The Scholar

Here's the official blurb: 'Ten of America's brightest high school seniors compete for a full-ride college scholarship worth up to $240,000 to the college of their choice. The pressure is on for the students at the end of each episode when they face the sudden-death oral exams at the hands of the scholarship committee.' At the risk of sounding like Rigsby from Rising Damp, in my day, entrance to university was based on exam results and scholastic aptitude rather than as a prize from a television show – but I guess I'm just old-fashioned. Dangling the carrot of an education in front of people who feel they have to win a competition to get one, says as much about the barrel-scraping nature of reality TV as it does about the American educational system. You have to feel sorry for the poor sucker in the real world who was denied a place at the university of their choice to make way for the winner of this series. Watch and weep. Coming next month: A group of sick children sing and dance for a panel of judges, including Simon Cowell, and after rounds of tearful eliminations, the winner gets their life-saving operation. No, not really, but it's surely just a matter of time.

I can see how they look with extra attention whenever the black participants perform their part. just because these two judges are also black should be they be biased in the way they should judges.

There was even one time when these two judges were really fighting tooth and nail just to include the black lady participant in the question and answer portion. That was a really cheap move given that they are admission officers/advisers of some of the most prestigious universities in America.

I enjoy this show. i honestly do. But I just hate it when the cam shows these two black judges pimping their favorite candidates. grrrr....