The producers have presented it as an exciting new twist on reality television: an X-Factor-style competition between activists that will give them a chance to put pressure on G20 world leaders.
But The Activist, a program announced last week by US network CBS, has already learned at its cost that people’s power can be unpredictable, ruthless and highly effective.
Amid a storm of protest over the fact that the concept of the show is a “dystopian” celebration of “Insta-activism,” one of the celebrities lined up to judge the contest has admitted that the show “didn’t have the mark” and that her role is not qualified for her, especially because she once wore a black face for Halloween.
Julianne Hough, a dancer and actor known for judging Dancing with the Stars and America’s Got Talent, said the explosion of criticism had been “a powerful demonstration of real-time activism.”
“I heard you say that the show was performative, it promoted pseudoactivism above real activism, it felt deaf … and that the hosts were not trained to evaluate activism, because we are famous and not activists “he said in an Instagram statement on Wednesday.
Hough added: “I have also heard you say that trying to value one cause over another, I felt like the Olympics of Oppression and I lost and fully respected the many activists who have been killed, assaulted and confronted. to various abuses fighting for their causes.
“I don’t claim to be an activist and I wholeheartedly agree that the judging aspect of the show failed and, moreover, that I am not qualified to act as a judge.”
Co-produced by Global Citizen, an international advocacy organization dedicated to ending extreme poverty, the show will feature six activists who team up with high-profile mentors and strive to defend a particular cause of “significant change.”
Participants, who will be judged not only for their ideas but also for their online engagement and social metrics, will go to the G20 summit in Italy in October, where, according to the press release, they will try to achieve “ funding and an invaluable awareness for its causes ”.
“The Activist is a first series of competitions that inspires real change, as the series progresses from the United States to Rome for the final challenge of activists at the G20,” said Hugh Evans, CEO and co-founder of Global Citizen.
“The audience will see the activists’ passion and commitment to their causes proven as they call on world leaders to take urgent action to resolve the interconnected crises we face.”
As the reaction grew, Global Citizen has tried to downplay the criticism, insisting the program will not “trivialize” activism. “On the contrary, our goal is to support activists everywhere, show the ingenuity and dedication they put into their work, and expand their causes to an even wider audience,” a spokesman told Deadline.
Others disagree. On Twitter, British activist Gina Martin said the concept it was “the absolute worst.”
“1. Why the hell do they judge this 2. Why the hell is there a TV show that turns the activist into a competition when all the [sic] of activism is solidarity and community, ”he added.
Writer Stephanie Yeboah described the idea as “truly horrible.” “A competition reality show about who can be the next activist urges? At best, it’s performative and does a bit of the hard work that many grassroots organizations do on the ground, on a daily basis. Gross, ”he added.
That’s really awful, hehe. A competitive reality show about who the next Insta activist might be?
At best, it’s performative and does a bit of the hard work that many grassroots organizations do on the ground, on a daily basis.
Dirty. https://t.co/c58w08ZX4q
– Steph (@StephanieYeboah) September 9, 2021
Many critics angered celebrity judges: Hough, singer Usher and Priyanka Chopra Jonas, former Miss World and Bollywood became Hollywood stars.
“Couldn’t they give the money it will take to pay for this INCREDIBLY expensive talent and do this show directly for activist causes?” tweeted actor Jameela Jamil. “Instead of turning activism into a game and then giving a fraction of the much needed money into a‘ prize …? “People are dying.”
Couldn’t they give the money it will take to pay for this INCREDIBLY expensive talent and do this show directly to activist causes? Instead of turning activism into a game and then giving a fraction of the money you needed into a “prize …?” People are dying. https://t.co/GLCUZcGgfb
– Jameela Jamil 🌈 (@jameelajamil) September 10, 2021
The additional disbelief came from those who pointed out that Hough had dressed in black for a Halloween costume depicting a character from the drama Orange Is The New Black in 2013. At the time he apologized, but now he has re-done in response to those new criticisms. which he felt was not appropriate for The Activist.
“In addition to all this [criticism of the show], many people have just become aware that I wore the black face in 2013, which only added insult to injury. Wearing the black face was a bad choice based on my own white privilege and the white body bias that hurt people and it’s something I’m sorry to do to this day, ”he said.
Global Citizen has been asked to comment.