It was revealed this morning that on the upcoming season of the CBS reality-TV warhorse Survivor, the contestants are divided into teams by race. Kind of adds a new layer of meaning to “The tribe has spoken,” doesn’t it?
Part of me feels like I should find this objectionable, but I just can’t get there. Really, my main thought is to give Mark Burnett credit for continuing to find new ways to promote that show. The first American season of Survivor aired in (a moment while I google…) 2000, which in terms of so-called “reality TV” history seems like an epoch ago. At least, it does to me. Yet here we are, and that show is still making headlines.
I watched the first three seasons of Survivor, lost interest, and then turned it on again for the All-Stars edition. Will the provocative premise of “Survivor: Ethnic Strife” be enough to make me tune in again? Hmm…. nah. Put it this way: it would take quite a buzz to make me curious enough to check it out (by “buzz” I mean word-of-mouth, not a half-pitcher-of-margaritas buzz – although that might do it, too). I’d probably watch if, for instance, they had a reward challenge where if the Latino team wins, they get to have Pat Buchanan and Hugh Downs serve them barbecue. A full barbecue, including dessert, AND do all the cleanup. In French maid outfits. If one of the other teams wins they get the same thing, plus they get to invite the Latino team.
I don’t see it happening, but even the thought of it is schadenfreude-licious.
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Tags: CBS, Hollywood, news media, race, Survivor
