They're using casting agents now?

[2ctheworld]

I agree with John. Thinking you have to go thru the whole application process on the web, and then finding out that casting agents are out there recruiting for some of the teams is enough to tick TAR fans off.

It's kinda like the first few seasons of survivor when the news came out that during competitions some of the camera shots from overhead at a far distance were re-creations so that camera crews were not seen in the shots. You begin to get a little suspicious when you hear about "re-creations".

I know from what Dave said here on FORT that every now and then they would have to stage some things like getting into cars for the camera crews. Me, I'd love to see shots that have camera crews showing up in scenes where there are multiple teams. It would give it more of a authentic feel.

[Levdrakon]

I had to have a first post sometime.

I hate the idea that to get on a reality TV show you have to be sitting around in some trendy spot in LA looking fabulous & waiting for a casting agent to "discover" you.

It's bad enough these people are already beautiful, successful & financially well off. Then someone has to run up & give them a free chance at a million bucks? :mad:

If this show gets renewed for next summer I'll probably watch it. But if a team is good looking and from LA or NY, I'm going to assume they're nothing more than a plant, which really takes the fun out of it for me.

[Zaius]

I guess you could look at this from three points of view.

Use the applications!:The first one is the potential applicant that would like to apply and enjoys playing with the idea that if they did apply they had a good chance of being picked. For those people, knowing that they will be most likely passed over for a couple of hot guys/girls sitting around in an NY/LA bar is kind of disheartening.

Use either!:The second point of view is someone that isn't necessarily interested in applying and looks at this show from a production standpoint. It's the production's responsibility to come up with a good cast, and they should be able to do it through whatever means they want. TAR draws most of its cast from applications, and they give themselves a "safety valve" through casting agents: if everyone has a horrible on screen persona, at least we're looking at beautiful people racing.

Pick one!:The third point of view thinks that the production isn't being very honest by asking for applications and still using casting agents. Making a lot of people work at filling the apps and sending them in, then accepting very few and filling spots with casting agents isn't very nice. Either do all casting agents or all applications.

Of course some points of view mix, but if you want to know mine, it's the first I really want to race in this thing!

[bostonsinclair]

i HATE to burst your bubble but casting agents work on all these shows and all the production companies - and even sometimes someone doesnt make it to the final cut on one show and then appears on another.. Forexample, the girl from Cupid was a finalist for Survivor etc.

A friend of mine who used to be a producer at Jenny Jones for example worked on casting of the exes on Big Brother.

Casting agents are the norm for all these shows - they are 'casting a show' for entertainment purposed only - THey are not looking for reality or to find love for people or to help the needy... Its all about 'characters' that they can create for exciting dramatic TV... Thats why so many people are against calling this reality - but unscipted -cuz theres not a whole lot real about any of these shows - Its the big secret thats slowly getting out.. I remember working as a publicist and amazed at some of th e thing sI witnessed behind the scenes and some of the things producers would say and do that would shock people - esp when the executives in LA would get involved... But thats the biz - Its all about the 'green' in the end - and they really dont care a rat's ass about anybody...and everyone on controversial shows - including staff signs confidentiality agreements - I know I did - but that doesnt necessarily mean you abide by them - esp if you can be quoted in a paper or tabloid as an anonymous source

[erinys]

Hate that this puts a damper on my fave team winning, but it is a little disheartening. It takes some of the magic away. I mean, I'd like to think all the TAR contestants are as big of a fan as I am, but, hey, if not, maybe they'll become one when they're done racing. I'm still a die-hard fan nonetheless. Feeling nothing but lurrrv for this show..

[Remus Lupin]

Hate that this puts a damper on my fave team winning, but it is a little disheartening. It takes some of the magic away. I mean, I'd like to think all the TAR contestants are as big of a fan as I am, but, hey, if not, maybe they'll become one when they're done racing. I'm still a die-hard fan nonetheless. Feeling nothing but lurrrv for this show..

Why do people need to be huge fans of something to be accepted for trying hard and doing well when they're actually involved in that enterprise?

A similar sort of controversy came up when diehard fans of Tolkien's The Lord Of The Rings found out that many of the principal cast were not huge fans of the books before they got cast in the films. Heck, many never even read the books or had not finished reading them. One of the actors admitted that he had never even heard of Tolkien or Lord of the Rings. Fans' disappointment over these early details was firmly squelched when they came to realize what a quality product they were receiving from the films' producers. And in the end, all the "Tolkien newbies" became avid fans as well.

In the same way, it appears all the TAR competitors have become huge TAR fans whether or not they were fans to begin with. In TAR (as with Lord of the Rings), the biggest fans have always been the producers and if we all just trust the producers to create a great entertainment product, then we can't go wrong.

[TheFlying]

I think people are *just* off the right of the real problem of this.

All reality shows use casting agents. It's not new, and I'm sure has been going on since the first TAR.

What I think should be more of an issue is that Reichen was told they were "exactly what they were looking for".

It bothers me these casting agents are looking for a lot of buff-alpha male teams. I'd have to say, they got lucky with Chip and Reichen, because I personally don't think people would find them as interesting as they are if they weren't gay. That's not a diss, just ya know, otherwise they would be another alpha male team, good racers or not.

I now expect the millions of Reichen and Chip fans to bombarde me with excuses and things like "that's not true" and everything they can come up with, but honestly, cut out every time they mentioned a gay reference or cut out their meeting at the pitstop at the 7th leg. I just doubt they would be all that more interesting than David and Jeff were.

[karalott]

I don't know how many of you watch that show Change of Heart (I don't), but I heard something from a friend of mine one day about someone who appeared on the show. The producers approached him and asked if he'd be willing to come on, and they'd fix him up with a girl and pass her off as the girlfriend. Those 2 never even met until the show, yet there was a story line that they had been dating a year and were now questioning their relationship. I've heard a lot of allegations at Survivor about things being changed and staged. I remember that girl from the first season who filed the lawsuit (can't remember her name; did that ever get settled?) who said everyone was told to vote her off. At first I thought she was being soreloser, but throughout the show's run and hearing things about other shows, now I'm beginning to wonder.
I thought the AR was above all that, and that was the reason I liked it was because it seemed real compared to all the other shows, with people who seemed like they were there because they wanted to be, not because they were recruited. I'm sure majority of people picked sent in applications (I wonder how many didn't send them in), but now I don't know what to think about my favorite show.

[TheFlying]

I personally think TAR is to stressful a thing for two strangers to do for it to be as simple as pairing people up.

We get to know all these people, and their relationships with one another, and we interview em after that. There would have to be some damn fine actors if they could pull that off being strangers and not knowing each other until the race.

[LAGuy]

I still like TAR (and Survivor), and the racers themselves, regardless of how they're found.

That said, if they're going to accept applications for these shows, they need to pick 100% of their contestants from those applications. If they're going to use casting agents, they need to pick 100% of their contestants using the agents. This pretense of accepting applications and then using casting agents for some teams is what has me pissed.

Let me say that in no way does it "taint" Chip & Reichen's accomplishment knowing that they were cast from outside the application process. And I can't imagine TAR2 without Oswald & Danny. Still, forgive me if I want to express my displeasure at the producers and the casting process.

For those who don't know, there's quite a bit of work involved in putting together an application for TAR. To begin with, each teammate has to fill out a 12-page questionaire. You have to include individual passport pictures, as well as a current photo showing both teammates together. Most importantly, you have to jointly make a 5-minute video tape talking about why you want to be on The Amazing Race. Then you package it all up, mail it -- and most likely never hear another thing. (They don't even bother sending you a "Thanks, but no thanks" letter.)

Yes, the producers have to right to cast whoever they wish. But that doesn't mean that the thousands of people who put in the effort and expense to apply for the show have to like the methods they ultimately use.

My teammate and I do hope there will be a TAR5. But we're really discouraged at the moment and are uncertain whether we will even bother doing the whole application thing again.