My friend Rob and I came up with an idea for a new reality show. The competition element of Survivor, with the audience participation of American Idol, with the celebrity factor of Dancing with the Stars, with the international appeal of the Olympics.
"Who Wants To Be A Celebrity's Next Adopted Kid?"
A dozen orphans from countries around the world (China! Rwanda! Canada!) compete to be the one kid that a well-known celebrity will end up adopting at the end of the program. On week one, we introduce the celebrity, some likable famous person who's eager to adopt a child and give him or her an amazingly overprivileged life. Each week, the children do something -- show off a talent, take an IQ test, prance around in a swimsuit, whatever -- and the audience calls in to vote one of the twelve orphans "Back to the Orphanage" until only one child is left, and that's the winner.
I'd watch it, wouldn't you?
It has the negative element of those "Save the Children" commercials that most people want to flip past, though. The emotionally needy featured on traditional reality TV is less discomforting than the really needy.
Posted by: PG | March 13, 2006 at 03:57 AM
Clearly you're joking.
Posted by: Kaschief | March 13, 2006 at 12:27 PM
Better copyright that idea quick. Fox or UPN is probably on it right now. After all, "[n]o one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people." (H.L. Mencken [attributed].)
Posted by: Norm | March 13, 2006 at 07:40 PM
Two words. Micheal Jackson.
Posted by: Jenny | March 14, 2006 at 07:08 AM