Jul 09, 2004  |  By: Keith Boykin  | COMMENTS     

I’VE NEVER BEEN a big fan of reality TV. I watched one or two seasons of “The Real World,” the final episode of the first season of “Survivor,” the first episode of “The Apprentice,” and the final episode of the most recent “American Idol.”

That’s pretty much the extent of my reality TV knowledge. So imagine my surprise when I discovered that I had been selected to participate in a new reality TV show on Showtime called “American Candidate.”

The new show, hosted by Montel Williams, is like “American Idol” meets politics, where ordinary Americans run in a simulated presidential campaign. I’m an openly gay candidate on the show, and I selected my partner Nathan to be my campaign manager, making us the first black gay couple on reality television.

I’m really excited about the show today, but I have to admit I wasn’t interested when I first heard about it.

A few months ago, I was already quite busy serving as the president of the board of the National Black Justice Coalition, lecturing every week on the college circuit and writing a new book on “the down low.” Doing a reality TV show was the last thing on my mind.

BUT THEN SOMETHING happened that convinced me to give up several weeks of my life to tape the show. I realized this show would offer an extraordinary opportunity to put out a progressive pro-gay message that would reach a huge audience.

It would also be a great way to get people interested in politics who traditionally have not been involved, and to force the politicians to talk about the tough issues they too often avoid.

“American Candidate” is not like any other reality show. It’s the first reality show to delve into the issues and process of politics.

Each week we have been given a specific campaign task to perform in a different state. Usually we have to give a speech and then get as many people as possible in a given city or state to vote for us within a 24-36 hour time period.

The winner becomes the “frontrunner” while the loser faces elimination.

We started in our hometowns, moved to New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Virginia and then New York.

Each time I’ve managed to survive, but each week the competition has gotten more competitive. And as each week passes on the show, the chance of elimination grows higher.

THE CANDIDATES ON the show come from all parts of the country and represent a wide range of political perspectives from conservative to liberal.

I’m a pro-gay progressive representing a viewpoint that is rarely heard in politics and providing a voice for gay men, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people.

While some of the other candidates have well-organized movements behind them that can mobilize thousands of people, I don’t have a well-funded machine behind me.

And while several candidates have outspoken views against gay civil rights, I support full civil rights for gay men and lesbians. That’s why I’m in this campaign, and that’s why I want to get GLBT people involved as well.

I support marriage equality, hate crimes laws and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. But I also want to talk about jobs, health care, affordable college education and the war in Iraq.

I don’t want these important political issues discussed without our voice represented. This show is our chance to be heard.

“American Candidate” will reach millions of Americans when it debuts Aug. 1 on Showtime, and it provides an incredible opportunity to educate the world about our community and our issues.

It’s going to be a long tough campaign, but I really believe it’s going to make a positive difference for the country and for gay people.

With the help of GLBT people, we can have a voice on this forum and show the world that our vote counts, too.