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South Africans laugh at American TV Survivors
times of india ^ | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 29 | ds

Posted on 11/28/2001 12:43:40 PM PST by classygreeneyedblonde

JOHANNESBURG: The first series of the US television show Survivors to be set in Africa, featuring American competitors trying to outlast each other, left its South African audience in stitches on Wednesday

Can the image of the American tourist get worse than this bunch of screechers?" asked Robert Kirby, TV critic for the weekly Mail & Guardian newspaper

George Bush should pack the entire show into a B-52 (bomber) and drop it on Afghanistan as a warning of what lethal American weapons he's still got up his sleeve," he said.

Critics said this third series of the reality show -- the first set in Africa -- perpetuates many of the laughable stereotypes associated with Americans abroad

Survivor III: Africa, airing in the United States already for several weeks, debuted in South Africa on Tuesday night. Set in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve, the show follows the familiar format

A group of 16 contestants gets dumped in a remote location where they struggle against the elements and vote each other "out" until there is one Survivors left who pockets $1 million.

In the opening episode, participants struggled to build a life-giving fire and one of them envisaged an encounter with tigers and bears.

South Africans who know a thing or two about the bush found their antics hilarious. Audiences acknowledged the participants might come across lions and elephants. But tigers and bears? In Kenya? No way

Some doubted any of them could last long in the African wilderness

They're useless," snorted James Cameron, a professional hunter and ex-infantry officer who survived a microlight crash in northern Mozambique and spent two days walking out of the bush with no food or water

In a situation like that you need fire and water and I could not believe their total inability to deal with either."

Then there is the show's concept of where it takes place. The show's tagline, "It's a jungle out there", gets a rise out of viewers because the setting is semi-arid savannah.

Diane, the contestant voted off the first show, said: "Africa is tough."

The show's producers may find Africa's viewing audience tougher


TOPICS: Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
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Well instead of picking the right people(the ones that can do the job) they have to have gays blacks women older younger people ..maybe thats why it is floppin..political correct isin't always right

Their proving that themselves

1 posted on 11/28/2001 12:43:41 PM PST by classygreeneyedblonde
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To: classygreeneyedblonde
This show has already "jumped the shark". Nowhere to go but down.
2 posted on 11/28/2001 12:52:31 PM PST by Brett66
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To: classygreeneyedblonde
Not to mention, unlike the other two shows who gave them the option to hunt and fish (and a place to bathe), they really have nothing to do but depend on the show to feed them. Very boring. Very very boring.
3 posted on 11/28/2001 12:55:24 PM PST by Badfoil
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To: classygreeneyedblonde
The problem isn't just that this show sucks out loud!

The problem is we will be saddled with "Survivor Contestants" until we all die or they do!!!

4 posted on 11/28/2001 12:59:27 PM PST by Nitro
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: classygreeneyedblonde
I'd get along well with those South African folks. I gave up "Survivor I" after 15 minutes, and never looked at another. Those contestants are the peak of petty, and stupid to boot.

Don't watch TV. Adopt a few good hobbies.

6 posted on 11/28/2001 1:09:16 PM PST by GingisK
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To: IceCreamSocialist
I almost never watched.

To be honest I did tune in for 5-10 minutes to check out the muscle-bound Black chick!!

Must I kill myself?

7 posted on 11/28/2001 1:10:39 PM PST by Nitro
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To: Badfoil
Bring some South Africans to the states and drop them in Detroit. Detroit Lions fans need some entertainment.
8 posted on 11/28/2001 1:18:03 PM PST by scottiewottie
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To: classygreeneyedblonde
I don't know, I kinda think Big Tom the goat farmer is pretty entertaining.
9 posted on 11/28/2001 1:21:46 PM PST by oldvike
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To: scottiewottie
Bwahahahahah.

"Detroit - Where the weak are killed....and eaten."

10 posted on 11/28/2001 2:17:25 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
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To: classygreeneyedblonde
maybe thats why it is floppin..political correct isin't always right

The same thing happened with Who Want's to be a Millionaire. It used to function where people would have to call in an answer questions to even be considered to be a contestant. Well, you can imagine what the demographics of the contestants on the first few shows looked like. Yep! Almost exclusively white men. The show's producers freaked out over this. Heaven Forfend! We can't have all these white dudes on the air! So they changed the eligibility process to get more minority contestants. The questions became so easy that the insurance company that backs up the prizes started screaming that they would have to pay out too much money. And the shows ratings took a hit as well.

If you've ever seen the British version of the show, the questions are incredibly hard compared with the American counterpart. But hey, it's all for the sake of diversity!

11 posted on 11/28/2001 2:23:56 PM PST by Drew68
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Comment #12 Removed by Moderator

To: looscannon
What do you think - do you like this show?
13 posted on 11/28/2001 8:22:48 PM PST by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA
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To: WhyisaTexasgirlinPA
I 'spose, one of these days, I should sit for a spell (or a spelling lesson, LOL) and give it a look. But I confess to having never tuned in. Am I bad or what?
14 posted on 11/28/2001 8:37:37 PM PST by looscannon
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To: IceCreamSocialist
If they wanted a good show, put the contestants on an island with a knife and the clothing on the their backs and the last one alive wins. No rules. That'd be an interesting show.

Then you would have enjoyed this movie.

15 posted on 11/28/2001 8:45:32 PM PST by be131
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To: looscannon
Actually, I think the reason you have never watched this is because you have good taste.....I've never seen it either....;-)
16 posted on 11/29/2001 4:30:33 AM PST by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA
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