10076 replies to this topic

[Victorian Xmas]

TLC Sister Wives
This is going to be on TLC starting Sept. 26th and will have 7 episodes. I know for one I can not beleive they would stoop so low and from reading the description I will not be watching it. In fact I might stop watching TLC all together as I feel they have jumped the shark with all their shows.

[sereion]

'Sister Wives' also captures the intense dynamics surrounding a man juggling three wives while attempting to keep it a secret from the outside world

Well, it won't be much of a secret after 9/26. Why bother filming if he wanted to keep it on the DL, anyway?

[hatchetgirl]

How is it that this show is even going on? I thought polygamy is illegal.

[goldensglitter]

Victorian, I'm with you on this one. I saw the previews and could not believe TLC chose to go with this. Apparantly, TLC will choose to televise anything, as long as it is controversial. I read an article on the CNN website today about a music family that sold their home years ago and live in a bus while touring. They said a production company filmed them for 2 years, promising they would be the next reality hit, and the film is gathering dust. Father said his family is too nice, and like each other, which does not make for a hit show. No controversy in this family. Bet dollars to donuts TLC was behind it.

[PorkFat]

How is it that this show is even going on? I thought polygamy is illegal.

I was discussing this on another board. Unless someone with legal expertise knows better, I figure a man can be legally married to one woman, and have as many "spiritual wives" as he wants. Only one is on paper.

They seem like some dingy-ass, low self-esteem chicks from the preview I saw.

[Gorn]

This is going to be on TLC starting Sept. 26th and will have 7 episodes. I know for one I can not beleive they would stoop so low

I guess TLC must have ran out of hoarders, brides, and morbidly obese tatted up dwarves who didn't know they were pregnant with sextuplets <eyeroll>

[Fionas2]

I'll be honest. I'm in! I'll be watching, unless I locate my life in the meantime.

Edited by Fionas2, Sep 12, 2010 @ 5:25 PM.

[AtlanticVamp]

At least this one doesn't look like "My Husband's Three Wives". These women on Sister Wives all look like they all like each other, and him.

I'll probably give it a chance.

[chainey]

AtlanticVamp I'm so glad you posted that because I thought maybe this was the same guy recycled. I wonder if these people are together because they believe it religiously and that the wives are his "help meets". The previews didn't seem that way with the one wife saying she hoped sex was going on with the other wives. Seemed to forward. Since I'm fasiniated by the idea that plural marriage will get one into heaven I'm hoping they are coming from that belief. It will be interesting to see how they all got together.

[MeInTheMiddle]

Does plural marriage EVER extend to a woman with multiple male partners?

Also, is this family, like many plural marriages, on medicaid and other welfare? I really don't have a problem with it, but if he is going to father all of these children, he should be financially responsible for them.

[BuddhaBelly]

I always get angry when I hear the husband say well I just fell in love again. Does the courtesy of falling in love again also extend to the wives or is he the only one who's allowed to fall in love multiple times? That is a giant red flag to me.

[NeonJungle]

Does plural marriage EVER extend to a woman with multiple male partners?

Not since the Celtic women in Celtic society were subverted. Celtic Women (though I don't know why they want that much $$ for the book -- it used to be reasonable. Maybe it's out of print.)

I am interested in this show. I have an odd fascination with FLDS and other type sects/denominations, and that led to seeing a few documentaries on polygamy by people who don't affiliate with a religious group. And in the promo photos, no one looks like they just walked off Warren Jeff's Zion compound, so it will be interesting to watch this.

Unless someone with legal expertise knows better, I figure a man can be legally married to one woman, and have as many "spiritual wives" as he wants. Only one is on paper.

There was a documentary that aired on TV a few years ago about a polygamist who had been kicked out of FLDS, I think -- I don't think he left -- and think his last name was Green. He would marry only one, and would counsel others to marry only one, for the obvious reason that polygamy is illegal -- but also so that the other women could collect governmental benefits as common-law wives.

Edited by NeonJungle, Sep 12, 2010 @ 8:50 PM.

[IvyDarling]

Unless someone with legal expertise knows better, I figure a man can be legally married to one woman, and have as many "spiritual wives" as he wants. Only one is on paper.

The problem is, he's still putting out to the public (even if it's a select public) that he has more than one wife, even if not more than one legal wife (which would be bigamy).

I don't know how going on this show is legal. But, I've seen polygamist families go on Oprah and suffer no ill effects, so what do I know?

but also so that the other women could collect governmental benefits as common-law wives.

This makes no sense to me, because in the small minority of states that recognize common law marriage within their borders, the marriage would become pretty much legal (those with common law marriage who want to separate, go through a process pretty much analogous to divorce, etc). Thus, it would be bigamy.

The whole thing is confusing. That said, as a fan of Big Love, I'll probably tune in for the first couple of eps.

[NeonJungle]

I may be wrong about the common-law wife angle; your post, IvyDarling, helped me remember that in the documentary about Green, it was pointed out that the reason he didn't marry his other wives under the auspices of religion is so that they could gain governmental assistance as single mothers.

Edited by NeonJungle, Sep 12, 2010 @ 9:32 PM.

[FlockRapid]

Well, I see how TLC has decided to stay classy....

[pea1958]

Me,
Yes there are places where polyandry (multiple husbands) is still practiced. Usually in places where land is at a premium and population must be controlled. We never really see that aspect on American TV though.

[Erie42]

I did some reading up on this show. The husband is an ad executive in Utah (insert jokes here). I guess that is good paying. If they adhere to traditional Mormon teachings, I believe all the wives must be treated equally and that includes material goods. People has a list of all the wives and children. It looks like the second wife produced a child before the first wife (and the first wife only managed to have one). The soon-to-be fourth wife has three children by another man. And most of the children have names that are either horribly trendy or horribly spelled.

Edited by Erie42, Sep 12, 2010 @ 11:05 PM.

[sassykat1963]

Just a question. TLC stands for The Learning Channel. What have any of us really learned from this channel lately?
1. Having 8 kids and treating your husband like crap makes you a reality superstar.
2. Treating your vagina like a clown car and handing your kids off to their siblings to raise qualifies you for Mother of the Year awards.
3. Yes, if you have mounds of crap in your house, you're not a hoarder, you're a collector!!!
4. Although marrying more than one person is illegal in all 50 states, we'll figure out a way to put you on TV, and you will not face any kind of legal repercussions at all!

If I keep watching the Learning Channel, I may lose any morals I may have left!

[mariposa]

And most of the children have names that are either horribly trendy or horribly spelled.

I take it you're not familiar with The Utah Baby Namer.

[dogwoman]

More sensational, pro-natalist crap from TLC. If it has weird sex and lots of babeeees, bring it on.

[Adayinthelife]

Call me cynical but I think Kody just wants someone hotter and younger around the house.

[IMOutrippin]

And most of the children have names that are either horribly trendy or horribly spelled.

These are the horrible names. They really are that bad.

Aspyn, 14, Mykelti, 13, Paedon, 11, Gwenelyn, 8, Ysabel, 6

[IvyDarling]

Mykelti

There's an actor with this name; I was surprised to see it as a name for 13 year old girl, though.

[fostersmom]

In about 15 years I'm hoping to see a massive lawsuit against TLC from all the children they have shoved on TV with no regard to their futures or welfare. They are up to what, 60 or 70 kids now?

That being said, I can't say for sure I won't watch at least the first episode. My grandma decided to join the Mormon church when my mom was a kid (my grandpa refused to go) and had herself, my mom, and my uncle rebaptised. They didn't attend the church for very long, but my mom did take my sister and me for a year or so when I was a kid. We also happen to live in Ohio and went to church in Kirtland, the "birthplace" of Mormonism. It's interesting to see shows like this and see how people have changed the religion to suit their needs. Personally I'm an atheist and don't care, but there's a large amount of Mormons in the area who are very vocal in their condemnation of families like these.

[chailey]

I'm afraid to watch this show as I think that I may end up throwing things at the screen. I assume that either money or the desire to promote polygamy are the main motivations for this couple, I mean foursome. Will I read all the comments here? You betcha!

[OSM Mom]

Well, I see how TLC has decided to stay classy....

I know, right?

And most of the children have names that are either horribly trendy or horribly spelled.

These are the horrible names. They really are that bad.

Aspyn, 14, Mykelti, 13, Paedon, 11, Gwenelyn, 8, Ysabel, 6

Oh God. I think I'm gonna be sick. I hate, hate, hate cute, trendy, stupidly spelled or just plain made up names so much, I can't begin to tell you.

I'll probably watch one epi just for the WTF factor.

[CitizenKang]

I'm shocked someone is willing to film their lives of polygamy. Nothing is taboo anymore I guess. TLC's next show will be about a family that is proud of their incest.

I have seen a few episodes of Big Love and one thing I didn't think was realistic was how the 3 wives were all different looking. With real polygamous families I have seen on tv, the wives tend to look similar- all similar body type blond women. This family appears to have 3 similar looking blond women and the 4th soon-to-be wife is a brunette, so I wonder why they went brunette for the 4th wife. Maybe the new wife is from another town or something.

[naduah]

What is harmful about this show is that it does not show how polygamy works in the FLDS. Those women are generally mistreated for all their lives. They are forced at a young age to marry men old enough to be their grandfathers. Beating is common. They must wear the prairie dresses and the pouf hair-do. They are completely cut off from normal life. People such as Flora Jessop and Carolyn Jessop have tried very hard via their books and appearances to let the truth out. This show trivializes it and makes it look "fun". It's a travesty and we should tell TLC we will not watch it. Instead, tell them to do a show that shows the true picture. Of course they can't, as the FLDS allows no one to come anywhere near there.

[Galloways Cave]

I live in a town that was started by polygamists. They were not Mormon and it was not religion-based (like FLDS). The guy passed away about 10 years ago but the wives and kids still live here. Over time he had 19 wives, at the end he had 9 wives and they all looked different and varied in age. They all worked outside the home and oddly made a really big deal about that in the media. In fact, during the 25 years the family was together, they were very much in the media. The wives I know are all normal people, other than this whole "sharing is OK" attitude. One of the wives explained to me that she loved her college sorority sisters so much that she wanted that type of relationship while married. In fact, several of the sorority sisters married the guy. Apparently none of the kids practice polygamy. So, there are no hard-fast rules about how the families are developed, what they look like or how they live. And whoever posted upstream about the legality of the situation was spot-on. They are not legally married but are spiritually married, therefore are not breaking any laws marriage-wise.

While I would never participate in such a thing, I am oddly fascinated by why a woman would voluntarily share her life and husband with so many other women, as well as raising children in that situation. I will be watching.

[MeInTheMiddle]

What I don't get is why the 4th wife's kids dad isn't up in arms over this. I would be going for custody.