Donald Trump and the Department of Homeland Security have reportedly been pitched a reality TV gameshow called ‘The American’, where immigrants will get to compete for the grand prize of winning US citizenship.
Writer and producer Rob Worsoff, known for producing A&E hit reality show “Duck Dynasty,” wants ‘The American’ to “start a national conversation about what it means to be an American through the eyes of people who want it most”.
The idea is for the show to feature 12 contestants going to Ellis Island in New York City aboard a ship. The contestants would then travel around America on a train called ‘The American’ and compete against each other in different competitions while also learning about each area’s history.
Now you may be thinking that Donald Trump and the Department of Homeland Security should have more pressing issues on their hands than coming up with reality TV gameshows to humiliate help immigrants and fast-track their US citizenship, but might ‘The American’ actually turn out to be a fantastic bit of television?
I mean, the stakes couldn’t be higher really. A reality game show where the winner is literally given citizenship and sworn in as an American on the steps of the Capitol building, while the losers get sent packing back to the terrible situations in the countries that they were hoping to escape from. Imagine how badly the contestants will want to win it, and how that could play out in the relationships between them as the series progresses.
Of course, there’s the argument that it’s cruel and exploitative to have immigrants compete for US citizenship on a TV show for everyone else’s entertainment, but that’s where the ‘consolation prize’ comes into it, which includes a $10,000 Starbucks gift card. Not even kidding. This is from the article in Yahoo:
Contestants eliminated will receive a parting gift that reportedly includes a million American Airlines points, a $10,000 Starbucks gift card, and lifetime supply of 76 gasoline, the Independent reported.
Meanwhile, the winner of the show is sworn in as an American citizen on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building.
Not a bad consolation prize, to be fair. A $10,000 Starbucks gift card, a million American Airlines point, and a lifetime supply of gasoline? That’s basically the American Dream right there, so long as they aren’t instantly robbed of their winnings when they return home. There may even be Americans out there willing to trade in their citizenship for that consolation prize?!
For what it’s worth, the Department of Homeland Security have denied that they have “backed” this show, although they don’t actually say they’ve turned it down either. In fact they state “the pitch has not received approval or rejection”. You’d have to think that if it was out of the question, they would come out and directly say that.
According to MailOnline, Sofia Vergara, Canadian Ryan Reynolds and Mila Kunis are all in the running to host the show, should it be green-lit. A Colombian, a Canadian, and a Ukrainian! No coincidence, I’m sure.
If ‘The American’ does actually become a reality, it may be the moment that America as a country officially becomes a parody of itself. To be fair, I think that’s a price they’re willing to pay to create what could potentially be the most electric gameshow in TV history. Let’s see how it plays out. ‘Murica!
For the January 6 rioter who was shot dead by police days after Trump pardoned him, click HERE.
