Surviving a Race War -- T.V. Version

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The American television program "Survivor" is, apparently going to open its 13th season/installment by grouping its contestants into four teams based on race: Asiatic descent, European descent, Hispanic/Latin descent, and African descent.

As a source of free advertising, this has -- predictably -- worked like a charm with all sorts of ballyhoo on the talking head programs (radio and tv).

What think you of the idea? A race war in the making or much ado about nothing?

Responders are cautioned that our dear moderators will probably deal swiftly and severely with posts that enact rather than discuss racism.

[Sasaki Kojiro]

It's a tv show. Ergo, much ado about nothing. Vis a vis, concordantly...

[rotorgun]

I think that the mention of it being the 13th installment bodes ill for such a venue. I can barely tolerate the normal editions of Survivor, so this one will not get any airtime from me at all. It just goes to show just how low the the quality of average television has gone. I hope that they get sued by some group that they have not included....the Alaskan Inuitt perhaps.

No offense to any who may enjoy such a program is intended, but ya'll can count me out.

[GeneralHankerchief]

Well, this is the opinion of a longtime watcher of the show.

At first glance, it seems like a cheap trick in order to gain publicity and ratings for the show, which has seen its numbers decline in recent seasons.

On another hand, I remember Mark Burnett (the show's exec. producer) talking one time about how he had received criticism for the show's lack of diversity, but scoffed at it, saying something like "diversity isn't needed to make a show great" (obviously, heavily paraphrased).

Being a faithful watcher of the show since Season One (and not ashamed to admit it!) I chalk it up to an annual new gimmick/rule for the show that went a little too far. Most likely it will be ignored and the teams will soon be mixed/integrated (for those who don't watch the show, they almost always switch the teams up).

[IrishArmenian]

Terrible Racism. Absolutely terrible. This seems to encourage racism. I just have a few questions: Do they just turn down those of Middle Eastern Descent? Do they just turn down Native Americans? What about an interracial person?

[Kanamori]

Pretty tasteless. Then again, what's new with American TV?

[Crazed Rabbit]

I am reminded of a quote from a Simpsons episode set in the future:
"Marge: Fox turned into a hardcore porn channel so slowly I didn't notice"

Crazed Rabbit

[Rodion Romanovich]

The idea of race based teams in a TV show strikes me as extremely tasteless. I hope it won't spread to other TV shows. As long as it remains a single TV show, it's bearable, but if many TV shows start copying it... and it spreads to society...? I don't like the idea.

[Quietus]

The American television program "Survivor" is, apparently going to open its 13th season/installment by grouping its contestants into four teams based on race: Asiatic descent, European descent, Hispanic/Latin descent, and African descent.

As a source of free advertising, this has -- predictably -- worked like a charm with all sorts of ballyhoo on the talking head programs (radio and tv).

What think you of the idea? A race war in the making or much ado about nothing?

Responders are cautioned that our dear moderators will probably deal swiftly and severely with posts that enact rather than discuss racism.

Race has nothing to do with reality. It's a visual illusion.

[yesdachi]

Ratings dictate what is on TV, if people don’t like it they won’t watch it and it won’t be on.

People segregate themselves all the time in real life who cares if they do it to 12 people on a show. If one congressman speaks out on the subject before they come up with a viable plan for the future of social security I am going to be pissed. There are bigger issues in the world; people should worry about the things that matter and not about reality TV.

[drone]

Now we get to see idiots of all races on Survivor, not just the white idiots! Yeah!

[whyidie]

Hooray! Go Mutts!

[AntiochusIII]

Raise the Mexican flag over the island, I say!



And prepare for Donald "Appeasement is Nazi" Rumsfeld's bombers...

[Navaros]

It's not really a race war since they always merge tribes together after some people get kicked off.

Had they made it really be a race war from start to finish, then that might be something interesting worth talking about.

As such - since it's not really a race war - Survivor remains a worthless drivel show in my view.