Andy White Anthropology
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Anyone Want to Look for Another "Lost City"? I Don't

3/28/2017

12 Comments

 
From time to time I get contacted about potentially playing the archaeologist in this or that reality television production. It was flattering the first time it happened. Now I find it to be annoying.

To be clear, I'm not against the idea that professional archaeologists can do good by appearing on television. I'm an advocate of professionals engaging with the public and being part of the conversation about what archaeology is and what we do and do not know about the human past.  A quick look at the proliferation of pseudo-archaeology online and on TV will tell you that our de facto strategy of non-engagement hasn't worked particularly well. We need to be in the mix.

So, sure, if the right project comes along I'm open to it.

Last week I got an email "reaching out because we’re currently working on an adventure show and we’re looking to cast an archaeologist, anthropologist, or adventurer." 

The email explained that they were going to look for another "lost city," in a part of the world where I have no experience or expertise.

Thanks, but no thanks. What could I possible contribute to this project except an unmerited gloss of credibility because I have letters after my name?

Maybe the food and the scenery would be nice.


If you're a television producer and really want real archaeologists to be excited to participate in what you're doing, you'll have to actually do some work. Believe it or not, most of us don't want to be on television just for the heck of it. I hope that someday someone can figure out how to blend responsible archaeological science with a hook that can draw in viewers and sell enough advertising to create a good program. That would be a nut worth cracking.

Good luck finding that "lost city." I have other things to do.
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12 Comments
Jim Vieira
3/28/2017 11:59:23 am

What if Jim Vieira asked you, how could anyone say no to that. I heard he is very cool and wicked smart.

Reply
Andy White
3/28/2017 12:59:37 pm

I heard he's really high maintenance.

Reply
Greg Little
3/28/2017 02:22:11 pm

There is a production studio making a series---yes a season long series--on the Bermuda Triangle. We aren't participating in it but if you want their email and details Jim shoot me an email. They related that they hope to take it to several seasons. By the way, the Roanoke redo was pretty good. But I wished you wore the Captain America shirt.

Reply
Andy White
3/28/2017 02:32:47 pm

"The" Captain America shirt? He wore one the entire time he was in Columbia. I'm convinced there are dozens of them. Like "the" General Lee.

Jonathan E. Feinstein
3/28/2017 02:10:02 pm

Well, I don't think they actually want to find a lost city. What they want is a big question mark at the end of the show so they could then move on to a follow-up episode and then another and another. Actually finding what they are looking for might be of value archaeologically, but commercially, not as much.

Well, heck... I'm looking for a retirement career, I suppose I could lead an expedition to a part of the world where I have no experience or expertise if they are paying well enough...

Reply
Jim
3/28/2017 06:05:35 pm

Sounds like a good gig. I'm going to practice resting my chin on the palm of my hand and staring pensively.

Reply
Bob Jase
3/29/2017 05:57:17 am

Have these people never heard of GoogleEarth?

Reply
Joe Scales
3/30/2017 07:03:15 pm

Take the gig.

Reply
Uncle Ron
4/1/2017 03:43:58 pm

Joe has a point. Since we know that no "real" archaeology is going to take place - too time consuming and tedious - you could be the voice of reason with regard to methodology & procedure; possibly enlightening the public (not to mention the producers) what a real archeological expedition is all about. It doesn't matter that you don't have the requisite experience - it's those letters that are important in this situation. They get their pseudo-adventure and you get some cool travel. Just take your shots.

Once they find out that you're serious you'll be terminated anyway (as in "fired", hopefully).

Reply
Alex
4/2/2017 02:47:25 pm

you should really team up with Hutton Pulitzer or Scott Wolter

Reply
Abraxas
4/5/2017 03:25:25 am

What's kinda scary is that I don't have much confidence in the restraint of the majority, even among academics. I'd prefer to believe that most of them share your notion of responsibility, but at the same time you gotta wonder... As if the lure of TV in and of itself wasn't enough, I imagine that simply being asked is a significant ego-booster, which adds more incentive.

I admire your ethics, Andy. I can't say with 100 percent certainty that I'd do the same in my non-academic field, under similar circumstances. I'd like to think I'd be able to turn it down if I thought the end result would do more harm than good, but sometimes it's tough to think critically when you've got something that most people perceive as a reward in front of you.

Maybe that's why we see PhDs on these shows at all; because there will always be people who can't exercise that restraint, despite the profession. Even though academia holds itself to a higher standard, people are still people. Now that I think about it like that, it's easier to understand how some of these insane TV shows will always be able to get some kind of authority or expert, even if the subject matter is whack-a-doo city.

Reply
Andy White
4/6/2017 10:39:50 am

I'm sure they can find someone to put on a fedora and pretend to look for a "lost city." When I get an email telling me their looking to "cast" someone to "play" an archaeologist, I'm already done. I hope someday someone in TV land figures out how to market package actual archaeology for the public. They'd be well-advised to consult with archaeologists about how to do that rather than cooking up a big pot of crap and trying to find someone willing to wade into it.

Reply



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