2 posts tagged “china”
Tonight on Survivor the players had a “reward challenge” that would take them to the 1500-year-old Shaolin Temple -- where legend has it that Bodhidharma gave birth to both Zen as we know it, and the martial art of kung fu. (See here for more about this.)
Whoever would win the challenge would “enjoy a kung fu demonstration, a vegetarian meal, and [get to] spend a night in the temple.” It would be, said host Jeff Probst, “an opportunity that very few people will ever experience.”
Contestant Peih-Gee won the challenge and got to bring two others, choosing quiet, near non-entity Erik, and the mulleted and sweet lunchlady Denise, who just so happens to be a black-belt-to-be.
After taking a ride on a private jet where they enjoyed pistachios and champagne, the survivors arrived at Shaolin, where they were welcomed by two monks. Then, there was the kung fun demonstration, which, all told, really looked a lot like breakdancing -- all the way down to one monk’s undeniable mastery of “The Worm.”
After the veggie meal, the survivors slept in a temple room, and the challenge ended soon after. “Best challenge ever,” concluded Peih-Gee. And Denise got enough inspiration from the Shaolin visit, she reported, that she had enough strength to happily play the game til the very end. (If someone there should win a million dollars, it's her. She's the worst horse in the race.)
So there was plenty of kung fu. But where was the Buddhism? Where were the Dharma-Burgers? Were was the product placement for Zen Liqueur?
Any trace of Dharma was pretty much absent, actually, excepting a single shot of a monk meditating, and the overall atmosphere of the temple.
Too bad. Apparently Survivor producer -- and all-around reality-TV mastermind -- Mark Burnett hasn’t been reading The Worst Horse.
(See our report on Survivor China’s premiere here.)
Whoever would win the challenge would “enjoy a kung fu demonstration, a vegetarian meal, and [get to] spend a night in the temple.” It would be, said host Jeff Probst, “an opportunity that very few people will ever experience.”
Contestant Peih-Gee won the challenge and got to bring two others, choosing quiet, near non-entity Erik, and the mulleted and sweet lunchlady Denise, who just so happens to be a black-belt-to-be.
After taking a ride on a private jet where they enjoyed pistachios and champagne, the survivors arrived at Shaolin, where they were welcomed by two monks. Then, there was the kung fun demonstration, which, all told, really looked a lot like breakdancing -- all the way down to one monk’s undeniable mastery of “The Worm.”
After the veggie meal, the survivors slept in a temple room, and the challenge ended soon after. “Best challenge ever,” concluded Peih-Gee. And Denise got enough inspiration from the Shaolin visit, she reported, that she had enough strength to happily play the game til the very end. (If someone there should win a million dollars, it's her. She's the worst horse in the race.)
So there was plenty of kung fu. But where was the Buddhism? Where were the Dharma-Burgers? Were was the product placement for Zen Liqueur?
Any trace of Dharma was pretty much absent, actually, excepting a single shot of a monk meditating, and the overall atmosphere of the temple.
Too bad. Apparently Survivor producer -- and all-around reality-TV mastermind -- Mark Burnett hasn’t been reading The Worst Horse.
(See our report on Survivor China’s premiere here.)
Want the absolute very first pop-/Dharma run-down on the premiere of Survivor China?
Check out the Horse -- right here! -- to see it.
...it was posted just relative moments after the show ended.
Weigh in!
Check out the Horse -- right here! -- to see it.
...it was posted just relative moments after the show ended.
Weigh in!
