Stephen Colbert tore into a TV producer’s “dystopian” plan to create a reality show for immigrants seeking U.S. citizenship, claiming it sounds “exactly like The Hunger Games.”
Producer Rob Worsoff, best known as the mastermind of A&E’s Duck Dynasty, floated the idea in a 35-page pitch that he said had been co-signed by the Department of Homeland Security, claims the agency later denied.
In the proposed series, called The American, contestants would travel around the country and compete in state-specific challenges before the winner eventually becomes a citizen on the steps of the U.S. Capitol Building.
“Along the way, we will be reminded what it means to be American—through the eyes of the people who want it most,” Worsoff’s pitch read.
While introducing the segment to widespread boos on Monday’s edition of The Late Show, Colbert said, “All right, calm down. I know that sounds dystopian, but to be fair, that’s how citizenship has always worked.
“In fact, my great-grandfather actually won the first season of So You Think You Can Dig the Erie Canal.’”
Worsoff, who was born in Canada, previously defended the idea and said: “As an immigrant myself, I am merely trying to make a show that celebrates the immigration process, celebrate what it means to be American and have a national conversation about what it means to be American, through the eyes of the people who want it most.”
On learning of the producer’s heritage, Colbert quipped: “Wait, a Canadian came up with the idea for this? Well, I guess some immigrants really do make this country… Worsoff.”
In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlin Collins last week, Worsoff said his intention was to “put a face to immigration” and elaborated on his ideas for the show.
“My dream is to do every episode in a different state, where we will celebrate that state,” he explained. “The challenges would be like if we’re in New York, we’re doing a pizza-making challenge, and if we’re in Florida, we’re doing a rocket-launching challenge, and if we’re in California, we’re doing a gold rush challenge.”
Colbert interjected: “And if we’re in Nebraska we’re doing… Nebraska things, which is like… being corn? I don’t know, I wasn’t born here.”
In his CNN interview, Worsoff said: “Anybody with half a brain with a critical mind thinking about this show for five seconds would of course conclude that it’s not The Hunger Games.”
“And anyone who thought about it for six seconds would say, ‘Oh wait, no, this is The Hunger Games,” Colbert fired back, describing the endeavor as a cynical ploy to exploit immigrants for entertainment.
Worsoff said he came up with the idea after President Donald Trump floated the idea of introducing a “gold card” visa for immigrants that costs $5 million.
The president, who gained legions of fans as host of a reality TV show, The Apprentice, has always placed entertainment at the heart of his brand. Worsoff’s proposal, along with Amazon’s reported $40 million licensing agreement for a documentary series about Melania Trump, shows media companies are still exploring ways to engage with the administration’s love of light entertainment shows.
The Daily Mail, who first broke the citizenship reality story last week, originally reported that Homeland Security Kristi Noam had personally supported the idea, but a department spokesperson later rejected that claim.
“The Department of Homeland Security receives hundreds of television show pitches a year,” DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to the Daily Beast. “Each proposal undergoes a thorough vetting process prior to denial or approval.”
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