In the first season of The Amazing Race, eleven teams from all over the United States set out on a race around the world in hopes of finishing first to receive a prize of one million dollars. “The world plays host” to these teams as they embark on their journey dealing with the stress of traveling together while also being presented with tasks and challenges with limited resources and without the help of technology (Phil Keoghan). Each team of two encounters challenges and a sense of realization with difference in race, culture and strategy. “Brains, brawn, and teamwork” must be combined in just a way that will get them through what they are faced with on each leg of the race (Phil Keoghan). The journey itself affects each of the contestants’ lives by the end of the show by transforming their view of other races, cultures and even themselves. Successfully completing each mission requires teams to negotiate encounters with racial and ethnic “Others” in this season of The Amazing Race. By looking at the primary meaning of race we can analyze these representations in the context of media and reality television.
The primary reason for race in season one of The Amazing Race is to show contrasts and how different races act as human beings individually and in comparison with the “Other”. As noted by Hall, “The marking of difference is thus the basis of that symbolic order which we call culture” (236). The show constructs whiteness and American-ness as the superior race in comparison to the natives of each country. When the contestants are guests in the foreign countries, they act as though they are entitled to high level of respect and special treatment. An example of this mindset is when Emily and her mother, Nancy, get upset in India when they are not given the first cab and direct assistance from bystanders. Frustrations are seen with many of the contestants in these types of situations when under stress of the competition. Differences within each race become obvious when confrontation and hostility provide an outlet for contestants to release internal stress from present challenges. Emily’s outburst in India supplements this point of tension. Emily calls an Indian man “stupid” when she is trying to communicate with him because he cannot understand her. Racial difference is seen in the show when the contestants visit countries where there is a language barrier and skin color is different from some of the players. General assumptions about people that speak and look different from the Americans are challenged by unexpected similarities. Even if it’s as simple as Zambian villagers knowing a few English words to lead them to the Songwe Museum in their small village or as complex as playing cards with Indian men on a train ride to New Delhi, the contestants are surprised and joyful for these similarities and gained comradery.
Races included in the show are Caucasian (white), African-American (black), Asian-Indian and Asian. While watching this season, we noticed that there are quite a few races not represented. The cast only represents two races within a country that prides itself on multi-cultural foundations. It would have been a more diverse group if races such as American- Indian, Asian American and other such nationalities had been represented. This aspect of the show can be seen as limited because of the lack of diversity among the Americans but it can be said that the groups did have a lot of diversity amongst personalities.
This show not only challenges the contestants to deal with other races, cultures and gender differences but also dealing with stress due to having limited resources and being forced to deal with rapid change in environment. Adapting to new environments at the drop of a hat adds to the culture shock aspect of the show, which is often hard for teams to deal with mentally. The filming crew will often tape shots of the culture to show the audience a better idea of what it is actually like in the countries. An example of this is showing two dogs fighting on the side of a rural street. This cultural exposure helps the viewer sympathize with the contestants and their journey through foreign cities and societies.
Races were represented in all different ways throughout the course of the first season. Each team acted many different ways in the course of the race that both fit and broke stereotypes of their race. An example of when a stereotype is withheld is when Frank acts out in intense rage towards his partner Margarita and embodies the brutal black buck character that Bogle talks about in his article, “Black Beginnings: from Uncle Tom’s Cabin to The Birth of a Nation”. Norms of stereotypes are broken when Karyn loudly dictates what happens within her group in contrast to the soothing gospel nature of Janine Payne in Tyler Perry’s show House of Payne that aired on TBS.
Race was treated differently when it came to the native people of each country. The people of European countries were conveyed as faithful and serious, people of Africa were seen as tribal and simple, and the people of Eastern countries were suggested to be inoffensive and holy. The people in the Eastern countries showed an eagerness to help the Americans accomplish their tasks, especially when it came to finding Chinese delicacy items in the local Hongquiao market place. The interaction relied on their trust in the Chinese interpreter helping them find each specific item: 5 beetle larva, 1 squid and 2 chicken feet. In return, the contestants showed their gratitude with monetary compensation for their help in translating the Mandarin grocery list given for this challenge. The contestants’ immediate compliance in this situation reflects hooks’ words; “Within commodity culture ethnicity becomes spice, seasoning that can liven up the dull dish that is mainstream white culture” (hooks, 21). On the other hand, Europeans were not as willing to help the contestants when they were approached on the streets for help and directions. There was less opportunity to “eat the ‘Other’” in these situations because of the closeness in culture and race these two groups have with one another (hooks).
Each pit stop along the race was decorated and treated in a way that reflected the country’s values and symbolized their culture. The greeters at each station were dressed in accordance to stereotypical American views of their particular country’s societal trends. When the contestants arrive at the pit stop at the Taj Khema Hotel in India, the greeter is dressed in a red and gold silk embellished sari and give them the traditional red marking on the contestants foreheads. The greeters at the station spoke to the contestants in a heavy accent or in the native language of the particular country. Contestants seemed to enjoy and appreciate this ritual-like welcoming at the end of their treacherous legs of challenges. During this welcoming, gifts were sometimes offered; tea was offered at the pit stop in Thailand, which is a large part of Thai culture. The challenges are also reflective of the country’s individual culture. Every single challenge is constructed to display specific, fundamental aspects of how societies function. This is explicitly demonstrated in India when contestants must re-enact the serene, calming ritual of monks walking through a valley of tigers to retrieve their next task. They don the traditional red clothing of the monks to further embody the experience as a whole, as well as the physical appearance of the monks to avoid disturbing the tigers.
These representations manifest through narrative when interactions are seen between the contestants and the natives of the visited countries. Many times that interaction is through dialogue in the countries where there is a language barrier. Differences and similarities are exposed through the exchanges that occur when travelers must communicate with the natives in that country. Translators or those who speak English become more valuable to the contestants in these types of situations. If a translator is not available, using gestures, symbols, and books are helpful in representing their message. This type of exchange is often seen when contestants need to get from one place to another. Taxi drivers, airline attendants, and ticketing agents must deal with getting a message across in alternative ways when direct dialogue is not an option. Civilians on the street are also interacted with when directions or a translator is needed. The contestants that are multi-lingual have an advantage over those who only know English. Joe and Bill are at an even higher advantage because they lived in Paris and had the opportunity to immerse themselves with other European languages.
Style manifests representation in the form of reality TV. Although this show is edited before being aired, a large portion of what is shown are examples of the real and pure emotion felt when dealing with these exciting moments of interaction. The contestants as well as the natives feel frustration, anger, relief and competitiveness while trying to accomplish the task at hand. Natives are sometimes not willing to help the competitors because of lack of interest and annoyance with their American-ness. Reality TV seems to be the best way to translate this type of competition because it shows a raw version of human nature when put in circumstances in dealing with the “Other”. Dramatic highs and lows are captured through this type of unscripted documentation in a way that no other medium can. Churchill’s statement that “The cinematic depiction of indigenous peoples in America is objectively racist at all levels” (167) is challenged by the style of reality TV. This statement may be true in terms of scripted cinematic productions but the nature of this reality TV show breaks down the racist representations by showing that diversity is a fundamental aspect of global synergy.
Through these representations of race we gained appreciation for differences and realized that ideology is seen not only as white over black but American over the “Other”. In support of this realization, respect is shown by the contestants. Margarita displays this respect externally by using her scarf as a sari-like head covering to show her genuine effort to assimilate into the Indian culture where it is common practice for women to cover their heads. Race and ideology are not key focuses to team members when making alliances within the group of contestants because intelligence and strategy become more important qualities. Whether black or white, people value the internal strengths in this type of strategic competition. These strengths are based on intelligence and communication skills as well as the ability to adapt quickly to new environments. Once the competition got too close and the teams became fearful of elimination, the alliances between teams broke down and it was every man or woman for him or herself. Team Guido takes this to the next level when they try to sabotage other teams from getting on their flight to Rome. They block the entrance to the security check-point in the airport so that the teams may miss their flight.
In some situations, race and ideology mean that the “Other” is either better or worse. In the more impoverished countries, the contestants are idealized by the natives and viewed as having celebrity status, which entails having more money and power. The idea that “Ideologies are internally coherent ways of thinking” (Lull, 13) clarifies how race is constructed in the real world. An example of this is when the challenge at hand leads the players to India. Almost every time a contestant is out in the public, children on the streets and in the slums beg the Americans for money. This is hard to deal with for many of the contestants, especially Emily and her mother, Nancy, who become extremely affected by the culture shock leading them to have an emotional breakdown. Other challenges with differences are not only visible within interactions with the natives but also with other contestants of The Amazing Race.
Other identity traits represented are males and females, homosexuals and heterosexuals, various ages, occupations, monetary statuses and religions. Each team relationship is personal and affects how the teams work individually and together. Differences in monetary status give some teams their motivation for winning while solely the experience of the journey is motivation enough for other teams. Monetary status is also reflected in contestants’ prior travel experience especially when it comes to Bill and Joe. Gender plays a role in each team when they are faced with physical challenges that usually are taken on by the male on the team. Masculinity is represented through being a leader and taking on roles that require physical strength and strategy. Feminine roles are represented by attempts in clear communication and reasoning skills. When it comes to driving, the male or elder role takes on the task of being driver while the female or youth role takes on the responsibility of navigator. The taking on of these roles reflects what the norm tends to be in American culture. Success is accomplished when identity differences are put aside and contestants focus on their strengths and weaknesses in accordance to undertaking challenges.
These traits relate to the show’s construction of race by forcing the viewer to see each race represented in a certain way. Sometimes the show’s constructions are positive and sometimes the constructions are negative. The main reason that identity traits are present is to show similarities, differences, and realizations of relationships with the “Other”. Gained relationships and interactions with differences allow the travelers in the race to not only have an external, physical journey, but also an internal realization of their identity and their purpose in the larger sense of the world. Whether The Amazing Race realizes this or not, they are constructing race and other identity traits to show differences within groups of people all over the world. In this journey, views of the “Other” are transformed through the acceptance of differences. A change is evident in the contestants from who they are in the first few episodes in contrast to the last few episodes. Those who get eliminated early on do not have the opportunity to get this kind of exposure and ability to evolve.
Through this exploration of the show The Amazing Race, we can deduce that success is aided in part by the acceptance of difference and the indulgence of the “Other”. Challenges encountered throughout each team’s journey present them with the opportunity to negate narrow-minded, selective views of other races and cultures. These obstacles challenge the contestants to push their personal limits and in turn, change their personal views of themselves in the context of the world. The Amazing Race lends itself to a realization that all races are “Amazing” rather than having just one “Amazing” race in the form of American-ness. This season is a positive addition to popular culture and media because it exposes a large audience to the “Other” and how cohesion between many different cultures is a progressive act in the expansion of understanding global dynamics. As Dyer explains, “The myriad minute decisions that constitute the practices of the world are at every point informed by judgments about people’s capacities and worth, judgments based on what they look like, where they come from, how they speak, even what they eat, that is, racial judgments” (1). This exposure for the targeted American audience can help develop broader views of the importance of global differences beyond the American border.
Bogle, Donald. "Chapter 1." Toms, Coons, Mulattoes, Mammies, and Bucks: an Interpretive History of Blacks in American Films. New York: Continuum, 2001.
13. Print.
Churchill, Ward, and M. Annette. Jaimes. "Fantasies of the Master Race: The Cinematic Colonization of American Indians." Fantasies of the Master Race: Literature, Cinema and the Colonization of American Indians. Monroe, Me.: Common Courage, 1992. 167. Print.
Dyer, Richard. "Chapter 1: The Matter of Whiteness." The Matter of Images: Essays on Representation. London: Routledge, 2002. 1. Print.
hooks, bell. "Chapter 2: Eating the Other, Desire and Resistance." Black Looks: Race and Representation. Boston, MA: South End, 1992. 21. Print.
Hall, Stuart. "Chapter 4: The Spectacle of the 'Other'" Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London: SAGE Publ, 2011. 236. Print.
Perry, Tyler, prod. "With Friends Like These." House of Payne. TBS. 22 Apr. 2009. Television.
WORD COUNT: 2563
Paige Brulatour, Lauren Stern, Michael Martindale, Ben Velzen
13. Print.
Churchill, Ward, and M. Annette. Jaimes. "Fantasies of the Master Race: The Cinematic Colonization of American Indians." Fantasies of the Master Race: Literature, Cinema and the Colonization of American Indians. Monroe, Me.: Common Courage, 1992. 167. Print.
Dyer, Richard. "Chapter 1: The Matter of Whiteness." The Matter of Images: Essays on Representation. London: Routledge, 2002. 1. Print.
hooks, bell. "Chapter 2: Eating the Other, Desire and Resistance." Black Looks: Race and Representation. Boston, MA: South End, 1992. 21. Print.
Hall, Stuart. "Chapter 4: The Spectacle of the 'Other'" Representation: Cultural Representations and Signifying Practices. London: SAGE Publ, 2011. 236. Print.
Perry, Tyler, prod. "With Friends Like These." House of Payne. TBS. 22 Apr. 2009. Television.
WORD COUNT: 2563
Paige Brulatour, Lauren Stern, Michael Martindale, Ben Velzen