So, the upcoming Survivor will have 20 contestants, with 4 teams divided by race (White, Black Asian, Hispanic) to start off. Good idea or bad? They’ve done gender and age, so I guess race is a logical next step. How about straight vs gay for a future survivor?
Race? Sounds interesting, but will they keep them segrated for a long time? They’ve done this before, but ended up combining into two regular tribes them rather quickly. Last time (was it last time?), they were divided into four groups by age and gender, but regrouped them by the second or third episode.
The time they grouped them by gender (Amazon), they mixed them up before the merge because it was boring.
That list of contestants only lists 19 players. I wonder if someone got left off by mistake or if someone dropped out right away.
I’m not offended by dividing the teams initially by race - it’s just as valid as using, say, hair color. It’s not like any team would have a natural advantage over any other. But what really bothers me is the trend toward increasing the pool of players. 20 is too many!! Sheesh.
Good Lord. Twenty players? It’s gonna take me weeks to figure out one fake boob-job from another!
Yeah, it’ll probably be only the first 2 or 3 episodes. They may even kick off several players at once like they’ve done before.
What might make it interesting is if there is race loyalty after the tribes merge, just like there was “age loyalty” when they split people up by age.
I just want to say nothing more than to boast that I was in the Cook Islands last year, so there. Wonder which island they will be on?
An interview I’ve seen with Probst also suggests he thinks people will be cheering for players based on race too. This looks like a car-wreck not to be missed…
I’d be a bit careful about believing anything those guys say. Burnett knows that controversy is good for the show, so they’ll be right there fanning the flames. Hey, I got duped enough to start this thread because of the “controversy”! 
Just googled it: Aitutaki, which is the second most developed island in the chain. And is lovely, by all accounts, though I didn’t make it - but when you’re watching it, don’t be fooled by any claims that it’s deserted: just remember that it’s actually pretty civilised - population 1,800 people, an airstrip, several hotels, restaurants, post office, police station, several roads, and a hospital.
Holy Crap! (pun intended). They’re going to crucify the losers! First seperate them by race, then bring in the religion angle!
This is going to be good!
Here is the CBS link for anyone who is interested.
Are those supposed to be the Hispanics in the back, left? Hard to tell…
I’m guessing yes. But only because of the big guy.
The guy second from the left in the back looks like Aquaman (Entourage).
Hey, he does!
What I find more horrifying, even, than the fact they’re dividing by race is the fact that *13 out of 20 *contestants are from California, and only one is not from either the East or West Coast! So I guess the rest of the country – that big filler in the middle there – really doesn’t exist?
Ugh. I’ve dropped off the Survivor bandwagon as it is, but this makes me even less likely to watch. If nothing else, I can only imagine how many times we’re going to hear a varation on the following statement:
“We really need to (accomplish goal) because those (other races) think that (our race) (stereotype), but we’re going to prove that really (our race) is (more positive stereotype).”
GAH! I’m irritated already.
That is correct. 
I’ve never been disappointed in a Survivor yet. It’s the only Reality show I watch, and it’s just plain good. I’m sure this one will be, too.
Don’t like it.
Inevitably, one team is going to look bad. Lazy, incompetent, dysfunctional, and/or boring…it will be fit one or all of these. And inevitably, one team is going to look really good. Strong, smart, cooperative, and exciting. The contrast will make for lots of squirming.
It will be far too easy for someone in the audience to draw dumb-ass conclusions from the results.
That’s the part that eeks me out a little bit. I hope they don’t start selecting people based on racial stereotypes; for example, all the black dudes are really large and muscular and all the Asian guys are skinny with glasses.