Friday, September 15, 2006

Episode 1 of Survivor: Apartheid Island

Pictured right is the African-American tribe on Survivor: Cook Islands (Season 13).

Last night the African-American tribe (Manihiki) were sent to tribal council and forced to get rid of one of their players.

In one of the most controversial reality TV situations, producer Mark Burnett has created Television/Pop Culture buzz by dividing the teams by race.

It was interesting to see what tribes made race an issue, and which did not...the African-American tribe particularly felt like they needed to "represent," and of course where very disappointed when they had to loose one of their members (Sekou, the older man in the middle of the picture).

Will this show be helpful or harmful in the race dialogue? Who knows?


It's hard to tell...the one thing that keeps coming to my mind though is the jokes that a few my friends frequently make about "The Black Family" from the Amazing Race: Family Edition. Frequently they would flash up on the screen "The Black Family," which consisted of Reggie and Kimberly Black and their two children Kenneth and Austin.

It seems to me at this point, the Asians and Hispanics have a slight upperhand, even in the challenge they were more unified and with it. The "White Tribe" they're all a big group of goofs (probably cast in such a way so that white's would not dominate and reflect poorly on racial diversity of this project).

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10 comments:

Ryan said...

The Black Family on Amazing Race was well....Amazing

Southern (in)Sanity said...

I still think that this whole idea of dividing the teams by race will blow up in CBS' collective face at some point during the season.

Anonymous said...

I was actually going to try to watch this last night but I couldn't find it on the tube - I think it had been on earlier. Personally, I think this is the dumbest idea I've ever heard but here I was trying to find it so that I could see with my own two eyes...see what??? I'll give Burnett this much: the dude knows how to get people to tune in. I don't like it...but it seems to be working.

Chase Roper said...

I watched last night and I have to say that is was very much like every other Surivor I've seen. Although the competition was a little stereotyped. It was subtle but it was there. Making the teams build a boats (latino/dominicans), lighting something on fire to later burn something foriegn (whites), run from the boat to the shore (african americans), and then climbing the ladder and finally having to roll seaweed and rice up with small bamboo wraps (asains.)

The producers obviously favored one of the tribes.

Unknown said...

finally having to roll seaweed and rice up with small bamboo wraps (asains.)
Huh? Did I miss something?

I watched and was surprised by how racial it was. I really thought that it would be like the age/gender splits - superficial and temporary. This seems like it may go on for a while.

I thought it interesting how some groups did seem to feel the need to "represent" more than others. It's notable that there is so much diversity within the groups.

RC said...

chase, i'm with lunar world, I think i missed the rice stuff...umm, unless you were being sarcastic.

lunarworld I agree that some groups felt the need to represent more (African-Americans), and I think the Asian-Americans and Hispanics felt divided themselves between their own cultures and countries of origin. The white's don't really seem to care.

Southern (in)Sanity said...

I heard this evening this was this debut had the lowest ratings of any.

Doesn't sound like a good start for this edition.

Dad said...

On Treasure Hunters this summer there was a "Brown" family. They were the only non-white team on the show (that I saw). Interesting.

Chase Roper said...

Very much so. (on being sarcastic.)

Wasp Jerky said...

People still watch this show? Really?