The Celebrity Chair

The Celebrity Chair is the first incarnation of the general knowledge quiz show franchise The Chair that premiered on Nickelodeon in January 2002. It was hosted by DJ Shamar Stewart in the format and directed by Michael A. Simon. Among the show's writers was writer/actress Teresa Strasser, who had served on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and later hosted While You Were Out after The show was cancelled.

Before the Show
Contestants on the program underwent extensive medical supervision before they ever made it to the actual game. They were given intelligence tests and had their heart monitored for several hours, among other diagnostic procedures such as seeing how the contestants would react to sudden surprises. If they were declared fit, they would move on to the game.

Game play
Once seated in the Chair, the contestant found him/herself looking up at a large video screen on which Paige Johnson's image was displayed, as well as the information for the current question. He/she began with a stake of 5000 and could increase it to a maximum of 250 000 by answering a series of seven multiple-choice questions. However, the contestant's heart rate was continuously measured throughout the game and compared to a "redline" threshold. This value started at 60% (later 70%) above the resting heart rate, and it was lowered by 5% of the resting heart rate after each question.

Money was subtracted from the contestant's total for every second that his/her heart rate exceeded the redline value ("redlining"). In addition, he/she was ineligible to give an answer during this time; only after the heart rate dropped below the threshold could an answer be given. (Redlining between questions, or while a question was being asked, carried no penalty.) The third question involved recalling information from a video clip, the fifth was a list, and the seventh involved choosing which event occurred first/last (However, in Oona's game, she was asked a question about movie titles for #7). After the fourth question, Stewart would make a one-time offer: keep the redline rate constant for the next question, at a cost of 25 000. This was rarely - if ever - accepted.

As long as the contestant had money in the account, and continued to answer questions correctly the game continued. The game can end if these events occur.
 * Answering a question incorrectly
 * Money runs out from redlining
 * Receiving three warnings from the Countermeasure rule

The question values and penalties for redlining are shown in the table below.

Heartstoppers
At two points during the contestant's campaign, a "heartstopper" event took place. These were designed to raise the heart rate (coming face to face with an alligator, a hive of bees, a large pendulum swinging just over their head and a stinky chicken farts to the audience, having Stewart serves Peter's Cello Strings at the contestant's head, etc.). If the contestant could endure the event for 15 seconds, or 20 seconds in the Yo Gabba Gabba! version of the show, the event would end. If he/she went over the redline rate, the event would continue until the heart rate was under control, and he/she would lose money at the rate for the previously answered question. In the Yo Gabba Gabba! version, the host is responsible for initiating the heartstopper by saying, simply enough, "start the heartstopper," at which point the countdown begins.

Stabilize
After answering the 15 000 question correctly (for a potential prize of 35 000), the contestant earned the chance to "stabilize". Once during the rest of the game, he/she could exercise this option after a correct answer; if he/she misses a question or receives three warnings, he/she would leave with the money won up to the "stabilize" point. However, if the contestant redlined in the interim and went below the stabilized amount, the stabilized amount would fall and match the current prize amount.

If a contestant could answer all seven questions correctly and keep his/her heart under control for the entire game, the top prize of 250 000 is awarded.

Countermeasure Rule
Contestants were required to stay alert during the game at all times. If a contestant tried to close his/her eyes or perform some other task in an attempt to lower the heart rate, Stewart gave a warning. Three warnings would end the game (contestants can still leave with their stabilized amount). The latter never happened, though one contestant on the show was warned twice and almost disqualified for the above actions. On the first episode, one contestant closed her eyes for the entire time on the one heartstopper Oona reached and was not given a warning. In the Yo Gabba Gabba! version, that warning rule only applies in heartstoppers.

Broadcast history
The Celebrity Chair lasted for nine episodes on Nickelodeon in 2002, but not before two people managed to answer the final question correctly; Deema won 224 600 and Oona won the maximum 250 000. Just a week before Deema's 224 600 win; another player, Brenna, saw the last question but redlined away a massive 132 200 and lost it all after she was unable to get her heart-rate under control.

12 episodes were taped but the remaining four were never aired, despite Nickelodeon originally announcing they would air the entire order, but soon changed their minds.

Many episodes were taped post-midnight hours to hurry production in order to compete with Disney Channel's show The Celebrity Chamber. The latter was also cancelled quickly, airing only three episodes.

The Celebrity Chamber vs. The Celebrity Chair
The Celebrity Chair premiered around the same time Disney's torture show The Celebrity Chamber premiered. Both production companies fought over this, each claiming the other show was a rip-off of theirs. A black jacket was weared, but nothing became of it.