Confessions of a Wannabe Princess

Survivor New Orleans
I'm not much of a reality show junkie, but I do love "Survivor." I got hooked on it during its second season when it was in Australia. I was home sick with a stomach bug, and I was too lazy to get up and change the channel. It was the episode when Michael fell into the fire. Maybe it was because I was sick, but I just lay on the sofa and cried. (I know, TMI!) I watched faithfully from that point on.

While watching tonight's finale of Survivor Guatemala, I came up with what I thought was a brilliant idea. Why not have a Survivor New Orleans? I think it's perfect! Take 16 castaways and divide them into two tribes, the "Where Y'ats" and the "Ya Mama n'Ems." Drop them off in the middle of St. Bernard Parish. The tribes will have to survive in the hurricane-ravaged area. There are plenty of opportunities for challenges. They can gut houses, stay on hold forever with insurance companies until they get a human on the line, and clear debris. The rewards would be pretty good too: Red Cross debit cards, blue roof tarps, FEMA trailers. Just like the Survivor castaways on TV have to earn fire, we could make our castaways earn certain necessities for post-Katrina life: rubber boots, respirator masks, and rubber gloves. Food is always an issue for castaways, but not for ours. There are plenty of MREs to go around! Tribal council would be held in the Super Wal-Mart parking lot amid the relief agency tents and FEMA trailers. To give this whole thing a little star power, we might want to throw in some "celebrities." Who wouldn't love to see former FEMA director Michael Brown as a castaway? That would be fun. I think we ought to have Governor Blanco in there too.

You can laugh all you want, but I think I've got something here. Perhaps I should call CBS and pitch my idea. Come on down to New Orleans!