Who Wants To Be The California Governor? The Debating Game will include the first political debate ever produced game show style. The special will chronicle the campaigns of five candidate/contestants whose names will be revealed later.

The special will be taped in front of a live audience in late September and will feature the five candidate/contestants. They will square off in a wide-ranging debate of the issues and non-issues. This will be the first political debate in history with buzz-in answers and bonus questions.

The special will include packages profiling the candidates and their campaigns. It will even have video of GSN correspondents confronting front-runner candidates with questions about the five underdogs. California goes to the polls on 7 October.

GSN's president and CEO Rich Cronin said: "Politics is the ultimate game and the California recall election is one of the most bizarre contests in American history. While our state has serious problems, our viewers appreciate light-hearted game-related entertainment, and this strange election provides GSN with a rare opportunity to allow some of the candidates to debate in a unique new format."

GSN claims to be the only US television network dedicated to game programming and interactive game playing. GSN features more than 84 hours per week of interactive original programming and enhanced classics. The network is jointly owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Liberty Media Corporation.

The show marks GSN’s first effort in covering the game of politics. As part of this strategy, the network is establishing GSN News and will produce GSN News Updates on a regular basis in prime time throughout the election. GSN will interview many of the 158 candidates for the GSN News Updates.

The five office-seekers will vie for a campaign contribution prize of $21,200, the maximum corporate contribution allowed by California law. If the winning candidate/contestant is actually elected governor, Game Show Network has promised not to ask for any political favours in exchange for the money.