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“The Activist,” a CBS series that had itself become the target of online activism in recent days, is being reconfigured in response to the storm of criticism, and will now become a one-off documentary instead of a five-episode competition series. , Variety has learned.
While footage for the show’s original incarnation has already been filmed, this version of “The Activist” will be entirely new, with filming set to start from scratch.
The show, originally scheduled to premiere as a series on October 22, had faced serious heat since Usher, Julianne Hough and Priyanka Chopra Jonas were announced as hosts late last week. Social media users, bloggers and opinion writers had alluded to the competitive nature of a show meant to celebrate and encourage activism, among other concerns.
In a joint statement, CBS and its producer partners Global Citizen and Live Nation announced the format change, saying: Inspire others to do the same. However, it has become evident that the format of the advertised show distracts attention from the vital work these incredible activists do every day in their communities. The push for global change is not a competition and requires a global effort.
“As a result, we are changing the format to remove the competitive element and reinventing the concept as a special prime time documentary (the air date will be announced),” the CBS / Global Citizen / Live Nation statement continued. “It will showcase the tireless work of six activists and the impact they have in championing causes in which they deeply believe. Each activist will receive a cash grant for the organization of their choice, as was planned for the original show. “
The joint statement concludes by saying: “Activists and community leaders around the world work every day, often without fanfare, to advance the protection of individuals, communities and our planet. We hope that by showcasing their work, we will inspire more people to become more involved in solving the world’s most pressing problems. We look forward to shining a light on the mission and life of each of these amazing people. “
Global Citizen issued its own separate statement which included an apology. “Global activism focuses on collaboration and cooperation, not competition. We apologize to the activists, hosts and the activist community at large – we were wrong, ”the philanthropic organization said. “It is our responsibility to use this platform in the most effective way to effect change and uplift the incredible activists who dedicate their lives to progress all over the world.”
The concept of “The Activist” was announced in May but, with no celebrity name attached, had hardly gained attention at the time. The information on the show had not changed when the hosts were announced last week, but this time it drew attention – the wrong guy, with the competitive aspect causing anger and accusations that the ‘Using social media metrics to judge winners was tantamount to a celebration of’ click-tivism ‘.
There was considerable outcry not only against the three hosts but also against the activists participating in the show, who were not announced by the network but are known to some in the activist community after using social media to promote their causes while filming the show. Sources involved in the series claim that the participants are not beginner or junior activists but personalities already well known in their fields.
The show’s now-discontinued format had six activists representing three causes – health, education, and the environment – completing challenges to raise awareness of these issues in the first four episodes. For the fifth and final episode, three of the six activists should have been chosen (one representative from each zone) to go to the G20 summit in Rome at the end of October and meet with world leaders to personally defend their causes. Performances by well-known musicians were also reportedly featured in the climactic episode.
The documentary version should focus on the same activists but without the “challenges” or ratings.
Representatives of the network and the producing entities declined to address the creative aspects of the show’s reconfiguration, saying the practical issues of restarting production with a simpler documentary concept would be addressed after the initial word got out that criticism of “The Activist” has been heard.
Hough had previously addressed the show’s growing legion of detractors, posting a four-part post to his Instagram on Tuesday that read in part: “After the press release announcing ‘The Activist,’ I heard you say that the series was performative, promoted pseudo-activism rather than actual activism, felt deaf, like ‘Black Mirror’ / ‘The Hunger Games’, and that the hosts were not qualified to assess activism because that we are celebrities and not activists.
She continued, “I do not claim to be an activist and I wholeheartedly agree that the judgment aspect of the show has missed the mark and furthermore that I am not qualified to act. as a judge. … I don’t have all the answers yet. I have shared your concerns and mine with the powers that be, who I believe have listened. I have faith and trust in the beautiful people I have worked with will make the right choice and do the right thing to move forward. Not just for the show, but for the greater good.
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