Survival of the richest

WB reality show pairs wealthy kids with blue-collar types who struggle to make ends meet | Gene Edward Veith

Marxism is supposedly dead, but the allure of class warfare continues in the new reality TV show Survival of the Richest (WB, 8:00 p.m. ET Fridays).

The show pairs wealthy kids with blue-collar types who struggle to make ends meet. In two-person rich/poor teams, they perform "challenges" until they get voted off the mansion. The winning team will get $200,000. "That's dinner," says one rich kid. Another says, "Maybe I'll buy a watch."

The idle rich are excruciatingly snobbish, throwing off statements like these: "Hi, I'm 23, and I can probably buy your town!" "Why should I care where money comes from?" "I'm a little fuzzy on the whole work concept." With reality TV's penchant for creating stereotypes, the audience can root for the virtuous poor and enjoy watching the jetsetters wait tables, work at a homeless shelter, and clean toilets.

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April 22, 2006, Vol. 21, No. 16

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