Survivor: Thailand

[thaite]

Okay, so I watched it. Still a bit early to tell how they're gonna treat Thai culture, though one thing already bothers me and that's how they're using a Buddha statue as their 'immunity idol.' It's very disrespectful.

[kimpossible]

I hate Survivor in general but I'd love to hear your take on the Thailand one. Please update this thread. 'kay?

[Chris]

I been watching it as well and I agreed with BW with the Buddha aspect. How they were handling it as an immunity idol is ultimate disrespect to the buddha. And I am Buddhist. :angry:



<!--EDIT|Chris|Sep 20 2002, 08:34 PM-->

[thaite]

Week 2: Okay, the whole handling of the Buddha is buggin' me. Not only it's use a an immunity idol, but the irreverence of it all. There's no respect or understand of the the context in which they act.

And, as much as the producers promote the show as being in 'exotic Thailand' (for the past several years the tourism bureau of Thailand has been promoting using the phrase 'Amazing Thailand) the setting is nothing more than an aesthetic theme for Survivor. The introduction credits display quick flashes of traditional images, rural people in their houses, temples, monks, dancers, elephants, beaches -- you see what I'm getting at? It's a shallow depiction of very beautiful aspects of the country. It shows none of the modernization, nothing of the cities or the people who live there. For all they show, Thais are a bunch of hut-dwelling people who ride elephants.

[SunWuKong]

Originally posted by buoywonder@Sep 27 2002, 02:24 PM
And, as much as the producers promote the show as being in 'exotic Thailand' (for the past several years the tourism bureau of Thailand has been promoting using the phrase 'Amazing Thailand) the setting is nothing more than an aesthetic theme for Survivor. The introduction credits display quick flashes of traditional images, rural people in their houses, temples, monks, dancers, elephants, beaches -- you see what I'm getting at? It's a shallow depiction of very beautiful aspects of the country. It shows none of the modernization, nothing of the cities or the people who live there. For all they show, Thais are a bunch of hut-dwelling people who ride elephants.
did you expect anything else of popular american media?



<!--EDIT|SunWuKung|Sep 27 2002, 03:29 PM-->

[thaite]

No, but neither can I let it slide.

[Hito]

They have done that in all the incarnations of survivor.
A little less so in Australia since i think that us usualy thought of as any other western country.
But there was a comercial run during Survivor: Australia that bugged the hell out of me which was the credit card comercial with the Koori elder and his grandson.

I suspected they would use Buddha as the immunity idol.

[thaite]

The thought crept in the back of my head too, but I figured they'd have more awareness and sensitivity about it.

I mean, there has got to be millions of elephant statues in Thailand. You'd think that'd be a better symbol for what the winning the game meant --strength, dignity, etc.

[kimpossible]

Originally posted by buoywonder@Sep 27 2002, 12:47 PM
No, but neither can I let it slide.
Plus, I asked him to give updates and thought about Survivor: Thailand.

[thaite]

Week 3: Maybe a bit better, though the drama was a bit stupid. There aren't any characters who are likeable, and many who are easily despised -- esp. the guy from my own state. He's just a dick. I hope he loses because I don't want to see him become a 'celebrity' in my town.

Anyway, same ol', same ol' in regards to the Buddha as an immunity idol. Im gonna refrain from mentioning this in future updates. The show has already been shot, and I don't imagine they'll learn the proper etiquette by the time the contest is over.

As mentioned previously, the brushes with Thai culture have mostly been shallow references. This week, popular Thai music in the style of Enya or something to puncuate the background -- and, no, I don't know who the artist was. However, the background music wasn't always Thai but some other Asian-style music -- hey, American's can't tell the difference and it's all the same anyway, right?

Up until now, Thai people had been seen only in the opening and (sometimes) closing credits, the likes of monks and dancers and village people. Since the contestants in Survivor: Thailand have proven themselves to all be idiots and unable to survive anywhere that lacks Starbucks or a grocery store, the prize in one of the competitions was the loan of two soldiers from the Thai special forces. When the soldiers showed up at the camp of the winning team they immediatly went to work making the contestants look like they were lost in a supermarket -- showing them which plants to eat, how to cook bamboo and coconuts, how to traps crabs, etc. The contestants, obviously, where amazed and thankful, even the Navy instructor who I don't think has contributed much to her team or the show. One contestant managed to greet the soldiers with a "Sawadee-kah" which is probably the first thing anybody learns when visiting Thailand. I was disappointed with the camera-work and editing; no close ups of the soldier's faces, no audio of them talking or the contestants trying to converse. I'd be entirely disappointed and dismayed if the network got through this series and America never gets to see what Thai people look or sound like.

[deez nuts]

I saw bits and pieces of it at the hospital last night. That Asian woman from NY, bugs the shit out of me. Don't know why, she just does and I only saw maybe like 15 minutes of the whole show.

[Craig]

Originally posted by buoywonder@Oct 4 2002, 06:24 PM
I'd be entirely disappointed and dismayed if the network got through this series and America never gets to see what Thai people look or sound like.

I was in Thailand for quite a while when I was a little kid, but currently don't remember what Thai people look like; It's been so long. It's certainly not similar to the Malaysians I saw in "Anna and the King" or the Philipinos in "The King and I". I think those movies will define what most Americans think Thai people look like.

Originally posted by Chasiubao_Boy@Oct 4 2002, 06:53 PM
I saw bits and pieces of it at the hospital last night. That Asian woman from NY, bugs the shit out of me. Don't know why, she just does and I only saw maybe like 15 minutes of the whole show.

I just got weird vibes from her just by reading an article about her. I am not much of a TV watcher anymore. Honestly, do you except mainstream American TV to cast a normal Asian person ?

[thaite]

Week 4: No comment really. There was nothing in this episode that related to anything Thai or Asian, which probably deserves it's own commentary.

[thaite]

Week 5 In this episode was the first time that remark or issue had been made of Shi-An being a minority in a tribe of Whities. First, a couple of tribe members talked amongst themselves about her eating habits -- they didn't like the way she dug into the chicken. I guess they happened to forget that they were all stuck on an island with very limited food and maybe they should have let the neck go to waste instead, huh? It's quite apparent that she could likely be the next one booted out. Mentioned her upbringing in Taiwan, Shi-An herself in a 'confessional' segment alluded to her uneasiness with the cultural differences and being the minority in her tribe.

Rob is quite annoying and I'm ashamed to admit that he comes from my vicinity. I understand that he's a bartender. I think maybe I'll go to his bar and not tip him.

[thaite]

Week 6: Hey, waddaya know! Karma kicks in and the tribe finally booted Robb out. Gawd, what a shallow, punk-ass idiot. Nothing more annoying than an idiot trying to share his epiphanies -- it just reeks of "No, duh!" and "Shaddap!"

As the reward challenge, both tribes competed in what they called a traditional Thai game. I know nothing of the game, so for all I know it could have been real. It looks fun and suitable for beaches, I should try it sometime.

The reward was a 'luau' of sorts on the beach with Thai food. No one was sniffling or commenting on the spiciness, so the producers must have gone easy on them. It looked like mostly fruit and seafood. Btw, you can sit on a Thai beach and order the same kind of feast for about $30 from the vendors who walk back and forth.

During the feast, the tribe was entertained by Thai musicians and dancers. Again, no close-ups on Thai faces and very little commentary or exposure. What's up? Did someone tell the producers that the camera would steal their soul, or something? Boooooo!

[Hanuman]

Originally posted by buoywonder@Oct 25 2002, 09:12 PM
Week 6: Hey, waddaya know! Karma kicks in and the tribe finally booted Robb out. Gawd, what a shallow, punk-ass idiot. Nothing more annoying than an idiot trying to share his epiphanies -- it just reeks of "No, duh!" and "Shaddap!"

As the reward challenge, both tribes competed in what they called a traditional Thai game. I know nothing of the game, so for all I know it could have been real. It looks fun and suitable for beaches, I should try it sometime.

The reward was a 'luau' of sorts on the beach with Thai food. No one was sniffling or commenting on the spiciness, so the producers must have gone easy on them. It looked like mostly fruit and seafood. Btw, you can sit on a Thai beach and order the same kind of feast for about $30 from the vendors who walk back and forth.

During the feast, the tribe was entertained by Thai musicians and dancers. Again, no close-ups on Thai faces and very little commentary or exposure. What's up? Did someone tell the producers that the camera would steal their soul, or something? Boooooo!
I just replied to a post about asian sports in regards to this "thai game". I didn't know anything about it either, but it could very well be authentic.

I know we're beating this to death, but yes the Buddha as an immunity object is desturbing, especially when you see them handling it by the head. That's very disrespectful to Thai people.

I was hoping to see more of the "thai culture" that was part of winning the reward challenge, but they downplayed that part significantly, they don't have any close ups of the musicians, you barely see the Thai dancers at all and I think Thai "Lam" is beautiful and expressive.

Shi Ann annoys me too, and I'm not sure why.

[thaite]

Week 8 Not much in way of Thai this week. The tribe's merge and Shi-an gets comfortable with Ted - a black guy and the only other minority left on the show. She admits to feelings of being left out n her own tribe and mentions differences pertaining to culture, etc., but declines to put it on racism, just difference. But we can certainly see the change in her personality now that she's comfortable.

She gets too comfortable, and her double-handied scheming (sneaky Asian stereotype, anyone?) catches up with her because her tribe gives her the boot at the end of the show.

[deez nuts]

Thanks for the updates, man. That show is so tedious for me to watch now.

[Mr T]

That show really bores the hell out of me. I guess watching a 'reality show' about other peoples lives really does nothing for me.