I'm speechless. The episode is the Guastaferro-Boss families from the "reality" show (the quotes are for irony) called Wife Swap.
Yes, it is all scripted ...but the Guastaferros had to feel that it was ok to read the script.
You'll have to watch the video at the Huffington Post. I was hustled over to HufPo by BoingBoing
Also see Right Celebrity
It was two weeks of drama for the Guastaferro family of Williamsvillle played out on national television. They were part of the ABC hit show Wife Swap. A show where two wives from different parts of the country and whose realities are completely different, switch places. The Guastaferro's watched it Wednesday night at a local restaurant with their family and friends. "Reality, thats what happened; thats the way it is. But as far as like doing home work, we may help, but thats a little blown out of proportion." said swapped wife Karen Guastaferro. "A lot of it is like prompted, where um they say like you might wanna say this or make this a little bit more brattier...which I really am a nice person and I'm really not that bad." said daughter Alicia.
It is pretty close to their reality but at times it was tough to watch. "It wasn't the greatest.." said Karen. Joel Maglich works for the Guastaferro family window tinting business. He was glad everyone saw who he works for. "My friends are texting me and and they are like wow and I'm like ya welcome to my world." said Maglich.
Some of it was a stretch, like the how the show portrayed the Guastaferro's as doing their daughters homework. "I really do my homework. The projects my mother helps but what child does not get help on their projects." said Alicia.
But the Guastaferro's really do have a Christmas tree up year round and gets a gift every day. "That is true. I do get a present every day." said Alicia. "But she's our only child. It's like she's wonderful. She brings A lot of life you know. It keeps us young." said her father Ralph Guastaferro.
Pageantry and "sparkle" as Karen says are really a part of their lives, and they want to keep it that way. Swapping with a feminist family like they did on the show, is not something they would want to make permanent. "There life was really dull. It was really boring. You know and I brought a lot of glitz and glamour. I felt at least the middle one liked it A lot." said Karen. "Life is not like that, life is beautiful. Ya it has it's tough times, but thats it." added Ralph.
You should have heard DG when I showed her the video. She was truly astounded that anyone could be quite that self-centered and banal. Despite her own 'sphere of glitz', she remains real about what it all means to a fault (nothing). She was shocked at some of the comments both mother and daughter made, especially the one about popular kids succeeding.
Even if it was scripted and the homework thing was exaggerated, they had no problem approving it for the world to see as it was. And as they say, the majority of it was true.
Gawd, what's next? Maybe a parenting book?
Posted by: Karoli | Sunday, January 06, 2008 at 06:14 PM
This episode absolutely blew my mind. This is the most out of touch with reality family I have ever seen. What kid doesn't get help with their projects?? Me. I didn't. You want to be a dentist?? Good luck little girl.. First of all, you have to go to COLLEGE to be a dentist. You would never make it through college. You have to be independent. and intelligent. and think for yourself. Are your parents going to move with you to college?? And why receive a gift everyday? Don't you appreciate what you already have. Here's an idea...why not donate to charity? There is nothing wrong with caring for the way you look, but there is a thing called EDUCATION and believe me, the girls from the other family will go way further in life with their education with your daughter and her dillusioned view of the real world. Why be nice to servers at resturaunts? How about because they are people. You do not need another reason.
Posted by: anonymous | Friday, March 07, 2008 at 01:42 PM
i saw nothing wrong with alicia,except for being a cheerleader,i live exactly like she does.and trust me,beauty has taken me way farther than education has :)
Posted by: LB | Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 09:42 AM
well LB i feel just as sorry for you as i do for Alicia. You are ignorant and nieve, and as soon as you start to get saggy and wrinkly you are going to realize how pathetic your existence is.
Posted by: The Frontdesk | Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 07:17 AM
If Alicia is banking on her good looks, good luck. She really isn't that attractive--- really-- not ugly, but not that hot. She is a fabrication of too much makeup, airbrushed photos and soft camera lenses. I envision her as a 30-something smoking cigarettes and roaming around her house in a robe all day long.
Posted by: Bruno | Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 11:32 AM
This partially explains how the Guastaferro's have money to spend on little Alicia: http://www.wkbw.com/news/local/70416597.html. At least according to the article, they could be facing jail time for failure to pay taxes and money laundering. Nice.
Posted by: Bruno | Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 11:44 AM
And now she's sueing ABC about making up the present a-day thing. Funny how someone can alter their own reality for the purpose of a lawsuit.
Posted by: cali | Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 01:36 PM
See how perky little Alicia is when mom and dad are doing hard time or they have to pay off their court judgments. Reality for her is going to be a bitch.
Posted by: Bruno | Tuesday, March 23, 2010 at 07:42 PM
I was left feeling sorry for Alicia.
First of all, even with all the cosmetic enhancements she is not very pretty. Yet she is living in a world where beauty is everything. That alone is very sad.
And no one wants to really acknowledge her learning disabilities. She can hardly talk and has a third grade education.
This little girl is never going to be happy and that's really unfortunate.
She needs a reality check, not a check from the network.
Posted by: Me | Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 10:37 AM
I feel bad for Alicia. Not because of how she lives, because of all the people who are constantly judging her without actually knowing her. A reality TV show isn't 100 real. I could make up a rumor right now about her, and anyone could believe it. You guys need to stop watching reality TV shows and get your own life, stop getting so "worried" about a girl, that you don't even know. It's non of your business.
Posted by: Krissy | Saturday, July 02, 2011 at 12:50 PM
I am clara now ten and this was all real
Posted by: claraa | Saturday, October 15, 2011 at 01:31 PM