The First Black Winners Of 10 Popular Reality Competitions
Most reality TV shows make a point to have as diverse a cast as possible. As a result, finalists and winners from different races have emerged over the years. Among the numerous impressive winners, there have been a couple of Black winners, all spicing up their respective shows in their own distinct ways.
Since popular reality competition shows have plenty of seasons and lots of winners, fans might not always recall when a Black winner was crowned for the first time in each show. Nonetheless, their victories were groundbreaking as they were heartwarming. And after leaving the shows, most went on to have great careers too.
Wisconsin attorney Xavier Prather beat his closest rival, Derek Frazier, to become the first Black winner of the American version of Big Brother. The 27-year-old impressively got all nine jury votes too.
Prather's humility is mostly what made him endearing, as he always found it easy to avoid feuds. Alliances are an important part of the show too and Prather was also part of one, known as The Cookout, which proved to be quite dominant. Unlike other winners whose victories can be predicted from early on, it was hard to tell whether Prather would go far. After all, he got nominated five times on his way to victory. Luckily, all that meant nothing in the end, as fate had better plans for him.
Towery-Robinson cruised her way through Survivor: Marquesas (the fourth season) to become one among four Black winners in the intense show. Interestingly enough, she had almost given up on applying after failing to find the correct information, according to Christianity Today.
Towery-Robinson's choice to remain lowkey during the first few weeks is what worked to her advantage. She never became a target until later on, and even when she did, she still avoided any likelihood of getting kicked out by winning immunity. As part of the final two, her chances of victory looked slim since she was up against the formidable Neleh Dennis, but her likability proved advantageous as she edged out her rival by garnering 4-3 of the votes. She was 36 at the time, making her one of the oldest Survivor players to win.
The chef from Willingboro, New Jersey, defeated Ed Cotton and Angela Sosa to be crowned champion in the finale. He would go on to open a chain of restaurants after that.
Sbraga's victory on Top Chef was a unique one, as he had only won one Quickfire and one Elimination Challenge. Nonetheless, he stood above his competitors because of his penchant to not follow the rules. Sbraga preferred to cook meals his own way, and while this habit led to clashes at times, it did benefit him in the long run, as the spotlight shifted to him.
The California couple became the oldest team to win Amazing Race as their average age was 45 at the time of victory. Chip and Kim were also the first-ever teammates to win without using the "Flash Forward."
One smart decision in the final leg is what granted Chip and Kim their victory. The observant Kim quickly realized that a Dallas flight had been delayed and advised Chip to book the last ticket on the next flight. As a result, they ended up having a 20-minute lead, which made it impossible for other teams to catch up. They were also part of one of the fiercest Amazing Race rivalries, where they constantly clashed with Kami and Karli French. Regardless, they easily got the better of the twins because they could read clues better.
The Cameroonian-American performer was colorful enough to be the first-ever winner of RuPaul's Drag Race. Regrettably, she was the only winner to walk away with $20,000, as the prize money was increased after that.
Benet's experience came in handy as she had been doing drag since 2001. There was no fumbling on her part and all her moves were executed perfectly. Looking good is also a great component of the show and Benet also had some extremely impressive costumes. When Benet was crowned the winner, it was hardly surprising, as she had been dominant all along.
Interestingly, Colon performed the Fleetwood Mac song "Landslide" in the finale of The Voice season 1 and ended up winning by a landslide victory. He received a Universal Republic recording contract though he later chose to end it.
The signs of victory were always there from the start, as he had been the only contestant to get approval from all four judges during the blind auditions stage. In Team Adam, Colon also had the highest score, proving that he did indeed mean business. Unfortunately, Colon's career never quite took off after his time on the show.
The former American football running back isn't considered one of the best Dancing In The Stars winners, but he had his moments. Smith had model and TV host Cheryl Burke by his side, with the two doing the samba all the way to the finale. The duo had matching scores with Mario Lopez and Karina Smirnoff but managed to win the fan vote.
Instead of trying to adapt to the quick-flowing moves that most contestants prefer, Smith always slowed things down, enabling him to get everything right. He has great coordination with Burke too, so much so that when he had the chance to return to All Stars, he still selected her as his partner.
Studdard not only became the second winner on American Idol after Kelly Clarkson, but he also received a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Male R&B Vocal Performance" in the same year. Apart from singing, Studdard also doubles as an actor.
Studdard placed himself in a good position to win by endearing himself to music legends. Luther Vandross, Lionel Richie, and Gladys Knight all showered praises on him. He was also very receptive to criticism and improved on his weak areas almost immediately. After his victory, Alabama Governor Bob Riley declared March 11 as "Ruben Studdard Day, according to TV Fanatic.
It didn't take too long for there to be a Black winner in Hell's Kitchen, as Rock shined all the way to the finale in the third season. As part of his prize, he was given a job at the Terra Verde restaurant, Las Vegas, with a whopping $250,000 salary.
Rock was defined by his good-heartedness, a trait that made him very likable. Even though he had outbursts of anger on some occasions, he would reconcile with whoever he disagreed with very quickly. Being consistent also helps and Rock rarely made a bad meal, earning praise and admiration from the normally ruthless Gordon Ramsey. He was also a great leader, guiding the blue team through many challenges.
After 11 seasons, Project Runway finally had its first Black winner. For her victory, Streeter was awarded a $150,000 cash prize and a 2014 Lexus IS 350, as well as an opportunity to do a photoshoot for Marie Claire magazine.
Streeter blew the judges away by taking them all the way back to the past. Describing her work as the “Retro Redux” collection, she incorporated both fashion elements from the '60s as well as modern ones. Streeter was very outspoken, a trait that made it easier for both the judge and the audience to understand what she was all about.
Source: Screenrant
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