CBS’s new feel-good reality TV competition show Buddy Games is premiering on the network on Thursday, September 14 at 9 PM EST. It will air each week sandwiched between Big Brother 25’s live evictions at 8 PM EST and The Challenge USA season 2. Blockbuster Transformers actor Josh Duhamel hosts the show which involves old groups of friends getting back together and competing as a team against other groups of friends at an adult summer camp. Duhamel even made guest appearance on Big Brother 25‘s Wednesday, Septmber 13th episode to promote his new show. Here’s everything CBS viewers need to know about CBS’s new show Buddy Games.
Buddy Games Rules Of CBS’s New Reality TV Show Explained & Games Friends Compete In
Buddy Games cast competing in a competition (CBS).
“We have six teams of four. Every episode there will be one big game. And the team that loses has to send one of their contestants home,” Duhamel explained in the trailer for Buddy Games. The show is inspired by Duhamel’s own group of friends, which also inspired his film Buddy Games, a rated R comedy which released in 2020.
“We are at Camp Buddy Games. This feels like an adult summer camp. Buddy Games came about 20 years ago with a group of my friends who wanted an excuse to get back together. We always dreamt about having a show based on that because we knew other people around the country did versions of this. We wanted to share what we do and allow people to let that kid out. How often in life to you get to go play, be with your friends, and compete against a bunch of other friends. And that’s exactly what this place is for.”
So, CBS’s Buddy Games appears a lot more wholesome and kid-friendly than Duhamel’s raunchy movie.
“Buddy Games unites six teams of four deep-rooted friends, who met at various stages of their lives, at a stunning lakeside location for a nostalgic adult summer camp adventure. ‘Ride or dies’ get the chance to play ‘buddy games’ where they will relive their glory days and compete in an assortment of absurd physical and mental challenges in the outdoors while bunking together in the same lake house,” CBS’s description of the show explains.
“Friendships will be rekindled, and rivalries reignited, when these friends are challenged to prove which bonds are strong enough to withstand the competition. The last buddy team standing will be crowned champion and take home a cash prize plus the coveted Buddy Games trophy, and of course bragging rights.”
The buddy games on the show appear to include stacking cups, jumping into mud, filling a tank with mustard that has a friend’s head in it, using beer funnel, among other silly campy games.
“Some of the competition that we have are crazy,” Duhamel promises.
How Much The Winners On Buddy Games Win In Prize Money
The grand prize is $200,000 for the team who wins. It’s unclear yet if the whole group of friends split the prize money amongst their entire group, even those voted out, of only a couple of remaining friends get to keep the cash.
The game isn’t all about the prize money though. “It’s also an opportunity for people to rekindle old friendships and relive their youth.”
Who Are The Six Teams Cast of Friends On CBS’s Buddy Games
“What we looked for was people who have certain qualities in these friendships, and they had to be deep-rooted, old friendships. That thing that makes them real friends,” Duhamel explained for how the casted the 24 competitors on the show.
Contestants from The Pageant Queens team on Buddy Games (CBS).
The Pageant Queens are a group of former and current pageant competitors. “We’re used to competing, sometimes against each other, but now we’re competing all together to go crush other people.” This group of girl friends includes Lauren Cisneros Campbell (Denver, Colorado), Lourdes Spurlock (Harrisonburg, Virginia), Deveney “Devi” Shea (Lorton, Virginia), and Yolanda “Yoli” Stennett (White Plains, Maryland).
The Pageant Queens team of four friends Lauren, Lourdes, Deveney and Yolanda (CBS).
Team OK is made up of four buddies who grew up in Oklahoma together (CBS).
Team OK are a group of friends who grew up in Oklahoma together. The Team OK members are Justin Palmer and Stephen Craig (Edmond, Oklahoma), James Brian “Huddy” Hudson (Isle of Palms, South Carolina), and Yue Pun Szeto (Edmond, Oklahoma). “I’ve known Palmer for almost thirty years. We met in middle school. Huddy and I were fraternity brothers. When Huddy and I graduated, we rented the apartment across from Craig,” Yue explained. “Coming into the Buddy Games, we don’t have a plan. We don’t have a set leader. That’s what the cool thing is about this group. We all bring our own skillset,” said another friend in the group.
Chicago’s Finest includes David, Elyse, Ikeila, and Melvin (CBS).
Chicago’s Finest are four cops who met at their police academy. David “Sarge” Moore, Elyse Rodriguez, Ikeila “Kei” Smart and Melvin “Rae” Davis are all based in Chicago, Illinois.
Steven, Bekah, Andrew and Summer from Team Pride (CBS).
Team Pride includes Steven Mosier (Portland, Oregon), Bekah Telew (Seattle, Washington), Andrew Shayde (Lexington, Kentucky), and Summer Lynne Seasons (Tigard, Oregon). They’re all members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Philly Forever’s Erica, Anthony, Mike, and Louis (CBS).
Philly Forever includes friends Erica Franzzo, Anthony Franzzo, Mike Ward and Louis “Freddie” Meyers IV all from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They’re a group of very close friends whose families are very close.
The Derby Squad team Jacky, Shu, Shengul (Shaggy), and Rachel (CBS).
Finally, Derby Squad, includes Jacky “Shu” Shu, Melissa Berglund, Shengul “Shaggy” Plummer and Rachel Johnston from Los Angeles, California. “We eat, breathe, sleep roller derby.”
To find out more about all the Buddy Games cast, including their Instagram accounts, go here.
