSN

GSN is a multimedia entertainment company that offers original and classic game programming and competition entertainment via its 73-million subscriber television network and online game sites. GSN's cross-platform content gives viewers and participants the opportunity to win cash and prizes, whether through GSN's popular TV game shows, gsn.com's free casual games or its WorldWinner competitive cash tournaments. GSN is distributed throughout the U.S., Caribbean and Canada by all major cable operators, satellite providers and telcos. GSN and its subsidiary, WorldWinner.com, Inc., are owned by DIRECTV and Sony Pictures Entertainment. For further information, visit GSN's press website at corp.gsn.com.

 

To post a comment, you must register and login.