Los Angeles - As Arnold Schwarzenegger joined would-be California governors for an earnest debate, a quiver of more eccentric candidates turned their electoral contest into a televised comedy.
While the Terminator joined five high-profile political aspirants in a debate late on Wednesday, a fallen child star, a porn actress and an artist who wears only blue, spearheaded their own uproarious televised event.
Former Diff'rent Strokes actor Gary Coleman, X-rated star Mary Carey, blue-loving artist Trek Thunder Kelly joined the oldest gubernatorial candidate, 70, and the youngest hopeful, 20, in the latest reality TV concept dubbed Who Wants To Be Governor Of California?
"What we're doing here might not be the most substance, but at least it's spontaneous and you have to think about it when you get the questions," one of the hopefuls, student Nathan Whitecloud Walton said.
The show was recorded late on Wednesday and will be broadcast less than a week before the October 7 recall polls aimed at sacking Governor Gray Davis on the US Game Show Network.
The network billed the debate as first round with a game show format. The first rounds were scored, with two candidates with the highest scores advancing to the final round.
It was unknown who had advanced to the last round of the show.
"I definitely am a master debater," said adult movie star Carey, who wants to tax breast implants and give tax breaks on lap dancing if she wins the polls.
The show will contribute $21 200 (about R150 000) toward the candidate that leads the pack in an online opinion poll.
While a handful of serious candidates are leading the opinion polls to win the election, much interest has focused on the electoral circus and wackier candidates among the 133 hopefuls vying to take over the state.
They also include a sumo wrestler, a golf professional, porn mogul Larry Flynt, a pink-haired billboard queen, a surfer and a man who wants to "liberate" Californians from the oppression of tough anti-smoking laws. - Sapa-AFP