Amazing Race 13, episode 6: Delhi, India is hard work {Gadling}

Nov 9th 2008 9:54PM Hi,

I just finished watching Amazing Race, New Delhi.

I appreciate the efforts of the crew members to increase the cultural awareness amongst its audience.

But I must say that I felt the 'depiction' of certain Indian cultural aspects very outrageous, out-of-context, ridiculous and personally offensive.

Just imagine an Indian show showing amazing race in the US and showing
a) Only Amish townships; only true customs -right?
b) Beggars on the streets of NY: only true situation-right?
c) New Orleans drunk flashers -only true customs -right?
d) People pissing on the lonely streets of some Bronx neighborhood.

All of this could be true but the USA is way bigger and greater than 'one-angled' depiction and some 'out-of-context' lens.

For e.g.
a) The 'Holi' depiction shown was presented very brutally. One of the participants calls this as '...[celebration by] "morons"...' Do you think Indian people who have celebrated a decent aspect of Holi would 'consider it as an honest representation'?
b) The guy who was pointing the participants to the 'lighting Ganesha' shop was shown spitting after he talks to a pair of participants. I know how offensive spitting is considered in the US. Would it not be interpreted as 'spitting on the boys'? But he was just one actor performing the act he was paid for. Who by the way acted very stupid and weird.

There are some other aspects that were very very subtle and not totally 'realistic'.

What did the producers of the show achieve?
Showing that Holi is very brutal and celebrated by a bunch of morons? Showed that electric wires [and system] are all messed up? The traffic was very chaotic? etc. etc. Do you think it would leave a "positive" impression on the viewers mind? What 'larger good' would it achieve apart from some titillating 'entertainment'?

I found some of the aspects very offensive and unacceptable and I was more hurt than entertained!

One could have achieved the entertainment part by showing mixtures of "better" versus "less better" part. Beautiful parts of Kerala, advanced Bangalore, etc. Sometimes just being 'truthful in a show' is not enough one has to be impartial and show both the sides of any 'culture'. I don't think it was achieved. I protest some of the aspects as an Indian.

Thank you.
I hope you will dare to present this blog.