By John Pullano and Matt Villanueva, Editor-in-Chief and Features Editor
13 years ago, CBS brought to television one of the most unique reality shows of the 21st century: Kid Nation.
Hosted by Jonathon Karsh, CBS took 40 kids into a desert eigth miles south of Santa Fe, New Mexico to spend 40 days in Bonanza City, a 16th-century ghost town.
Once in Bonanza City, the 40 days the kids, ages ranging from eight to 15 years old, were divided into a caste system with four different classes: upper class, merchants, cooks and laborers. The children’s jobs were to revitalize the once-bustling mining town and create what the creators of the show called a “viable society.”
Each class had daily chores including making dinner, in which 10-year-old children had to behead a live chicken or clean the outhouse, which had no running water and was only available to the upper classes.
At the beginning of each episode, each class competed against each other in a challenge made up by producers to decide which team was what class position for the day.
Think this may be messed up yet? Just wait.
The show ran for one season with 13 episodes with each child receiving a $5,000 stipend at the show’s conclusion.
The only opportunity children had for making more money is if they won the “golden star” at the end of each episode worth between $20,000 to $50,000 depending on the episode.
One may ask themselves, what would a person have to do to send their eight-year-old child into the desert for 40 days to survive their own. Let us tell you.
Parents were, of course, warned of the dangers involved with allowing their child to participate. They were to sign a 22-page waiver promising they would not sue over injuries that happened upon their child- up to and including death.
The parents were also told their children would be confronted that the show was “inherently dangerous” and could expose their children to “uncontrolled hazards and conditions that may cause serious bodily injury, illness or death.”
Another section of the contract stated that CBS would not be at fault if two participants engaged in an intimate relationship and “any risks that may be associated… including, without limitation, emotional distress, illness, sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and pregnancy.”
During the show, it was recorded that a few young participants consumed bleach, one child sprained his arm and one child was burned by hot grease among other minor injuries.
After the first episodes of the show aired, CBS and its producers were investigated by New Mexico authorities looking into if the show violated any state law.
With an eerie resemblance of a more civilized version of William Golding’s classic novel “Lord of the Flies,” Kid Nation by most standards, was one of the most dangerous and traumatic things brought on my cable news.
The 40-day dystopia resulted in countless injuries, psychological trauma and an angry America. With calls to cancel the show after the five-minute trailer and the state of New Mexico investigating it immediately after it was done airing in December of 2007.
Many of the participants were victims of bullying after the airing of the reality show.
When junior accounting major Logan Caruso discovered this show on YouTube he could not believe it existed but could not take his eyes off of it.
“It should never have happened and these kids were put in ridiculous situations,” said Caruso. “But in the end, it made for great television.”
Despite the negative reviews, the timeless reality show was ranked tenth on Time Magazines “Top 10 new TV shows of 2007” and was nominated for Best Family Television Reality Show, Game Show or Documentary at the 29th Annual Young Artist’s Awards.
All 13 episodes of “Kid Nation” can be streamed on YouTube.
pullanjj18@bonaventure.edu
villanjv18@bonaventure.edu
