Notable activist, humanitarian, and Nobel Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu is one of many calling for the end of NBC’s brand new reality TV show Stars Earn Stripes.
The show stars celebrities Dean Cain, Nick Lachey, Terry Crews, boxer Laila Ali, and Sarah Palin‘s husband Todd Palin alongside inactive military personnel competing in military-inspired challenges.
The show, hosted by former NATO Allied Commander Wesley Clark, premiered last night and was immediately slammed by critics who claim the show is glorifying military practice.
Ratings for the show proved to be surprisingly low for a series premiere, peaking at just over five million viewers – less than TNT’s Major Crimes and the series finale for The Closer.
Tutu signed a letter to NBC urging the network pulled the show for “trying to somehow sanitize war by likening it to an athletic competition.” A number of prominent activists also signed the letter, including Jody Williams, Mairead Maguire, Shirin Ebadi, Jose Ramos-Horta, Adolfo Perez Esquivel, Oscar Arias Sanchez, Rigoberta Menchu Tum and Betty Williams.
NBC has since released an official response saying, “This show is not a glorification of war, but a glorification of service.” There appear to be no immediate plans to pull the show.
Watch a trailer for Stars Earn Stripes below:
http://youtu.be/0OlFNqpB63g
