No 'American Pie': Jason Biggs says his Netflix baking competition is safe for families

You might ask yourself: "How did 'American Pie' star Jason Biggs get a TV job hosting 'Blue Ribbon Baking Championship?' on Netflix?"

The answer would be obvious. Biggs is the star of 1999's raunchy sex comedy "American Pie," with that infamous scene of an apple pie encounter that launched a franchise featuring four major films. The smiling Biggs is featured holding a pie in posters for "American Pie 2" (2001), "American Wedding" (2003) and "American Reunion" (2012).

Biggs, 46, is synonymous with pies, even if the native New Jerseyian grew up away from the state fairs celebrated in the Netflix baking competition.

"The New Jersey State Fair takes place in the Giants Stadium parking lot. When people picture a state fair, New Jersey's is not what they picture," Biggs tells USA TODAY. "The Jersey Shore was my state fair growing up."

The self-described "food guy" with a potent banana bread recipe is building up his hosting resume, featured in TBS's "Dinner and a Movie" series with actress Jenny Mollen, his wife since 2008.

"I've really wanted to host something in the food world," Biggs says. "Of course, there's the wink at the camera and the audience with me as a baking show host. And whenever I can't think of something to say, I always have a pie joke in my back pocket that brings the house down."

Here are key questions answered about Biggs' role in Netflix's "Blue Ribbon Baking Championship" (now streaming).

Does Jason Biggs have a judge's vote on Netflix's 'Blue Ribbon Baking Championship'?

The state-fair-inspired delicacies go far wider than pies in "Baking Championship." Ten state fair blue-ribbon winners from around the country compete for a $100,000 prize and the biggest "Best In Fair" blue ribbon ever.

Biggs is charming and affable as the "Baking Championship" co-host, showing skills such as juggling and catching tossed food in his mouth. But the "American Pie" star does not have a vote alongside the show's blue-ribbon judges: co-host and lifestyle expert Sandra Lee, former White House pastry chef Bill Yosses and baking artisan Bryan Ford.

During the determination of the Judge's Choice ribbon in each episode, Biggs inspects each state-fair-inspired creation and weighs in on camera. "But I am not actually judging," he says.

Biggs was not allowed to participate in the weighty second judging on each episode, but he still loaded up on state fair creations.

"I had to try everything, so at least I knew what was happening," Biggs says. "After the judges did their thing, I went back to try everything."

How long does 'Baking Championship' go before an 'American Pie' joke?

It has been 25 years since "American Pie" hit U.S. theaters featuring Biggs' teenage Jim experimenting with his mother's warm apple pie. It doesn't take long for the pie jokes to roll on "Baking Championship," which features a Biggs' voiceover quip in the show's introduction. Wait for it ...

"Take it from someone who knows," Biggs says over a shot of a luscious and warm berry-filled slice. "That is a very attractive pie."

Biggs makes clear that the baking contest includes only "American Pie" jokes and references, with no repeat performances.

"There were no pies harmed in the making of this show," he says. "It's safe for family viewing."

What kind of creations are featured on 'Baking Championship'?

Episodes feature state fair creations with a fried-food episode (featuring a fried Oreo cake that was "decadent and delicious") and a dessert-on-a-stick episode. There are pies and nontraditional state fair desserts such as a strawberry cake that still lingers with Biggs.

"That strawberry cake blew my mind," he says.

How does Jason Biggs feel about 'American Pie' turning 25?

Biggs posted a celebratory Instagram post on July 9, the 25th anniversary of the "American Pie" theatrical release. The onetime child actor found instant fame with the hit comedy's release, and a young Jennifer Lopez attended the movie's premiere.

"I had to fly the night of the premiere on a red-eye so that I could go to New York to do 'Letterman' the next day. It was just all so surreal and wild. On the Friday night of the release, a bunch of cast and crew went to see audiences reactions in sold-out theaters. I remember being floored by how responsive everyone was."

The morning after the release, Biggs and his roommate were crossing the street in Los Angeles when a car screeched to a halt.

"The driver rolled down his window and was like: 'Oh my God! You're the 'American Pie' guy. Do the dance!'" Biggs says. "It was wild."

Amazingly, it was years into his relationship with Mollen before his wife actually watched "American Pie."

"We were kind of just flipping through channels and we stopped and watched," says Biggs, who says his wife was amused. "I just remember her commenting about how young I looked. But I guess I didn't scare her off."

The comedy had an impact.

"My life is very much defined by a few different demarcation points," says Biggs, the father of two boys. "There's getting married, and there's having kids. But the most obvious ones in terms of craziness was Life Before 'American Pie' and Life After 'American Pie.'"

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'American Pie' turns 25: Star Jason Biggs hosts Netflix baking show