Michael Yo knows how to keep a conversation moving. As a comedian, radio host, TV personality, and all-around pop culture enthusiast, you may have seen Yo on CBS’s The Insider, appearing on the comedy panel of Chelsea Lately and The Talk on CBS, or as a regularly touring stand-up.
He’s built a career around making people laugh. Now, he’s putting his comedic skills on full display as host of the syndicated game show Scrambled Up, which has returned to the streaming platform, Samsung TV Plus, for a second season.
Created by Cleve Keller and Dave Noll of Keller/Noll, and produced by Keller/Noll, Playing Field Entertainment, Crazy Legs Productions, and The Tornante Company, Scrambled Up has a unique concept.
Four contestants compete by solving jumbled words and phrases that unscramble visually on screen. The letter tiles slowly rearrange themselves, and the clues get easier for contestants to figure out.
The first player to buzz in with the correct answer wins the points, and point values increase as the rounds progress. The player with the most points at the end of the regular rounds moves on to the “Ultimate Scramble” bonus round, but the winner must solve three word puzzles in 60 seconds or less to win the $10,000 grand prize.
Yo explained how the show has changed from its first season to the second. Yo reflects on how hosting Season 1 felt like a learning experience, and he was more focused on having fun and getting through the show.
“Last year, I was hosting the show,” he said. “This year, it feels like it’s mine. So I have more freedom to play and just feel more comfortable. That’s what I think is the big difference when I watch it back.”
His reaction makes sense. In a show’s second season, you’re able to acknowledge what worked and what didn’t. In the game show world, it helps to know that players feel more comfortable and the game feels faster and tighter with clues moving much more quickly.
When asked about how he stays motivated under time constraints, Yo responds that he genuinely loves the show and its contestants.
“I want people to win,” he said. “This is going to sound cheesy, but I feel like I’m giving them a service or an opportunity to win $10,000. That makes me excited. I see how excited they are to be on the show, and for me not to bring it when they’re excited, I’m cheating them.”
Already garnering a dedicated following, there also may be more pressure to also do right by the audience sitting at home, Yo said.
“A lot of people watched [Season 1],” he said. “Nobody knew how the game worked. So it’s everybody’s first time.”
“In Season 2, people [were] coming in ready,” Yo said. “They watched the show so they were way more prepared. They knew what to do and they knew what to look for. I love how they talk strategy with me after the show. Some people would watch all 160 episodes. One guy watched all 160 episodes and literally lost. He said the last answer of the Ultimate Scramble, but the buzzer went off and he said it right after.”
The legacy of televised game shows is very vast; however, Yo said he’s looking forward to the future of Scrambled Up as more episodes air and can already boast about some stand-out moments in the show.
Having to bring that same energy and effort to every episode also gives him more opportunities to connect with contestants and have meaningful moments with them, he said.
“I try to make moments each round,” Yo explained. “I try to get one moment and make the audience laugh once each round. So hopefully by the end of the show, we’ve had four laughs. A lot of times you get more than that, but my goal is always one laugh per segment, because if you do that, somebody’s happy at the end of the day.”
“Some of the winners falling to the floor crying, or the guy that got the first two Ultimate Scrambles in four seconds. We’ve never seen that before. He got one in one second and the next one in three seconds. I’m like, ‘This guy’s incredible!’ That clip went viral. It has close to a million views now. It’s pretty amazing how people’s brains function on that show and how they deal with the stress, so it’s exciting.”
Moments like that may be rare and especially under that kind of pressure, but Yo remains steadfast in having the audience involved no matter where they are.
“[It’s been] two years, and we’ve shot 320 episodes,” he said. “That’s insane. Most people don’t ever hit 300 episodes of anything. I’m blessed. We’re just rolling, and hopefully, fingers crossed for Season 3. The momentum is going and people love the show because it reminds me of a throwback game where the whole family can watch it and participate, and it’s not too hard. Like with Jeopardy!, even now some adults can’t play Jeopardy!.”
Season 2 of Scrambled Up premieres Sept. 14. Season 1 is streaming on Samsung TV Plus on an exclusive Scrambled Up 24/7 channel available in the U.S. and Canada. Viewers with a Samsung device can watch programming subscription-free.
The premiere will also be airing on the Scrambled Up YouTube channel.
Tiara Starks
Tiara Starks is an entertainment writer. Her work can be found across multiple FanSided Entertainment and Lifestyle sites, Eulalie Mag, Ease Up Mag, and more. From Vivica A. Fox to Dave Bautista to Zooey Deschanel, over the years, she has interviewed your favorite actors, writers, creators, and directors. Tiara typically covers film, television, theatre, and music with a focus in nostalgia and family entertainment!