Editorial note: Spoilers ahead for season four of “The Traitors US. “
“The Traitors” season four premiered last week, bringing a whole new group of reality stars and otherwise semi-famous people to Scotland to play Alan Cummings’ devilish little game. And while the new season already has fans talking about the Secret Traitor twist and what insane outfit Alan will wear next, it seems that the majority of the discourse surrounds Jewish actor and contestant Michael Rapaport.
Namely, why is Michael Rapaport on the show?!?
This conversation isn’t a new one. Michael Rapaport has long traded in making inflammatory and offensive comments, and has been accused of anti-Black racism. But ever since October 7, Rapaport has mainly caused controversy for his staunch Israel advocacy that has veered into anti-Palestinian racism and xenophobia. So, when Peacock announced Michael as a member of the cast of season four of “The Traitors” back in June, some fans of the show were immediately displeased.
“Peacock and NBC continuing to platform Michael Rapaport as he spews bigoted hateful ideology is so dangerous. I desperately need him to be the first murder #TheTraitorsUS,” one wrote on X. Others have said they would boycott the show, or refuse to watch it until Michael is banished from the castle. (If he is at all.)
Unfortunately, Michael’s behavior in the first four episodes have done little to win over anyone. So far, he’s been insufferable. Exhibit A: calling himself “the best-looking, smartest, dopest faithful Faithful” at the round table. Exhibit B: Trying to start an “If you’re a traitor and you know it clap your hands” song, also at the roundtable. He’s been disgusting, literally shoveling food off his plate and into his mouth during meals. And he’s been a subpar game player: He hasn’t particularly helped in any of the challenges, he’s felt entitled to shields and he’s impulsively turned on other Faithfuls. All while sporting a pretty big Star of David necklace. Oy vey…
So far, fellow castmate Caroline Stanbury has called him “annoying,” while Porsha Williams has said that he’s “obnoxious,” “a big fat toddler” and that he acted like “a crazy person” at the round table.
And it is, in fact, for all these reasons that Michael Rapaport is on season four of “The Traitors.” As Vulture critics Nicholas Quah and Roxana Hadidi lay out, Michael is there to be an unlikable chaos agent. Reality TV needs a wild card element to be entertaining, and Michael is as wild as they come. In Quah’s view, Michael is the show’s response to past, milquetoast contestants like former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow and Lord Ivar Mountbatten who weren’t all that interesting to watch.
Still, I tend to agree with Hadidi’s position that Michael would’ve made a much better Traitor than Faithful. “He’s generating so much heat, but in such a nonsensical way, that people can’t figure out what he’s actually trying to achieve,” Hadidi says. “I think that confusion is useful when your role is meant to be confusion but not when you’re supposed to be a Faithful creating bonds with other Faithfuls who can trust your judgment.”
Regardless of what side he’s on, I fear that the amount of confusing he’s sowing might actually keep him in the game for awhile or, dare I say, until the very end. Where are Dylan Efron and Gabby Windey when you need them?!
