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Gay Men Aren't the Castaways on Shipwrecked
by Matthew Weiss, October 19, 2006
It's been awhile since gay men have triumphed on reality TV. There have been 11 seasons of Survivor since Richard Hatch took home $1 million, proving that a gay man can outwit, outlast and outplay all others. There have been six seasons of The Amazing Race since married couple Chip and Reichen proved you don't have to be straight to win a race around the world. Marcellas didn't last too long on Big Brother: All Stars, and Tom and Terry (the gay couple on this season's Amazing Race) were eliminated after four episodes. Heck, even Brad, the gay fashion designer on this season of Survivor, has yet to come out on the show. And TV's biggest reality hit, American Idol, has never even had an openly gay contestant. So, where can one turn for a good dose of gays ruling the reality waves? Why, jolly old England , of course! Well, you don't have to literally go to England. All you have to do is tune into BBC America, which is airing the addictive Shipwrecked, a reality show that hasn't yet caught on in the United States. Unlike most American reality shows that eliminate a contestant each week, Shipwrecked adds a new cast member each episode — basically, it's the nicer version of Survivor. The setup is simple: Two tribes live on nearby separate islands, and each week a new castaway arrives. That person spends three days with each tribe, then decides which tribe they would like to join. After six months, the tribe with the most members splits a huge cash prize. There are no competitions. There is no eating of bugs (the castaways are provided with food and alcohol each week). And there are no unattractive people on either island. All the participants are between 18–23 years old, and they're all friggin' gorgeous! That's the first reason to tune in. The boys (and the girls) on this show are to die for, straight or gay, and they cover all types and all personalities. Crawford and Chris Brain are walking Abercrombie & Fitch ads. Aside from the sexy accents, they are chiseled to the bone. Then there's Kevin, the bad boy, macho man who sometimes shows his sensitive side. There's Rich, the rocker; John, the barrister; and Sam, the club boy. On Tiger Island, there is a lesbian castaway, Charlie Freeman. And then there are the gay guys. Yes, that is guys, plural, something you probably wouldn't see on an American show. Americans like their one “token” gay. That's enough for them. But not on Shipwrecked. On Tiger Island, we have Chris Baddoo. He's quiet and sneaky, and if this were Survivor, my money would be on him to win. Everyone loves this young man who could give Nicole Richie a run for her money in skinniness. He's one of the most level-headed of the crew and is quick to cut through the drama. |
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