October 10, 2013

"[T]he most distastefully bro-worshiping, wife-fearing season yet."

Linda Holmes at NPR with 10 elaborate reasons why "Sexism Is Silently Killing 'Survivor.'"
10. And finally, just as a general matter, this season has been almost entirely a story of men being unpleasant and dismissive of women.... You cannot sell, season after season after season, the idea that it is a coincidence that your show is morphing into a grody love letter not to men, but to bullies.
Oh, but that's what's so fun, when they get their comeuppance.

28 comments:

Unknown said...

You know what I like most about Survivor?

The fact that I have not watched a single episode.

Anonymous said...

And if you wait long enough, bullies most assuredly do get their comeuppance. I've seen it happen time after time in real life. All it takes is patience and karma.

I don't mind the wait, makes it all the more satisfying when it happens.

madAsHell said...

Heaven forbid!

There's a significant monetary amount, and no one's throat is slashed in their sleep? Yeah....it's lame.

Carnifex said...

I'm gonna hold Inga to that prediction about zero.

I watched Survivor a couple three times. Never again after this supposed ex-navy seal used the drinking water to wash his hair. Yeah, I believe that one.

I did watch a season of on realty show on some cable channel...don't remember the name. But this one guy was a serious tree smoker. Ripped all the time. Strong as an ox, and about as aware. So no one ever considered him a threat. He was just too dumb, so there was always someone else smarter to vote off the show.

Until there were only left to play for the grand prize, whereupon this guy finally broke character and revealed himself to be very sharp. It was all n act so people would discount him as not being a threat.

Shame that he still lost the grand prize.

I use that disguise now when I'm in dangerous locations. Always good to be overlooked by potential enemies.

T J Sawyer said...

We've never missed an episode. On numerous occasions, a group of women could have formed an alliance and flicked the men off like mosquitoes - but they never would get that kind of plan together.

Finally, this season, a real gender-based alliance! Culpepper organizes a campaign to pick off the women on his team - yet somehow, his male alliance, including him, have begun to disappear. (You just know there's a new three person alliance coming on the team - Caleb and the ladies!)

Perhaps, in the real world, gender doesn't power every thought as it apparently does for Linda Holmes.

Mark Trade said...

I once worked with someone who had a friend whose cousin won Survivor

I don't know who, though.

David said...

She just noticed how obnoxious this show is because it's disrespectful to women?

It's disrespectful to human beings as a species.

Probably rigged too.

Disgusting show.

Art in LA said...

Feminist dog whistles that I don't hear? My brain obviously needs a software update.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

One of the things I like about Althouse.blogspot - eclecticity. Occasional links to stuff that I'd never otherwise know about.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Oh, but that's what's so fun, when they get their comeuppance.

Pretty sneaky Althouse.

Glen Filthie said...

Contrary to Inga and the stupid people and their platitudes...in a real survival situation the bullies rule.

Really, folks. Game shows? And you call it 'reality TV'?

I suppose it is if you live in a trailer park or a city apartment...

Heartless Aztec said...

Ok, I'll bite. What/who is a "Survivor"? Never mind, I'll just read the posting...

SGT Ted said...

When some NPR feminist calls Survivor "sexist", you can confidently bet that the opposite is true.

I do detect sexism in the NPR chicks whining. She wants female treated as special snowflakes on the show. For Equality!

Her entire article is a series of grade school level whining about how "it's not fair!" Evidently, for her, females cannot compete unless they receive special treatment and deference from men, because they are girls. She even whines that the guys refer to females as "the girls". If you cannot handle certain words, you will definitely have a problem in a survival situation.

Linda Holmes sure is a whiney little girl when it comes to silly TV shows.

Charles said...

Remember that season where the women formed an alliance and then endlessly bragged about the superiority of their gender as they picked off the men one-by-one?

It's actually happened on multiple seasons - there was "The Women's Alliance" and "The Black Widow Brigade," among others.

Remember that?

Apparently, neither does Linda Holmes.

Matt Sablan said...

There's got to be a fine line in reality TV between the rigging we suspect happens and the -- was it Survivor? -- letting someone fall unconscious into a fire and the crew not immediately dropping their cameras to help.

I haven't watched Survivor since the first season, which was interesting, but I always assumed it was "real" like wrestling is "real," and that breaking the kayfabe of reality TV was taboo.

carrie said...

I love survivor and think it reflects real life. The men bully in the foreground and the women wait patiently in the background for their chance, which drives me crazy but is so true to life. I loved this week's show when Brad was blindsided. All it takes is one person to openly challenge a bully for the silent people to finally act. Brad was a bully and extremely selfish to boot and both of those traits in a leader weakened their tribe--sort of like Obama and this country.

carrie said...

I love survivor and think it reflects real life. The men bully in the foreground and the women wait patiently in the background for their chance, which drives me crazy but is so true to life. I loved this week's show when Brad was blindsided. All it takes is one person to openly challenge a bully for the silent people to finally act. Brad was a bully and extremely selfish to boot and both of those traits in a leader weakened their tribe--sort of like Obama and this country.

Ann Althouse said...

"Really, folks. Game shows? And you call it 'reality TV'?"

Most hackneyed observation about reality TV shows: They call them reality shows, but they are not reality.

Aren't you a tad embarrassed to say the most conventional thing that there is to say on the subject, Mr. Filthie? And to say it as if you are bringing intelligence to the subject.

I mean, what you said is what would be the entry for "Reality TV shows" in the modern "Dictionary of Received Ideas."

Here's a conversational ice-breaker you might want to try in your next social encounter: A peanut is not a nut or a pea.

Your insight and observational skill will amaze.

Ann Althouse said...

She said, sarcastically.

Ann Althouse said...

"I love survivor and think it reflects real life. The men bully in the foreground and the women wait patiently in the background for their chance, which drives me crazy but is so true to life."

Yes, exactly. It's a chance for the strong assertive people to get a look at how they are experienced by others and how they may be thwarted in their efforts precisely because of what they think are positive attributes. And it gives nonassertive types some insight into how to get their way through guile or relationships or patient observation and well-timed action.

"I loved this week's show when Brad was blindsided. All it takes is one person to openly challenge a bully for the silent people to finally act..."

Yes. It was one of the coolest things that ever happened on "Survivor" -- so amusing and satisfying.

Caleb, who'd been abandoned by his idiotic "family" member, was low man on the man pole, and he flipped it. He just figured out a thing he could do and did it. Great!

Anonymous said...

It's so cool seeing Glen Filthie get his comeuppance so quickly. I only had to wait a couple of hours.

Carrie and Ann, I may have to start watching Survivor again.

Locomotive Breath said...

"I love survivor and think it reflects real life. The men bully in the foreground and the women wait patiently in the background for their chance, which drives me crazy but is so true to life."

In real life, no one agrees to be voted off an island.

FullMoon said...

"Really, folks. Game shows? And you call it 'reality TV'?"

Ann saidMost hackneyed observation about reality TV shows: They call them reality shows, but they are not reality.

Aren't you a tad embarrassed to say the most conventional thing that there is to say on the subject, Mr. Filthie? And to say it as if you are bringing intelligence to the subject.

Ann says
I mean, what you said is what would be the entry for "Reality TV shows" in the modern "Dictionary of Received Ideas."

Here's a conversational ice-breaker you might want to try in your next social encounter: A peanut is not a nut or a pea.

Your insight and observational skill will amaze.


Damn, that was a slap so hard, I felt it here in California

Crunchy Frog said...

She said, sarcastically.

No shit, really?

Crunchy Frog said...

She said, sarcastically.

No shit, really?

Glen Filthie said...

Well Ann, I stand rebuked ... I guess.

Here we go again: by your response I cannot tell if I am being understood or not, nor whether I am understanding you or not. Am I being artfully punked by a brilliant lawyer, or is this a case of an idiot polishing a turd as a petulant diversion? If you have a point, madam, please do feel free to make it.


May I suggest that conversation starters with people that take Survivor seriously include pooh jokes? Peanuts tend to be a little beyond that crowd! HAR HAR HAR!

Jeff said...

Sometimes the conventional wisdom is correct, as Filthie is in this case. Nothing to be embarrassed about.

Anonymous said...

Is Mr. Filthie is dense? Althouse made herself very clear I thought. Is this a ploy of someone who is rude, then is rebuked, then pleads puzzlement in which he gets to back away from his in your face rudeness? That's being a weenie, IMO.