Arts Overlook first premiered on February 23, 2012, on Cedar Falls Cable TV (CFU Channel 15). Created by Tim Getting, the show was intended to showcase all of the wonderful art from around the Cedar Valley. For the past four years, the iconic computer-generated backdrop of Arts Overlook has shared the screen with a revolving door of hosts, including five full-time hosts and two interim hosts. Meanwhile, Steve Harvey has been the sole host of Family Feud for the last six years.

In the age of Buzzfeed, everything must be ranked from best to worst, from dairy products to each winner of America’s Next Top Model. Arts Overlook is not exempt from this cultural obsession, and I am here to deliver the definitive ranking of Arts Overlook hosts. But this blog will serve a dual purpose. In addition to ranking each host in order from worst to not so bad, it will also function as sort of a “Where Are They Now?” piece, updating you on the current whereabouts of each host who has invaded the homes of unsuspecting Cedar Falls denizens via Channel 15 since 2012.

Honorable Mention (tie): Nicole Barth and Mike Mennen. I can’t say enough about these two, so I’ll be brief. Both were one-and-done interim hosts, filling in while the producers searched for full-time hosts to take over. But it took great courage to step in and stand in front of that camera, even on a temporary basis. God bless them for carrying the Arts Overlook torch in between full-time hosts. I was tempted to place these two ahead of our fifth-ranked host, but I didn’t want to be cruel, and ultimately I had to consider the small sample size. You have my respect, Nicole and Mike.

Nicole’s Episode: September 28, 2012
Mike’s Episode: February 14, 2013

5. Chris Bowden. Chris, if you’re reading this, you know why you’re here. Someone had to be last on this list, and I can’t think of anyone more qualified than Chris. Now before you start chiding me for beating on Chris like a punching bag, allow me to take a step back and look at the positives. His most notable contribution to Arts Overlook was bringing back facial hair after following two clean shaven predecessors, instead favoring the scruffiness made popular by show creator Tim Getting. Chris also holds the record for most in-bound calls after the airing of a 25-minute episode on the making of pipes led to more than two dozen phone calls from viewers simply sighing and saying, “You win.”

Chris has also been criticized for hand movements that felt too choreographed.

Chris has become somewhat of drifter since leaving Arts Overlook. In cooperation with federal authorities, Marvel Studios has agreed to release almost a dozen new films over the next four years, hoping to draw him out of his nomadic existence and apprehend him, John Dillinger-style.

First Episode: December 19, 2014
Last Episode: June 10, 2015

Best Episode: The one where Chris climbs to the top of the Campanile at the University of Northern Iowa, expecting to find the Hunchback of Notre Dame or an iPod Shuffle, but instead stumbles upon an older gentleman with very talented fists.

4. Colby Campbell. It is difficult to assess Colby at this stage of his career, because his tenure as host of Arts Overlook is not complete. It’d be like judging Gene Hackman’s acting career before the release of his final film, Welcome to Mooseport. Colby was a pioneer from the start, being the first host to actually acknowledge that he is the new host, whereas his predecessors all seemed to think the audience wouldn’t notice anything different once they took over. But he is not without his critics. Some have called into question his penchant for wearing form-fitting dress shirts, pondering the question, “If he prefers athletic fit to relaxed fit, what else could he be hiding?”

There are rumors of him abandoning his post to work as a short order cook on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, but until the Waterloo/Cedar Falls Courier prints it, I’m not buying it. Reports have him living in a basement somewhere in Cedar Falls, surviving in between episodes by rationing tortilla shells.

First Episode: August 17, 2015
Last Episode: Why would you even ask that?

Best Episode: The one where Colby ignited a firestorm of community outrage when he shamelessly plugged a notoriously controversial student organization by forgoing the traditional business casual attire and choosing to wear a jacket instead.

3. Matt Bauerly. Matt was a bargain for Arts Overlook, considering he would later work as a high-profile tour guide at Warner Bros. Studio in California. Similar to how people like to talk about an 18-year-old Matt Damon appearing in 1988’s Mystic Pizza, Matt hosting Arts Overlook was a harbinger of things to come. His signature on-camera move was the strategic clasping of his hands followed by a well-placed karate chop (click here for a refresher). Matt also earned raves — and sent shock waves across the air waves — when he decided to wear a suit for one episode, breaking from his tradition of button-up dress shirts. That suit now resides in the Museum of Television and Radio in New York.

Matt now lives in Kansas City with cat enthusiast and probable serial killer Trish Dorman, and spends his nights and weekends trying to scale the walls of Kauffman Stadium.

First Episode: October 26, 2012
Last Episode: January 17, 2013

Best Episode: The one where Matt decided he didn’t want to narrate the first segment.

2. Ian Goldsmith. I have a confession to make. There might be a conflict of interest here. Once, while Ian was host of Arts Overlook, he was without a vehicle, and I had to drive him to the home of an interviewee who was lending him a book. I’ll let you decide whether or not that affects my ability to be impartial when it comes to Ian, but I wanted to be upfront about it.

Famous for wearing suit jackets and always standing close to the right side of the screen — sometimes, too close — his experience as an aspiring actor helped set him apart from the rest of the hosts. But for every peak in his career, there was another valley waiting around the corner. Ian would often make attempts at humor on screen, but without a live audience or a laugh track, his jokes were met with unbearable silence. One of his last episodes was also his longest, lending credence to the rumor that he kidnapped producer Denny Bowman in order to secure the episode length he demanded.

Ian stepped down from Arts Overlook and fled to Chicago, where he can be found wandering around the “Chicago Bean” most afternoons, asking families if they need someone to take their photo.

First Episode: June 26, 2013
Last Episode: October 29, 2014

Best Episode: The super-sized Sturgis Falls episode where Ian torments the citizens of Cedar Falls — with a disturbingly large microphone — and makes them regret ever leaving their homes. Skip to the 22:35 mark for a cameo that will have you sleeping with the lights on.

1. Tim Getting. Tim is the godfather of Arts Overlook. You’re a fool if you were expecting anyone else to top this list. You think that opening intro narrates itself? No, sir. Plus, everyone knows that the sequels are never as good as the original. Sorry, Matt, Ian, Chris, and Colby. Before Tim created Arts Overlook, most citizens of the Cedar Valley didn’t know that art existed outside of what Olive Garden displays on their walls. He also helped avoid a community crisis by clarifying that “Bat Boy: The Musical” was not baseball-related, before audiences could have a chance to go in with false expectations.

Tim has become somewhat of a folk hero around the Cedar Valley. Play a clip of Tim greeting the audience with a classic “Howdy, partners” and there won’t be a dry eye in the house.

It is believed that, after he left Arts Overlook, Tim headed west to Portland, Oregon, where he hoped to compete for a roster spot with the Portland Trail Blazers. His current whereabouts are unknown.

First Episode: February 23, 2012
Last Episode: August 16, 2012

Best Episode: The one where he profiles local singer/songwriter Karla Ruth. She works at the Barnes & Noble in Waterloo, and is one of the kindest employees there. I had no idea she was a local celebrity.