ANDREW SHORTALL | staff writer
What does an APU alum and a freshman have in common besides their alma mater? They both have a knack for receiving national exposure.
Stuart Yasutake, 2007 alum who majored in interpersonal communication, and freshman business and marketing major Ali Bundrant shared the experience of a lifetime together when they were contestants on ABC’s “Wipeout Bowl: Cheerleaders vs. Couch Potatoes,” and both made it to the final round.
The Japanese-style game show aired Super Bowl Sunday during halftime and immediately after the big game.
The fact their first exposure on national television occurred around Super Bowl Sunday made Yasutake and Bundrant nervous.
“I am mortified people are going to see this because it is embarrassing,” Bunrant said.
For Bundrant, the experience all began with the interview process. APU’s own cheer squad, which Bundrant is a member of, was contacted by the show Wipeout, who was looking for potential contestants.
Freshman liberal studies major and cheerleader Kara Meier was part of the squad who interviewed for the show. Meier did not get called back, but knew Wipeout was in Bundrant’s future.
“I was not at all surprised she made it on the show. She has the perfect personality for the show,” Meier said.
However, when Yasutake and Bundrant did not hear back nearly two months after tryouts; both thought their 15 minutes of fame would have to be postponed.
Eventually, Wipeout contacted them and arranged to have both come out for two days of taping. Initially, Bundrant was reluctant to commit to the show.
“It was over Thanksgiving break, and I was going to go home half a week early and skip the show, but my dad told me ‘You have to do this,’” Bundrant said. “I ended up doing the show, and I was so glad I did because it was one of the hardest yet most fun things I have ever done.”
Yasutake had recently been laid off and was eager to join the show with the draw of the $50,000 prize money.
Wipeout also provided a venue for Yasutake to dust off his helmet, cape and leave his shirt at home to assume his alter ego “Super Stu.” This is a character familiar to APU upper class-men and whoever else attended APU basketball games before Yasutake’s graduation in 2007.
“Super Stu” was seen at every APU basketball game, and was as common as the Blackout section still is today. Yasutake said he erected this character because he “believes there needs to be a catalyst at every sporting event.”
Yasutake’s history made Wipeout’s task of labeling him as a cheerleader or couch potato more difficult. Though he was named a “couch potato” he is, in fact, a hybrid of both characteristics chosen by Wipeout.
If Wipeout expected Yasutake to play the role of “couch potato”, they had a surprise coming.
“I worked out a lot for the show,” Yasutake said. “If I would not had worked out like that I would not have made it as far as I did. The course is not as easy as it looks.”
His workout program consisted of workouts 6 days a week, with certain days entailing two workouts.
Bundrant did not specifically train for the show, but her background as a cheerleader and gymnast prepared her well for Wipeout.
Bundrant’s main source of inspiration for the show, her dad, helped her strategize for Wipeout by watching tapes from the previous season. Little did Bundrant know, the obstacle course would be different this year.
The revamped course was not the only surprise waiting for Yasutake and Bundrant as both were unaware a fellow Cougar would be there. Once they both discovered the other donning APU apparel an immediate bond formed.
“I had never known Stuart previously,” Bundrant said. “We just looked at each other’s APU logos and clicked. We are still friends to this day.”
Yasutake and Bundrant both enjoyed their experience, although both admit it was the most physically exhausting thing either had done.
“During the process, I said I would never do it again, but if they asked me to come out again, I would,” Bundrant said.
Yasutake agreed, if given the opportunity, he would strap the “Super Stu” helmet and cape back on and give the Wipeout obstacle course his best shot.
“I could see this launching him into something bigger,” said fellow APU alumna of 2006 and music major, Kiley Hill who believes “Super Stu’s” personality is perfect for the entertainment industry.
What started out as fun for Yasutake could become bigger than he ever imagined. He has rediscovered his alter ego “Super Stu,” and sees the possibility of taking him onto the national scale.
