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12/10/2005:

"Reality show makes contestants swap race to explore US bigotry"

...
The premise is that two families live under the same roof in the Los Angeles suburb of Tarzana and essentially swap racial identities. The Sparks family of Atlanta undergo three to five hours of make-up every day to morph from black to white, while the Wurgels of Santa Monica emerge from their own heavy treatment by one of Hollywood's top make-up artists looking plausibly black.

The series has more serious credentials than most: its producers include an award-winning reality documentarian called RJ Cutler and the actor and rapper Ice Cube. Their intent, it seems, is less sensationalist than it is deeply political. "The loud message of the show is that we are a divided nation," Mr Cutler told reporters recently. "But we can come together if we're willing to talk about our differences and work to see the world through the eyes of other people."
independent.co.uk