I printed out form and went over every question on each of its eleven pages with Carmen. http://www.cbs.com/primetime/amazing_race_application/TAR_12_Application_Form.pdf Some of the questions were difficult to answer, like “Would you rather compete to win $1 million or share it equally with nine other teams? Why?” It seemed designed emphasize the show’s competitive premise. This is reality tv, after all. In the first “cycle”, it seemed like the premise of the show was a little more dignified than it is now. The emphasis was on travel, its difficulties and its rewards, and the cameras were there simply to record the humiliation and jubilation that comes with all adventures. Maybe the logistics of the show didn’t work, I don’t know, but now, it seems like there’s a lot more emphasis on the competition, the personalities, the conflict.
Then there’s the language in the waiver. The show owns and asserts control over everything you say.
I have no idea why reality tv is so often so bad. Watching people struggle to accomplish a worthwhile goals is fun, but watching people bicker and connive in pursuit of money (and not that much money) isn’t.
So, I guess there’s watching a reality tv show with a travel angle, and then there’s adventure travel, and then there’s being on a reality tv show. I want more adventures, but being a contestant on reality tv has no appeal at all. I can watch the show, but I don’t know if I can be on it.
