"Duffy and his wife, the Fox & Friends Weekend co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy, are promoting another reality show: The Great American Road Trip, a cross-country journey to landmarks across the United States with the couple's nine kids in tow. Produced by the same studio behind The Real World, it has been framed by the Department of Transportation as a celebration of the country's 250th birthday, and is set to launch ahead of July 4."
"This plea for Americans to hit the road arrives at a moment when about two-thirds of the country blames the president for rising gas prices, and when many are concerned about the high cost of living. (The war in Iran is pushing up the cost of fuel; according to Rolling Stone's back-of-the-napkin math, taking Duffy's route across the country would require about $1,300 in gas money.)"
"Duffy was filmed intermittently over the course of seven months, during which time he was the public face of transportation crises involving debilitating staffing shortages and fatal airplane crashes. The series, which will stream for free on YouTube, is positioned as feel-good, family-focused programming. So far, though, it has mostly generated controversy."
"Duffy has said that no taxpayer money funded the show. Instead, it was paid for by the Great American Road Trip Inc., a nonprofit created last year by Tori Barnes, who hasrecently lobbied for the transportation industry. The organization's site lists as "sponsors" several companies that are regulated by DOT, including Toyota, Shell, and Boeing."
A cross-country reality show featuring Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and his wife Rachel Campos-Duffy will launch before July 4, framed as a celebration of the United States’ 250th birthday. The series follows the couple traveling to landmarks with their nine kids and is produced by the same studio behind The Real World, streaming for free on YouTube. Critics note the timing amid public blame for rising gas prices and broader cost-of-living pressures, with estimated fuel costs around $1,300 for the route. Additional concerns center on ethics, including claims that no taxpayer money funded the show while a nonprofit paid for it and lists sponsors that include companies regulated by the DOT.
#transportation-policy #reality-television #ethics-and-lobbying #gas-prices-and-cost-of-living #us-national-celebrations
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