Reality TV shows, even in China, become politics’ training boot camps
- Tom Pauken II.
- Jun 26
- 5 min read
A new politics is emerging that’s spreading around the world and it’s “grassroots democracy,” in which politicians are expected to hold deep ties with their constituents, while confronting controversies and making tough decisions with courage and zeal. And if they make good or bad choices - they must communicate directly with those impacted by them.
Hence, Reality TV is going mainstream and for aspiring politicians, they should embrace the new age of governance. United States President Donald J. Trump set the tone. Before formally entering into the harsh glare of the political limelight, he was recognized the world over in the 1980s and 1990s as a billionaire real estate mogul, who was a born and bred New Yorker.
But his business fortunes were on the wane in the late 1990s and early years of the 21st century. He was losing big-time from costly divorces and bad casino investments. His fame was also on the decline and it seemed as if he was destined for permanent bankruptcy and to be forgotten by most ordinary Americans.
Yet everything changed after NBC (National Broadcasting Company) launched a popular TV series called, “The Apprentice,” which cast Trump as the lead character. The producers depicted Trump as a brilliant business man and he would mentor young people to embark on a similar career path.
The show was popular because viewers did not witness perfect harmony among Trump and the participants, who were contestants. The contestants were competing against each other to win over the good graces of Trump hoping that they could get hired as a senior executive for the Trump Organization.
Consequently, many cat fights had ensued, while contestants were tasked with completing business tasks assigned by Trump, while he would closely monitor their progress. And Trump was unafraid to point out their mistakes and react with angry fits when he saw them blunder.
Trump’s line, “You’re fired” had become an American pop culture slogan for the ages. Meanwhile, “The Apprentice” highlighted the strengths of the star. Americans saw Trump as a leader with gravitas, who made tough decisions and relished the stresses that would come with it.
Trump was viewed as a visionary business man with a keen eye for details, tough negotiator and remarkable problem solver. You would see contestants make huge messes and Trump would step in as a saviour to tell they had screwed up but he also told them how to fix it.
And in reality, we can also describe that as real politics at its core. Governance is not just about candidates getting elected to office just so they can enjoy having fancy titles. After elected to power, they are expected to serve as leaders and that’s not so easy.
Real politics isn’t glamorous and very few people have the skills and right character for the mission. Many politicians care only about popularity; thinking they will look impressive and heroic with a grand title, such as mayor, Congress member or senator.
Inevitably, the politicians who only care about chasing popularity get washed out. They discover that after making a few tough decisions, their friends turn into enemies and they feel isolated.
Accordingly, the best politicians are simply known as “survivors.” They get mired into storms of controversies, scandals and chaos, but still find ways to win their re-election bids and stay in power for as long as they wish.
From this framework, Reality TV programs are a great method to train future politicians, while Chinese officials are also learning from it. There’s a popular 1-hour Reality TV program, “One Step Forward,” broadcast on BRTV, a Chinese satellite channel, every Sunday evening at 9:05 pm.
I was invited as a guest, listed as a so-called “international observer” and I’m joined by a very famous host (MC - Master of Ceremonies), Ma Ding, and other Chinese-born famous professors and thought leaders. They are the best public speakers in all of China, who deliver speeches with passion and great eloquence.
The format of the show is about bringing together local community activists and representatives in a townhall to meet with their local District government officials and stakeholders to resolve a complex urban renewal dispute.
For instance, I was first invited as a guest in early May to address a dispute over apartment compound residents getting their elevator fixed. Local officials wanted to offer a generous government subsidy to build new elevator, but all stakeholders had to agree to pay into it.
Nevertheless, the building in question was a mess, since the elevators were slow, along with faulty wiring in the hallways, no lighting in the stairwells, while the parking lot basement was a toxic wasteland. The property manager had made no efforts to clean up public spaces in the apartment complex.
This episode was just about fixing an elevator, but for first three hours of filming, local residents were screaming about the terrible living conditions they had been enduring for years. Cast members, including myself, were expected to take the stage and deliver speeches to address the ongoing problems and provide suggestions for solutions.
My first speech was a fiery one as I was shouting at the smug property manager for his dereliction of duty over failing to make proper and expected repairs in the building, while keeping the public spaces safe and clean, especially for children.
Nonetheless, “One Step Forward” is not only about fights but finding a proper resolution for the complex urban renewal disputes. Cast members are expected to encourage all stakeholders to compromise and find consensus for a proper and harmonious resolution.
The final act is when rival parties stand apart and face each other at a distance. They must make a decision. Do they support the proposed solution or refuse? If they support after a suspenseful count down, they will take one step forward and start to cross a red line to shake hands with their rivals on the other side. All stakeholders are making a democratic decision here.
Meanwhile, as a guest speaker for the TV program, it’s important to highlight key matters. We are not handed scripts before filming - just an outline about the ‘dispute’ and why all parties involved are angry at each other.
Guest speakers learn crucial political skills while undergoing filming. They must get accustomed to the glare of the spotlight with the cameras rolling, as well as the audience and crew closely watching them. Each time we speak on stage we must provide either a description of the problem or offer a credible solution. Therefore, we are required to communicate effectively to point out problems and to fix them.
We have to “read the room” - know the mood of the crowd, in order to make sure they listen to us. But we must be good listeners as well, since we have to know why the stakeholders are angry and can help them change their perspective as we serve in a mediator’s role.
Accordingly, we are participating in “grassroots democracy” in China and we hope this creates a wider appeal nationwide and in politics across the globe, including in the United States.
(Tom Pauken II., author of US vs. China: From Trade Wars to Reciprocal Deal, AFAI Senior Fellow, Geopolitical Consultant based in Beijing, China)
X: @tmcgregochina
Footnotes
The Trump Organization, “THE APPRENTICE,”
WeChat, “One Step Forward,”
BRTV, “One Step Forward,”
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