Flirting with Wife Swap
Two years ago Evan and I received an email from the minister of our Unitarian Church. He was forwarding a request from someone whom he thought was a documentary film maker looking for families to interview regarding their beliefs and how you instilled religious values in your children and how religion is incorporated in your home.
Being the chatter, questioner and frustrated television personality that I am, I got in touch with the film maker. We had a fascinating conversation about religion in the UK, value- based decision making, how to raise children to care about others, the various cultural issues that come up raising children abroad, and how do you incorporate elements of the Jewish and Christian faith in the home. This was your basic 45 minute fun conversation with an interesting person who wanted to hear all about me and my family. I love talking about myself and my family. No wonder I loved it.
And then we got down to the nitty gritty.
She was working for a production company I had never heard of. And then I admitted I don’t watch television unless it was the children’s channels and Bob the Builder, Blue Peter, and Noddy were not on her affiliate. She told me she was a producer for Wife Swap. That meant nothing to me other than what immediately came to mind and the title was a little frightening. Was this some sort of Adult Channel? She mailed me some DVD’s of the show.
Evan and I watched Wife Swap. The kids watched Wife Swap. Evan thought we should do it. Josh, then 9, was chomping at the bit to do it, “I will be famous!” Simon, then 5, said “No way! I can’t be without you for a week.”
Two years ago Evan and I received an email from the minister of our Unitarian Church. He was forwarding a request from someone whom he thought was a documentary film maker looking for families to interview regarding their beliefs and how you instilled religious values in your children and how religion is incorporated in your home.
Being the chatter, questioner and frustrated television personality that I am, I got in touch with the film maker. We had a fascinating conversation about religion in the UK, value- based decision making, how to raise children to care about others, the various cultural issues that come up raising children abroad, and how do you incorporate elements of the Jewish and Christian faith in the home. This was your basic 45 minute fun conversation with an interesting person who wanted to hear all about me and my family. I love talking about myself and my family. No wonder I loved it.
And then we got down to the nitty gritty.
She was working for a production company I had never heard of. And then I admitted I don’t watch television unless it was the children’s channels and Bob the Builder, Blue Peter, and Noddy were not on her affiliate. She told me she was a producer for Wife Swap. That meant nothing to me other than what immediately came to mind and the title was a little frightening. Was this some sort of Adult Channel? She mailed me some DVD’s of the show.
Evan and I watched Wife Swap. The kids watched Wife Swap. Evan thought we should do it. Josh, then 9, was chomping at the bit to do it, “I will be famous!” Simon, then 5, said “No way! I can’t be without you for a week.”
The concept of the show is to take two very different families and swap the mothers. The first week the family lives under the existing rules of the house as normal, the second week the New Mother can changes the rules so they are in line with her thinking. That is when the excitement starts.
Evan, my personal cheerleader, thought I would come across wonderfully and I could use my/our 15 minutes well and help show others what a fabulous job we had done as parents and how others could incorporate values into their home as well. All I could imagine was me screaming at someone on national television and people pointing out our house saying, “that is where the obnoxious Americans who did Wife Swap live.” Yes, we might be famous but it would be for all the wrong reasons.
Then the producer called back, and called back, and called again. She was so smooth, so complimentary, so interested in having us on their show. We took it to the next step. They sent a camera crew out to see how we would look on camera.
We passed the test. “You are naturals, the camera loves you!” said the Producer. Yes, we are ready for that close up.
Now the pressure was really on. The phone calls continued. Can we do it next month? If not then, when? We have the perfect (undisclosed) family for you to swap with.
Luckily we had a well timed dinner with my brother and sister-in-law who were living in London as well and some friends of theirs. Turns out the friend had worked at the same television production house and she talked sense into us. We would have no control over anything. Whatever the most controversial argument, whenever someone lost it – that would be the 5 second clip that would play over and over to get people’s interest in watching the programme. I understand. It is all about viewers and advertising. Why would I knowingly throw myself into the milieu? If we have a message we want to get out, write a book. Do it on our own terms. Write a blog!
The producer called again. This time I was ready and gave the firm, I really mean it this time, NO.
With our upcoming adventure I have thought about what it would be like to make this into a reality television show. Maybe we could sell this to someone. Maybe it would be lucrative enough so we could extend the adventure and do that Australia piece we just can’t afford. But why? Again all I can think about is all of us losing it and yelling obscenities at each other and never being able to get paid work again.
However if Good Morning America would like to do a few interviews – we are available. We have been told that the camera loves us!
Evan, my personal cheerleader, thought I would come across wonderfully and I could use my/our 15 minutes well and help show others what a fabulous job we had done as parents and how others could incorporate values into their home as well. All I could imagine was me screaming at someone on national television and people pointing out our house saying, “that is where the obnoxious Americans who did Wife Swap live.” Yes, we might be famous but it would be for all the wrong reasons.
Then the producer called back, and called back, and called again. She was so smooth, so complimentary, so interested in having us on their show. We took it to the next step. They sent a camera crew out to see how we would look on camera.
We passed the test. “You are naturals, the camera loves you!” said the Producer. Yes, we are ready for that close up.
Now the pressure was really on. The phone calls continued. Can we do it next month? If not then, when? We have the perfect (undisclosed) family for you to swap with.
Luckily we had a well timed dinner with my brother and sister-in-law who were living in London as well and some friends of theirs. Turns out the friend had worked at the same television production house and she talked sense into us. We would have no control over anything. Whatever the most controversial argument, whenever someone lost it – that would be the 5 second clip that would play over and over to get people’s interest in watching the programme. I understand. It is all about viewers and advertising. Why would I knowingly throw myself into the milieu? If we have a message we want to get out, write a book. Do it on our own terms. Write a blog!
The producer called again. This time I was ready and gave the firm, I really mean it this time, NO.
With our upcoming adventure I have thought about what it would be like to make this into a reality television show. Maybe we could sell this to someone. Maybe it would be lucrative enough so we could extend the adventure and do that Australia piece we just can’t afford. But why? Again all I can think about is all of us losing it and yelling obscenities at each other and never being able to get paid work again.
However if Good Morning America would like to do a few interviews – we are available. We have been told that the camera loves us!
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