The Assistant is a reality television show that parodied other reality shows such as The Apprentice, The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Survivor, American Idol, and Fear Factor. Its eight episodes originally aired on MTV. It featured comedian Andy Dick's search for a new personal assistant. The beginning of the first episode parodied The Bachelor, with the twelve contestants arriving in limousines, and Dick waiting outside to greet them with his maid and butler. A "rose ceremony" immediately followed, and one contestant was eliminated. Dick assigned the Hollywood hopefuls to some absurd tasks such as pretending to be him in an interview with a Japanese television station, bringing him coffee by traversing on a beam over a swimming pool, breaking up with his girlfriend, and attempting to get him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Contestants were usually "snipped" in elimination ceremonies parodying those on other reality series. Like some other programs, The Assistant also included double elimination episodes and brought back fired candidates. Driving home Dick's message that they were starting from the bottom, candidates slept in Dick's garage. He also woke them with a flashing, siren-generating alarm, was prone to tantrums, and griped that, "This reality show is ruining my life!"
The show opens up with a corny introduction about the show with Andy looking somewhat impressive atop a hill. All of the potential assistants are introduced one by one. When all the introductions are finished, to everyone's surprise Andy announces he's already going to eliminate someone. After the first elimination ceremony where Andrew is the unfortunate victim (with Mark barely scraping past), Andy shows the assistants where they are to sleep -- cots located in the garage. Andy also gives them a book about himself filled with all sorts of information. His turnons, when he lost his virginity, etc. Later on, he makes an offhand comment about the grass being too long and Tanika, one of the assistants, grabs some scissors and cuts the grass. Suddenly, Andy announces there will be yet another elimination. But not before Andy invites the assistants to play a game in his living room: Who wants to be Andy's Assistant? After the rounds are over, there are three assistants who received the lowest scores. Colin, Nikeda, and Sarah. Unfortunately for Nikeda, she only got 1 of her 5 questions correct and she is the second assistant to become eliminated.
Aired: 7/12/2004Andy wakes up all of the remaining assistants to assign them all various tasks. Stefani is to train Andy's cat to sit on his shoulder, Colin has to find Andy's glass lens in the pool, etc. After checking on all of the assistants to see how they are doing in their tasks, Andy invites all of the assistants to dinner where Ebony and Melissa perform from scripts (their required task). After dinner, it is time for the elimination ceremony, with the setting being America's Next Top Andy's Assistant. Looking at footage from each assistant and then having them walk, Andy slowly hands each assistant a cell phone if they are still in the running. The last three standing are Sarah, Jeff, and Mark. After viewing footage of Jeff throwing food around the kitchen and telling Andy to "f*ck himself", Andy decides to eliminate him along with his partner, Sarah.
Aired: 7/19/2004