Survivor 13: Cook Islands
 

I did a search, didn't find this, so don't yell at me!

Survivor's new plan in to divide the tribes up by race - 4 latinos, 4 whites, 4 asians, and 4 blacks as a way to stir up the old ratings.

Some people are terribly offended by this - I see little difference between this and dividing the tribes up by age or gender as done previously to no consternation.

thoughts?

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-ftr-surv24.html

New 'Survivor' to divide along racial lines

August 24, 2006

NEW YORK -- The new season of ''Survivor'' will be a race among races.

At the start of the reality show's 13th edition, ''Survivor: Cook Islands,'' 20 contestants will be organized into four tribes divided along ethnic lines -- black, white, Hispanic and Asian, CBS announced Wednesday.

The tribes, as usual, will merge later in the season, which debuts Sept. 14, the network said.

Host Jeff Probst said the network was worried the racial divide might offend viewers.

''It's very risky because you're bringing up a topic that is a hot button,'' Probst said. ''There's a history of segregation you can't ignore. It is part of our history.

''For that, it's much safer to say, 'No, let's just stick with things the way they are. Let's don't be the network to rock the boat. Let's not have 'Survivor' try something new.' But the biases from home can't affect you. This is an equal-opportunity game.''

Probst said he and the ''Survivor'' producers wanted to bring more ethnic diversity to the competition.

''The truth is 80 percent of the people that apply are white,'' he said. ''And television, in general, is white. So all these criticisms were valid.''

On each episode of ''Survivor: Cook Islands,'' at least one cast member will be sent to a separate island miles away from camp, where an immunity idol will be hidden. If found, this immunity idol could save a contestant from being voted off the show.

Here is the link they just put up for the new cast

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/survivor13/

(could we have the title changed to Survior 13: Cook Islands, like we normally do for each season?)

I'm looking forward to this one. I don't see the division by race being any more controversial than what they did last year which was division by sex AND age. In the end everyone did pretty well for each other and no one demographic really dominated. I'm sure we'll see the same here.

(I changed title of thread :) )

I've been jonesing all summer for some probst time lol

and I agree, I dont see the division as all that big a deal either...you KNOW they are gonna do it somehow, what does it really matter how it is?

I'm looking forward to this season, and I too have no qualms about the way it's getting split up. I wonder what the argument is that has people offended to this setup.

Whatever... Where were these people when the game was being Ageist or Sexist? (I was being facetious there by the way, I don't think this game is racist/ageist/sexist)

Today on the way to work I heard about the new racially segregated Survivor and I was like "SWEET! Time to talk about Survivor again!", (because I love this thread and I've missed it dearly over the summer), so anyway when I got to work I was like "Hey everyone, did you hear what they're doing for survivor this season?" And every one there said "Meh, I don't really watch it." I couldn't believe it. Thank heavens for TFP, where said show can be discussed at length.

I'm super stoked for the next season, but I will admit I don't buy into the "twists" that they try to sell the show on every season. Each year they disappoint, but I keep coming back for the girls in skimpy clothes...

Well, if the first few challenges involve swimming we'll know Burnett is some kinda crazy cracker - black contestants so rarely do well with the swimming events, for whatever reason.

Notice how the website groups the black people together and seperates everyone else? Didn't think we'd notice, eh, Mr. Burnett?

;)

nothing to say

I like it.

Actually, I'd like to see the hot-bi women versus the other hot bi-women in challenges involving jello week after week, but I'm shallow that way.

:lol:

I guess this means that they will need more than the standard token black/asian/latio man and woman...

I hope the girls are hotter than they looked in the cast pics. Last season there was an obvious lack of silicone

Addressing this is part of the spin the producers are using for this season's format. In an interview, JP said that they're increasing the diversity of the cast by setting up the teams this way.

It's going to be interesting and its generating buzz, over course some of it negative but I don't think MB and CBS cares buzz is buzz. I read one of the interview with JP and he said that 80% of the people that apply to the show are white so by being more diverse maybe they can attract a greater cross-section of viewers and contestants.

Of course, it may just mean white folks are the only ones dumb enough to apply for a show that strands you in the middle of nowhere for over a month with a bunch of strangers..

Nonetheless, I'm really looking forward to this season...

just a heads up....Premier is tomorrow nite!!!!!!!!!!!

"survivors ready......."

I read that they lost a few sponsors over this idea.. like GM and coke as I remember.

I think its totally ridiculous.....to me its no dif than diving up between age and sex last season, whats the big friggin deal? They end up merged anyway

Jeff was on the radio this morning and said when they got them to the island and told them what they were doing...all participants and the choice to back out if they didnt like it.....no one did

I dont see coke getting their panties in a bunch because everyone on the chinese and japanese olympic teams are *gasp* chinese and japanese....every two years (winter/summer) we watch racially diverse teams compete against each other and themselves and nobody bats an eye at it.

What the hell are you talking about?!? Everyone in the Olypics is American...

Oh, wait - maybe Coke is just being a moron.

I don't really care how they divide the teams, I'm glad that it's creating buzz, because the more popular the show the longer it stays on :D

I'm looking forward to this season - however, did anyone notice a trend among the cast?

Practically half of them are models/actors/actresses/entertainers of some sort...

I'm just going to hope that out of the millions of people that apply, it was just coincidence that they managed to choose several people that were on CSI... right? :confused:

People are pissed because Political Correctness has taught them that it is not nice to point out the differences in people ever.

We all know that by episode 3 they'll reshuffle them anyways.

The only way I have a problem with this set up is if the producers/editors paint each group in stereotypical ways (Asians are efficient and inventive, Blacks are lazy, Latinos are hot-blooded with short tempers, or whatever). I also hope they didn't cast the show to feed into this.

I love that it's probably the same people who bitched about the show being too white who are now bitching about the division of tribes.

so what did we think of the 1st episode? I thought it was interesting how they have gone back to giving fire at trible council...they havent done that in awhile.

I LOVE the setting for this seasons tribal council hehehehe that ship is so cool....I think they should have made the person voted off *walk the plank*

I thought they balanced the division well, in that they didn't focus too much on it. My biggest fear, was that the early episodes are going to be overloaded with emotional tesimonials and introspection on the meaing of race and culture in America. How tedious would that be?

Imagine, if you will, a Survivor where the initial teams are Firefighters, Cops and EMT's. Seems plausible. Given those backgrounds, it would be unavoidable to discuss life in public service as well as 9/11, but it would be a mistake to concentrate on those aspects, to the neglect of what make the show great. i.e: buff bods, bikinis, exotic locations and genuinely difficult challenges. I'm glad they don't appear to be making that same mistake with the racially grouped teams. All I want to see is crafty play and fun (for us) challenges.

That said, I liked the one Philipino Woman's insight that her "Asian" team was actually quite diverse given the various nationalities of their backgrounds.

Overall, the cast seems fairly engaging and attractive, so I'll continue to watch. At least out of the corner of my eye. :)

So, it confirmed all the stereotypes. The black team failed in the water, the Asian team were smartest and did the puzzle quickest and when it came time to pick someone to go to exile island, Whitey had to go!

:lol:

I thought it was 5...

*counts again* Yep, pretty sure its 5 people per team unless you're not counting the blacks after their first tribual...

I love Jonathan's quote about getting sent to exile island. I agree with him in wondering why Sekou and Nathan came up with sending him for stealing the chicken Yul had. They aren't even on the same team.

Usually, it takes me a couple of weeks to get attached, but I found that these 4 groups are all very engaging. The first hour was over so quick, I was wishing for the 3 a week shows that I'm used to with Big Brother ;)

Although I'm a Survivor junkie, I have to admit that TALKING about dividing up the tribes into ethnic groups was a lot more fun than actually doing it. I've asked Grancey to wake me up as soon as something (anything) interesting happens.

Or maybe I'm just chapped that the first two people voted off were both musicians. Damn it.

oh man but last nites tribal council was good lol I bout fell off the couch when he started talking about being in love with that chick.

from what was *shown* there was absolutely no reason to keep that guy. I just think they should have not made it so obvious they were throwing the challenge.

I guess now that the idol has been found exile isnt really going to be interesting anymore....wow episode two that was kinda quick

I was really glad to see that they DID review the tape for the winner cause I KNEW Jeff had made the wrong call

darn...where are all the survivor people :confused:

I LOVED last nite when they told Candace that Billy was in love with her ahahahahaha

What do you think of Yul telling Becky he found the idol? I think he should have clarified when he'd help her if need be....if she'd gotten the votes last nite I wonder if he'd have played it that early?

I think he was a fool for telling her this early on. You hold that as long as you can and hope you can use it after the merge into 1 tribe. I doubt that he would play it on her last night, that would be a quick way to get voted off the next time he went to tribal.

Stupid for telling her. Stupid.

Also, now that all the tribes are reconstituted, how stupid was it for the Latino tribe to have thrown the challenge last week? They did it to make their "tribe" stronger, and now their tribe is gone anyway and somebody else's tribe is missing a Latino. Perhaps Billy's vote could have saved Cecilia last night, who knows?

nah he'd have been to distraught over candace being sent away to the island alone lol

HAH, I was thinking the same thing! What a waste for the latino's last week. Serves them right for pulling a stupid, stupid move.

I can't wait for the finale when Billy proposes to Candace.

Otherwise was a good episode, I almost thought they were gonna go with 4 tribes of men and women there for a minute.

I like Yul a lot, but he shouldnt have shown his cards so soon.

When the alliance was formed all I could think of was "The white people and the Asian people are gonna boot out the black and Hispanic people". I think the race game is still on, to some degree.

Just wanted to point out that my prediction that they reshuffle in episode 3 is exactly what happened.

I was pretty shocked at the Mutiny, didnt really see that coming. I hope Jonathan is evicted next and that Candice gets a nasty infection of some sort. They are traitors and I hope that Karma comes back and bites them in the ass in a huge way.

My absolute favourite players are Yul and Ozzy, those two are just incredible and I hope that they can overcome the difference and keep winning immunity challenges.

My hope for the win is Yul. for the other team I like Pavarti, but that is purely because I'd like to see her naked in playboy.

I really wish I understood why they keep talking about getting rid of Jonathan but THEY DONT DO IT ugh

They kept Johnathan because he should be easy to get rid of when they need to. Nobody on either tribe trusts him now.

The jury thing was a real shocker. What are the rammifications of this? Will the jury be larger or will they skip jury spots a few times?

I assume that the jury will just be larger. I didnt really get excited about this one. Will it really make much of a difference do you think?

Hey I could have written this!!

Great minds think alike :)

Right now they have an even number for the jury (10) so something else is going to happen. I predict either a Final 3 instead of a Final 2, or some sort of twist where members of the jury are voted out of the jury somehow.

Okay, so the note in the bottle would have been more of a surprise if the program info on DirecTV wasn't "two contestants get voted off". I hate that

Haha.

I understand getting rid of Rebecca, but why would they get rid of Jenni? I thought she was one of the stronger members of her team, she was very loyal and performed well in challenges. I hope that tribe gets annhiliated, I really, really dislike them.

I was soooo excited that Aitu's kicked ass yet again, and I almost hope for no merge, I really want them to get more Raro's out, they'll be outnumbered if they merge now :(