Over the past decade, we’ve watched our share of reality TV stars enter political life. But lately, the tables have turned, with more politicians joining reality TV.
Former Emeryville City Councilmember and three‑time mayor John Bauters is the latest politician to trade his podium for the cameras. He’s currently a contestant on Fox’s reality survival show, “The Snake.”
“My name’s John Bauters, I’m 45 years old, I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area,” the former mayor says in his introductory monologue.
“I’m a politician and I’m pretty sure that I’m going to have to use some ingenuity and some of the skills I’ve picked up along the way in politics to make sure I win.”
The game relies heavily on techniques of persuasion — and even deception. The show's producers deliberately picked professionals whose work involves a degree of influence and charm.
“I’m used to having to figure out how to get votes,” Bauters explains. “I’m used to having to work people over to get them to ‘yes.’ You know, you don’t survive in politics without knowing how to read people. I read them like a book.”
John Bauters served on the Emeryville City Council for two terms (2016–2024) and was selected mayor three times. A government relations professional by trade, Bauters has also held leadership positions on the Alameda County Transportation Commission, the Bay Area Quality Management District, and the Alameda County Healthy Homes Agency. He ran for the Alameda County Board of Supervisors District 5 seat in November, but was narrowly defeated by Nikki Fortunato Bas.
Watch the trailer for “The Snake” here.