“Do you have it?” It’s a question asked by Nickelodeon to those who competed on GUTS, the popular competition series that initially excited Nick kids from 1992 to 1995. Soundstage 21 at Universal Studios Florida was transformed into the “Extreme Arena,” where a crowd cheered on the young participants as they squared off in various obstacle course-style challenges.
It all led to the moment everyone waited for, the ascent up the mountainous Aggro Crag. Yeah, money would be nice for winning. But let’s be honest what these teens wanted was that coveted neon green Aggro Crag trophy. Now almost 30 years later, Mike O’Malley (who co-hosted the show with Moira Quirk) looks back on this nostalgic era fondly.
The actor and writer still meets fans at conventions who tell him about the impact the series had on their childhood. He is now married with three children. For O’Malley GUTS came early on in what turned out to be a hugely successful career.
He starred as Jimmy Hughes in the comedy Yes, Dear for six seasons and was nominated for an Emmy as Burt Hummel on the popular Fox series Glee. His work behind the scenes is equally as impressive, writing for acclaimed shows like Shameless. Not to mention creating and executive producing Survivor’s Remorse and the scrappy underdog Starz series Heels. Most recently O’Malley’s acting credits also extend to Snowpiercer and a recurring role in Abbott Elementary.
Needless to say, he has been busy, which is why we are grateful he sat down with us to reminisce about the making of GUTS.
I know you had a show prior to this in Get the Picture, but what were your first impressions about doing GUTS when you were approached?
Mike O’Malley: I met with Albie Hecht, who was an executive producer who is a very charismatic guy. He explained the size and scope of the show he wanted to do. The idea was this was an action sports fantasy show for kids. Kids want to know what it’s like to dunk a basketball, well we’re going to give them the opportunity to do that. I thought it was great. The idea that I would be the sportscaster and do all of it. The interviewing, the sideline reporting, the play-by-play and color commentary. I don’t think I realized that until we started getting into it. I thought it was a perfect fit for me. I loved sports. I was about 24 years old. It was a good time to be that kind of a host on that show. I was like a big brother, camp counselor kind of dude.
Aggro Crag (Nickelodeon)
How was it walking into the soundstage for the first time? It looks so massive when you’re a kid watching at home.
I think at that time it was the biggest soundstage on the East Coast. It was just massive…I think you walk in and see the Aggro Crag. It’s really big. You think this is just a really cool idea for kids.
Talk about your dynamic with Mo and how that evolved over time.
I met Moira. Her nickname was not Mo at first. I think we just said, “Let’s go to Mo.” I was trying to think of something funny to say when we went to her. That’s what it was and ended up being now, “Hey, what’s up with Mo?” She is just great. She has a great sense of humor. She is very funny. That didn’t come across on the show, maybe it did later on when we joked. We just had great camaraderie. We were the grownups doing this show. Here we were both in Florida. She is an actor too. It was working at Universal Studios. It was just a great time to be down there as a young person who wanted to be involved in show business because there were a lot of opportunities, especially at Nickelodeon, to get your foot wet.
Did you have a favorite challenge?
I think the Aggro Crag was the best part of it. It was very complicated. You had to go up in a zigzag and hit these actuators and then you had to climb. You were running. There was an incline, but then you had these knuckleheads at the top who were throwing these styrofoam boulders at you. There is mylar confetti and smoke and water blowing everywhere. You have these goggles on. I can’t imagine the pressure these kids felt. Listen, they got a practice run at it. Obviously, not with all of the special effects and nuclear flying crystals and water and fog. The Aggro Crag was the best thing.
Still, people ask me where they can get a piece of the Aggro Crag. It was interesting for me because it was a fun show to make. I have friends I made for life. I’m still in touch with those I worked with making that show. We’re still close. The making of it was a very collegial experience. I think everyone working for Nickelodeon at the time was very high-minded about creating stuff that was a cool place with kids in charge. It was really great. Nobody ever talked down to the kids or used kiddy voices. It’s the age in sixth and seventh grade where you want to be treated with respect.
Mike O’Malley speaks onstage during the 2024 Shine Global Resilience Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios on October 15, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for Shine Global Inc)
Anything you kept from the set?
I still have my IDs. I did keep a couple of the jerseys. I have my hockey jersey from Global GUTS. I think I have another one that is upstairs in my house I wore in the first season. I didn’t take any piece of the set or anything. I love running into grown men and women who are just successful adults and say, “I loved you on GUTS.” Last year, I met Joe Mazzulla. The coach of the [Boston] Celtics at an event, and he shook my hand. I’m a big fan of the Celtics and Joe. We had a good laugh. I was with my sons. They watch his team every game and love the Celtics. Now here is he telling me that when he was a kid, he loved watching GUTS. It gave me the opportunity to smile with my kids there. That was nice.
Pat McAfee has a piece of the Aggro Crag, no?
He has a piece of the Aggro Crag. I should get him some of the GUTS memorabilia to get on his show. It’s funny because he has given such a prominent place on his desk to the Aggro Crag. People who are over 45 don’t really know what it is. So when I’ll be out you’ll hear from someone who says, “Hey man, Aggro Crag.” People my age don’t know anything about it or maybe know I was on this show. Then other people are like, “Hey, GUTS!”
Had you tried climbing the Aggro Crag yourself?
Not with all the conditions. I did try to climb it once, but it was complicated. It was not easy. I admire what those kids had to go through.
Have you stayed in contact with any past participants?
Jana “The Warrior” Waring (Helms) was a star when she won. Then she came back for the All-Stars version special for the home video we recorded and won that again. She was then involved in a tragic accident where she was paralyzed from the waist down and in a wheelchair now. I co-wrote the book for the Broadway musical Escape to Margaritaville, and there was a guy who was in the Broadway chorus of the workshop musical we were doing. He won. Greg (Haney). Small world.
GUTS (Nickelodeon)
Have you been asked to host again or received pitches?
Nothing concrete as far as them saying, “Hey, we’re making another season of GUTSi. Do you want to do that?”
I know there was a newer iteration My Family’s Got GUTS in 2008, but do you see the original concept working in today’s television landscape?
You and people your age who grew up watching Nickelodeon at the time have a shared experience because there was a monoculture. A shared viewing experience that everyone around the country was watching. You were a kid, you were watching Nickelodeon…I always think that kids want to watch programming where they get to do the stuff they never thought possible. I think there is always an opportunity for that. The harder thing is trying to get people to show up to watch that thing and make them aware…That is the challenge.