New Show “The Activist” Has Online Critics Fuming

As the Internet commonly does, a perfect storm of criticism and ridicule is heading for a new target. This time it is CBS and their new reality show entitled “The Activist.” 

The premise of the show is simple. Six activists enter the competition looking to champion change towards health, education, or the environment. In order to promote their cause, the contestants create a campaign full of digital media content and events. 

Their campaigns are then assessed based on social media engagement and the decisions of the show’s three judges, namely Usher, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Julianne Hough.

The winners go to Rome for the G20 Summit, where they will meet world leaders and attempt to raise money for the cause they promote.

The series is set to run for five weeks, beginning October 22nd. Nevertheless, an online backlash has already been swift.

Actress Jameela Jamil took to Twitter and responded to the announcement, saying, “Couldn’t they just give the money it’s going to take to pay this UNBELIEVABLY expensive talent and make this show, directly to activist causes? Rather than turning activism into a game and then giving a fraction of the much needed money away in a ‘prize…?’ People are dying.”

Toronto-based nonbinary rapper DijahSB also tweeted mocking the show’s concept, writing, “your plan to defund the police did not receive enough tik tok likes on your video explaining why. please pack your things and leave activist island.”

Hong Kong journalist Yuen Chan perhaps put the collective frustration most succinctly when she tweeted, “As activists are jailed, maimed and killed around the world, this is grotesque.”

So far, the show is still set to premiere on October 22nd.