An activist who was approached to compete on CBS' controversial The Activist says producers don't grasp the concept of activism

The Daily Beast

The uproar over the activism reality show, made in partnership with Global Citizen, has resulted in 70 people and groups signing an open letter to CBS voicing serious concerns over the show. Alicia O’Sullivan, an Ireland-based activist and speaker who works to raise youth awareness on climate change, says she made the realization after being interviewed to compete on the show. “It's actually pretty offensive to the activism community in my opinion to shove everyone on a TV show and try and create a winner out of a situation where people are funding things like poverty, education, climate change—(causes) where people literally die every day, every minute, and every hour,” she tells The Daily Beast. “I think if they had any knowledge of the activism world, they would probably realize how grossly wrong this is.” Clover Hogan, a 22-year-old London-based climate activist and founder of the youth-geared organization Force of Nature, recounted her nightmarish interview that resulted in her bursting into tears while on the call—a reaction that was met with enthusiasm. She admits to The Daily Beast that, while it’s unlikely, she hopes the show never makes it to air. The Daily Beast's Cheyenne Roundtree reviewed the six contestants’ social media accounts, including TikTok, Twitter, and Instagram profiles. One said on Instagram: “Help me win by commenting and liking my posts through the next few missions!” Another contestant thanked his followers for donating to his GoFundMe, which went towards covering the unpaid time off he took as an elementary teacher in order to compete on the show.