differently. Probst conceded a slight difference, in that racial segregation was part of US history. Previous seasons have been criticized for their relative lack of diversity, with Probst saying that over 80 percent of Survivor's applicants were white. According to Advertising Age magazine, more than a half-dozen major advertisers (including General Motors and Coca-Cola) withdrew their sponsorship after hearing about the teams' division. According to a New York Times report, the decision by several advertisers (also including the Home Depot, United Parcel Service, and Campbell Soup) not to sponsor the season was made three months before its start and was unrelated to its racial format.Mad TV parodied Cook Islands'' in its twelfth-season premiere episode, which aired on September 16, 2006. The parody gave the white challengers significantly-easier tasks; a swimming challenge allowed the whites to use a canoe. A white fire-building kit consisted of gasoline and a DVD on how to make a fire; the Hispanic contestants received flint, the Asians received a matchstick, and the African-Americans received a glass of water. References External links Official CBS Survivor Cook Islands Website 13 2006 in the Cook Islands 2006 American television seasons Television shows set in the Cook Islands Television shows filmed in the Cook Islands