SURVIVOR. seas. 13, race tribes. Options

[pandamonium]

Originally posted: August 23, 2006
'Survivor' and race

Since it first aired six years ago, "Survivor" has found many ways to change its game.

Last season on the CBS show, teams were split up by age and gender, Exile Island was introduced and a hidden immunity idol altered the game. There have been many other tweaks and twists along the way, all of which have allowed the reality-TV stalwart to show impressive staying power as other once-popular reality shows faltered.

For its 13th edition, however, “Survivor” has gone one step further: Contestants will be divided by race.

When the show kicks off on Sept. 14, the 20 competitors will be divided up into African-American, Asian-American, Hispanic and white teams (Lake Forest resident Jenny Guzon-Bae, a real estate agent, will be one of the contestants).

The four factions won’t always be racially divided -- at some point in the season, mergers will make for diverse teams.

“The idea for this actually came from the criticism that ‘Survivor’ was not ethnically diverse enough, because for whatever reason, we always have a low number of minority applicants apply to the show,” Probst told “The Early Show.” “And I think it fits in perfectly with what ‘Survivor’ does, which is -- it is a social experiment, and this is adding another layer to that experiment which is taking the show to a completely different level.”

On the one hand, decrying this racial grouping of contestants seems to play right into CBS’ hands. The network appears to want to amp up the controversy in order to garner interest in a franchise that is now one of the oldest in the reality-TV genre.

Still, part of me recoils -- to a degree -- from this idea, thinking that racial ugliness and stereotyping, if that’s what we end up seeing on “Survivor,” are hardly in short supply on our TV screens.

Having said that, there’s part of me that thinks this could be quite interesting. Isn’t racial bias better out in the open, exposed, than hidden away and nurtured in secret? And could it be that the racial component in the show won’t really amount to much in the end? I think that outcome is, in fact, highly likely.

Still, race can be a touchy topic in the reality TV world. A year ago, ABC created a show in which several families of varying backgrounds and ethnic identities competed to win a luxury mansion in a white community in Texas.

I’m not sure if we’ll learn anything from this edition of “Survivor,” but when it comes right down to it, the show is a study of human nature at its best and worst. At least in the early going, the new season of the show will be must-see viewing, and no doubt that’s exactly what CBS wanted.

Is it going too far to divide “Survivor” contestants by race? You can vote in this poll and leave your comments below.

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

Personally I think its different to do it, it will catch a lot of attention, but then again what good is it doing to americans? what are people going to be saying about other races when they lose, how much more will we be seperated?

the players are also going to be facing a lot of pressure. because they are going to be representing their race.

So what do you think about tribes being split into races?
Will you watch it, yes or no?

[RxCore]

i thought it was an intriguing concept. but you make a good point about the fact it might promote more racism. i never watched survivor before though, so i doubt that i'll be tuning in.