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May 14, 2007

Selective Commentary

I just posted the following on my friend Perry's wall:

OMG. Praise be to bougie black folks everywhere, a new hero has emerged. Earl Cole, originally from Kansas City, KS, University of Washington MBA frickin' brand manager at an ad agency in LA who plays chess and 5 instruments and composes not only WON, but was the first EVER to get ALL the votes from his teammates, NEVER won immunity (an easy way to not get voted out) and THEN GAVE HALF OF HIS MILLION TO HIS MOTHER. It was a sight to behold indeed. Long live Earl Cole.

Ok, let me back up.

SURVIVOR
For those who aren't familiar with Survivor, in short, a group of complete strangers are left in some remote place with limiter to no food or amenities for 40 days (I think). They start out split up into two teams who compete against each other for rewards and the right not to go to "tribal council" where the losing team votes someone off. At some point in the game they merge into one team, compete for individual rewards and immunity and vote off people within their own single tribe. When it gets down to a predetermined number, so far somewhere around 11 or 12, as people get voted off they become the jury. In the end, there are 2 (or in this case 3) people left, who have to convince the jury why they deserve 1 million dollars. The jury votes, a winner, or "Survivor" is chosen.

There's a lot of starving, dehydration, lack of sleep, weight loss and all the other things that go with being in a remote location left on your own for lodging, food, and drinkable water - not to mention entertainment. So it's basically a prime-time social petri dish, with a lot of artificial stimulants and, let us never forget, EDITING.

In season 13 (the most recently wrapped up was 14), reportedly in response to criticism that the castaways weren't diverse enough, they initially divided the teams into 4 teams by race. It created a lot of pre-premiere hubbub, but was ultimately lame. In season 14, there was no separating by race, but it was an equally as diverse group. (I'm almost convinced that they cast two sets that could go that way and ditched 14 after 13 fell flat - I'm pretty sure their filming schedules overlap.)

BOUGIE BLACK FOLKS
Do a google blog-search of the phrase and you'll find plenty of discussion on the topic. Here's the Urdan Dictionary definition. I personally think definition 4 is the most clear, and definition 1 is how it's mostly used. In this case, I mean that Earl was extremely well spoken, had a job in a mostly white industry, got his MBA in Seattle and lists "Curb Your Enthusiasm" as one of his favorite TV shows - see his full profile here. I've been called bougie for much less. But that's a whole other post.

MY POINT
So, Earl's win was exceptional on a number of levels.
1. All 9 of the jury members voted for him - never happened before
2. He ended up in the final three without ever winning ONE individual immunity challenge
3. He friggin' gave half of his money to his mother, on the spot
4. First black man, second black person to win

Additionally
1. His best friend and tightest alliance on the show was a much older 1st generation asian man
2. All of the final three were black
3. the other black male in the final three (Dreamz) pulled perhaps the biggest backstab in all of Survivor history
4. The other black guy's name was Dreamz
5. When asked by a jury member if Dreamz deserved the million more because Dreamz is formerly homeless, Earl replied that he too had a rough family background, and he worked hard to bring himself out of it to where he is today and that he didn't think he deserved it any less than Dreamz did because he happened to have achieved success (GO EARL)
6. He hadn't watched the show since like, season 1 and accepted the invite to participate on 2 days notice - so, he played it, literally, by ear and kicked that much ass.

So, all the beyatching about race that supposedly resulted in season 13's race tribes, all the Imus malarkey and Bobby Brown once again acting a fool, why has there been no chatter about any or all of the above (besides Dreamz' renig)? Have I missed it? I keep google-news and google-blog searching and I'm coming up with nothing. Someone, please point me to it.

I mean, I guess on one hand, what we're striving towards is for it not to be a big deal when a black person achieves something. But given all the ultimatums and demands for national conversations and complete insanity going on of late, doesn't it deserve a blip? I may be taking it personally, but it all seems to play into the hands of "well, it's not such a big deal b/c obviously, he manages new media strategy for major brands, he's not _really_ black."

i dunno. I just think that somewhere in it, there's a discussion that deserves just as much play as all the negative crap - if we're playing that game, which it has seemed lately we are.

Regardless, Earl Cole, may I say, on behalf of the accused bougie black folks everywhere: YOU GO BOY!

Posted by nikl at May 14, 2007 10:06 PM

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Comments

I read somewhere, and God, I forget where, that we finally have a true hero to look up to as a Survivor winner. Another site called it the best season ever.

I, of course, stopped watching THIS SEASON. I watched three episodes of the stupid divided-by-race season and called it quits after being a loyal fan. Even Jeff Probst had started to annoy me.

But I am sorry I missed everything this time around.

Posted by: Beth at May 15, 2007 11:06 AM

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