CBS' 'America's Strongest American' Muscles In

Zap2It.com | March 2, 2009

Ben Bailey, 'Cash Cab'

Series will showcase wacky feats of strength

CBS is pumping up its reality slate with a strongman competition show with a twist.

The network ordered the reality pilot with the redundant working title "America's Strongest American," according to The Hollywood Reporter. "Cash Cab's" Ben Bailey and "Celebrity Drive-By's" Michelle Merkin will host.

Buff and bulky professional athletes and weightlifters aren't the ones who are competing though, rather the Average Joe or Jane will have a chance to flex and sweat in challenges that are more suited to their physiques.

If this sounds a bit wacky, then mission accomplished. The networks have been seeking out lighter and more comedic reality fare lately.

CBS, home of reality show groundbreaker "Survivor" and "The Amazing Race," also has other reality projects in the works. The most controversial is a project featuring arranged marriages. There's also "Thunder Road," an auto obstacle course project, a missing persons series and a neighbor vs. neighbor reality series.

In other CBS news, "How I Met Your Mother" director and exec producer Pamela Fryman will direct the CBS comedy "Accidentally on Purpose," starring Jenna Elfman.