New ‘Survivor’ divides groups by race
Finally, a tee vee show for the Heartland
Survivor - Cook Islands - Early Show Intro
LOS ANGELES - Get ready for a segregated “Survivor.” Race will matter on the upcoming season of the CBS show as contestants will be divided into four tribes by ethnicity. That means blacks, whites, Latinos and Asians in separate groups. The announcement was made on CBS’ Early Show. Host Jeff Probst says the idea “actually came from the criticism that ‘Survivor’ was not ethnically diverse enough.” He says the twist fits in perfectly with what “Survivor” does, saying the show is “a social experiment. And this is adding another layer to that experiment.” Probst says contestants had mixed reactions to the racial divisions.
When will we learn that the subject of race is such an emotional minefield, so fraught with potential disaster that anyone who really thinks they can tackle is little more than A DUMB@$$ at their own peril?
I can understand where Jeff Probst might be coming from in thinking that his idea of creating race-based tribes in “Survivor” might be a good idea. I can’t even say that I disagree with the idea, because it is thought-provoking. The problem, though, is that race is a cipher in this country. People will see in it what they choose too, for good or ill. I’m not at all certain that we are at a place as a nation where we can see race for what it is and not read into it our own anger, prejudices, expectations, and/or fears. That’s why I think this season of “Survivor” is such a monumental poor and ultimately tasteless ratings grab.
Personally, I don’t care. I hate “Reality TV”…what’s so “real” about it, anyway? I’ve never watched “Survivor” and I’m not about to begin now. I hate “American Idol” with a fiery passion that knows no bounds, and I’m sick of every other new TV show being a “reality series”. To me, all this really means is that good scriptwriting has gone tits-up.
Of course, controversy generates buzz, and buzz creates ratings. Probst’s idea is almost guaranteed to be a ratings bonanza for CBS. How the show is handled and the sensitivity with which Probst addresses racial stereotypes will go a long way towards determining whether or not this season of “Survivor” has any redeeming value. After several years of doing basically the same thing over and over, ad nauseum, ad infinitum, Probst probably felt the need to do something to lift the sagging “Survivor” franchise. It’s just too bad that he had to play the race card in order to accomplish it.
