Examines the existence of a U.S.-based reality show focusing on immigration matters.

In the realm of reality TV, Montreal-born creative Rob Worsoff might find himself booted off the show sans audience support or positive press. His brainchild, dubbed "The American," has caused quite a commotion since it made international headlines last month, most notably for the wrong reasons.

This concept brings together immigrants in the United States to partake in competitions, testing their knowledge of the society they aim to call their new home. As is standard for these types of shows, contestants would be gradually eliminated, with the victor receiving a considerable prize. The parallel drawn to dystopian series like "The Hunger Games" and "Squid Game" was swift, as critics swiftly labeled the project "crazy," "barbaric," and "depraved." Others went even further, referring to it as a "fascist state TV."

Remarkably, "The American" was presented to the United States Department of Homeland Security, led by Kristi Noem, a key government agency controlling immigration in the country, notably through the hunting of undocumented immigrants.

Preceding "The American" by a few years was the Australian documentary series "Go Back Where You Came From" (four seasons, from 2011 to 2018), which chronicled Australians forced to experience refugee life conditions. A British version of this approach to "walking a mile in someone else's shoes" recently emerged, being branded "50% humanist, 100% indecent."

Unlike what many have interpreted, it's crucial to note that "The American" would not force anyone out of the country—instead, all candidates would hold a green card, permitting permanent work and residence in the United States. While some may find the concept despicable, it's essential to understand that the show would focus on documented immigrants with the purpose of exposing the path to naturalization. Upon completion of the competition, contestants would continue living their ordinary immigrant lives.

Responding to the uproar, Rob Worsoff defends his project in an interview with "Le Devoir," stating that the news was misinterpreted by the British tabloid "Daily Mail." He asserts that comparing his project to "The Hunger Games" is ludicrous, despite the mandatory participation in the elimination game within the fictional series. Worsoff explains that the show's objective is to humanize immigration, explain naturalization steps, tell the participants' life stories, and foster discussions on what it means to be American.

"Montreal Forever"

Rob Worsoff himself is a naturalized American; he followed the entire legal process from green card to American citizenship. Reached in West Hollywood, where he's resided since the last century, Worsoff's grandparents originally immigrated to Canada to escape the Russian Empire's pogroms. Born in Montreal, all his grandparents still reside there, and Worsoff graduated in communications from Concordia University before earning a master's in television journalism at Syracuse University in New York.

"My heart is in Montreal," Worsoff shared in French during the interview. The discussion shifted between official languages—a typical Montreal situation. "I consider myself Montrealer before even considering myself Quebecois or Canadian."

Worsoff shoots in various countries, including Australia, England, Ireland, and even Canada. Specializing in reality TV shows like "The Millionaire Matchmaker," "The Biggest Loser," and notably "Duck Dynasty," which captivated hundreds of millions of viewers, Worsoff recently oversaw the pilot for BBC's series on Cirque du Soleil. Sadly for the producer, the rest of the production eluded him as he doesn't qualify for Canadian tax credits, a common scenario in the world of television and film production.

Since the release of "The American" news, Worsoff says he's received "hundreds of messages from people in the legal migration process wanting to join the competition." He refrains from divulging his own efforts at gaining backing. "I've had some positive reactions from networks and production companies."

His project on immigration has faced failure twice before, he claims, including once in Canada over two decades ago. "I aim to clarify the process for becoming Canadian or American, not just in a show that would also be entertaining."

Left-wing TV, Right-wing TV

Producers like Worsoff generally lament the criticism of their reality TV project "The American," but, particularly the political interpretation of the proposal. "My pitch contained no red or blue undertones," Worsoff explains, using the respective colors associated with Republicans and Democrats in the United States. "If you're conservative, you'd welcome a show that clearly explains how to become American and highlights the virtues of society. If you're a Democrat, a show that presents immigrants in a positive light, displaying individuals reaching their dreams of a better life, might well satisfy you."

The politicallean of media productions is a legitimate question. The cultural wars raging in the United States are now being waged in education (Harvard) and the vast world of entertainment (the Kennedy Center and the Smithsonian Institute).

Some American conservative theorists are reinterpreting the concept of cultural hegemony, borrowed from Italian Marxist Antonio Gramsci, to denounce a supposed left-wing dominance in universities, traditional media, major production centers, and artistic institutions.

The question of ideological orientation thus arises for all media productions. The division seems clear and untouchable when it comes to public affairs: Fox News is not MSNBC; here, QUB is not Radio-Canada. Fictions, however, often uphold neutral or progressive values.

Numerous contemporary productions emphasize ethnic or sexual diversity ("Euphoria," "Empathy"), feminist struggles ("The Handmaid's Tale," "Les Simone"), or criticism of capitalism ("The Wire," "Succession," "Before the Crash"). Such series have even been characterized as concentrationsof wokeness by French essayist Samuel Fitoussi.

The productions of the right are becoming rarer. "The red states are poorly served in this regard," says producer Rob Worsoff. "Their television revolves around Fox News, car races, and so on. There are exceptions of quality, like the series 'Yellowstone,' but they are rare."

Traces of this can also be found in certain military ("The Unit"), police ("Law & Order"), or judicial series, in patriotic, nationalistic, paranoid, even conspiratorial productions ("Homeland," "24"), and in creations that glorify ambition, power, and dominance ("House of Cards," "Suits").

Some analyses sort proposals by considering an implicit "code" that translates a dominant imagination in favor of order, security, merit, and individual responsibility. In this oversimplified viewpoint, "Paw Patrol" could be considered right-wing, just as "Passe-Partout" might seem left-wing...

Rob Worsoff also co-created the incredibly popular series "Duck Dynasty" almost 20 years ago, a reality show following the life of the Robertson family, the first duck call manufacturers in the United States. The patriarch, Phil, is a part-time preacher in Louisiana. Recent developments have seen the series revived on June 1, 2022, on the A&E network, even after Phil's passing on May 25th of the same year.

The immigration-focused reality TV show, "The American," could potentially find a platform within the realm of entertainment and pop-culture, as it explores the lives of documented immigrants and aims to humanize immigration while explaining naturalization steps.
Following the controversy surrounding "The American," Montreal-born producer Rob Worsoff, a naturalized American, sees an opportunity to explore the immigrant experience further through his work, addressing misconceptions and providing a platform for discussion about what it means to be American.