ABC has made a change in the previously-announced schedule for its upcoming Celebrity Mole Yucatan. The first episode of the seven-episode series will now air on Wednesday, January 7, 2004 at 10 PM EST/PST.
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The one-week change in the premiere date (originally planned for January 14) means that the series will end during the third week of the February sweeps instead of on the final day of the sweeps. The motivation behind the change was not revealed, but it might have been intended to help Celebrity Mole Yucatan establish itself among the glut of reality programming planned for early January on the six broadcast networks.
As previously discussed, the tropical paradise of Mexico's exotic Yucatan peninsula will be the setting for eight celebrities competing to figure out who among them is the Mole, and to win a possible cash prize of up to $250,000, in Celebrity Mole Yucatan.
Newcomers to the show include legendary basketball bad boy Dennis Rodman, former v.j. and talk-show host Ananda Lewis, comedian Mark Curry (Hangin' with Mr. Cooper), supermodel Angie Everhart, sitcom stars Tracey Gold (Growing Pains) and Keshia Knight Pulliam (The Cosby Show). These six will battle with returning players Stephen Baldwin (The Usual Suspects, One Good Cop) and Corbin Bernsen (L.A. Law, Major League), who hope to avenge their early executions on the Hawaiian version of the series last season.
Sportscaster Ahmad Rashad also returns to host the series. Perhaps he'll bring a sense of humor along this time.
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In the premiere, "Episode 401," the players are taken on the ride of their lives as Corbin Bernsen jumps speed bumps and runs stop signs driving the "Celebrity Mole Taxi" through the streets of Mexico, picking everyone up. The games continue, including a challenge to go skinny dipping in the warm Mexican waters. Who will be the Mole's first victim?
Celebrity Mole Yucatan will be a special seven-episode version of The Mole series, as each of the eight celebrities tries to figure out who among them is The Mole. The celebrities will use all their guile to uncover clues that could lead them to a pot of up to $250,000. They must complete a series of challenging physical and mental games to earn money for the pot, which one player will eventually win.
Working undercover against the team, however, is The Mole, a double agent planted by the producers to sabotage the players' efforts. It is the goal of the players to decide who they think The Mole is, then learn as much about him or her as possible. In the final dramatic episode, The Mole is revealed and the one remaining player wins the jackpot.
And maybe ... just maybe ... if this show does well in the ratings, ABC will greenlight a third edition of The Mole using regular contestants instead of celebrities. Our only request is that the show find a new host (presuming that original host Anderson Cooper, now with CNN, can't return) before that happens.
Celebrity Mole Yucatan is produced by Stone Stanley Entertainment. David G. Stanley, Scott A. Stone and Clay Newbill are the executive producers.