So, I have been reading all the posts here...

...and I just have to say something.

First of all, I posted a question about the biggie news headline family of the week. Yup, I was nosey! Anyway, someone was very helpful and I appreciated it so much.

Anyway, what I am just chomping at the bit to say is that I know one of the families that was on this show. Before anyone bashes me for spilling stuff about friends, know that our relationship is totally centered around knowing them though their son's sport. And when I saw them at an event after their episode had aired, (I actually had not even seen the episode at that point) they were telling the story to a large group of people, and were very candid and not discreet. I decided to post what I do know about all this because this board has a lot of questions about the authenticity of this show. In the case I know of, how they are told to act is more a parody of their real selves.

I don't want to name, because of all the things we talked about, their contract was not one of those things. So, I don't want any drama for them related to my silly 'ol message board post.

First of all, my friends suspect that on occasion, they film a family in a home other than the family's own. They thought this because when their home was being looked at during the meet and greet or whatever it was, the two producers present walked into the kitchen and said, "We can shoot the kitchen scenes in here." Then, I guess he had a happy/surprised tone when he walked into the living room and said, "We can use their living room too."

Anyway, that part is all just speculation. But from that wording, it makes a person wonder.

So, in this family, there are two teens. They are both really good kids. Here is how production worked them. The son is a hard working dedicated athlete. In fact, this August, he won a major event, which is hopefully going to open the right doors for him. But anyway, when filmed, he was a younger teen. The producer had a long talk with him about life in general...all the basics. Then the producer began to say things along the lines of "you work so hard, you deserve a rest...you are going to make that average loser kid sitting at home watching you feel bad if you come across too active. It is time for you to be spoiled." Obviously, my "quotes" are not word for word as I heard this story well over a year ago, and it was second hand from them to begin with.

Anyway, that is how they coerced it for him to fit the role of spoiled "chosen one" son. He is in NO WAY like that. I could go on and on about his character, because he is such a good kid and I am proud of and for him. When we were hearing this whole story from them, Dad and both kids said more than once that they would love to see all the hours of tapes because they messed up so many times and had to do things over. Another thing that both parents said was that the phrase "realistic to America" was used a lot when they were talking about how to "act" in situations.

They did the same talk with the daughter, suggesting that American girls can really relate to the sister who lives in her brother's shadow and that it would be more realistic to America if she showed how sometimes she gets sick of how much the family's life revolves around her brother and his activity.

As far as the family they swapped with, they did say things about them, but it was mostly all positive. One thing though, was that the mother who came to them was a good sport and very mature, but hated being there. It was hard for him to do the scenes that had a mean tone or conflict because she was so polite.


So, anyway, that is how it went for them. I have to say that they are a well to do family, and did not do it for the money. But I could see how the paycheck would entice a middle class family to sign up, let Wifeswap attach the puppet strings and go.

Also, I should say, that my friends didn't seem to have any ill feelings toward any of it. They thought it was fun and funny and since they are widely known and liked, it was more of a funny thing than people looking at them differently because of it. The parents said that they wouldn't do it again because it is a big interruption and they did think that while funny, a lot of it was very lame.