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Fox TV has announced that on Jan. 3 it will air the first episode of "Who's Your Daddy?" - a reality show with a reunion and $100,000 as the prizes. The show description states that an adult adoptee (adopted as an infant) will interview eight men - one of whom is her birthfather. She will try to determine which one is the "real" birthdad. If she picks the right one, she gets a reunion and $100,000. If she picks the wrong one, she gets a reunion and the contestant who fooled her gets the money.Fox says the show is an emotional tear-jerker with a happy ending, and it's getting mixed reactions from the adoption community:Adam Pertman calls the show "perverse" and the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute (of which Pertman is executive director) issued a release today stating, "The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute today called on Fox Television to scrap its planned new reality program, 'Whos Your Daddy,' calling it 'destructive, insensitive and offensive' to the tens of millions of Americans with adoption in their families.A CNN story reports "'Joseph Kroll, executive director of the North American Council on Adoptable Children (NACAC), called the idea 'repulsive.' He said his own 29-year-old daughter is searching for her birth father.'If someone were to try doing that to my daughter, what I consider to be abuse, I would not behave appropriately,' Kroll said."And Marley Greiner, executive chair of Bastard Nation: The Adoptee's Rights Organization, is quoted as describing "the Who's Your Daddy? concept as both 'totally audacious' and 'kind of funny.'"
Last update on May 1, 12:44 pm by Miriam Gwilliam.
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CQ TODAY
Dec. 29, 2004 - 5:52 p.m.
Reacting as Both House Leader and Adoptive Mother, Pryce Protests Fox TV Program
By Susan Crabtree, CQ Staff
A bipartisan group of lawmakers led by House Republican Conference Chairwoman Deborah Pryce of Ohio called Wednesday on Fox Entertainment Group to reconsider its plans to air a show called "Who's Your Daddy."
The premise of the program involves an adoptee's search for her birth father and involves contestants vying for a cash prize by pretending paternity.
Pryce, an adoptive mother, fired off a letter to Fox Entertainment Group Chairman and CEO Peter Chernin after viewing trailers for the upcoming show.
In the letter - co-signed by Reps. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis.; Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla.; Louise M. Slaughter, D-N.Y.; and Ted Strickland, D-Ohio - Pryce suggested reconsideration of Fox's decision to run the program as scheduled Jan. 3.
"Some of us are adoptive parents or were adopted as children," the letter said. "We know first-hand that the search for one's birth parents is a personal search. Fox's decision . . . appears to us to exploit this private, very emotional journey."
"While we recognize that Fox is not violating the law in its decision to air this program, we believe that Fox is violating its responsibility as a steward of the airways to provide reliable and decent programming to the public," they wrote.
The letter was a new attempt by Congress to persuade Hollywood to voluntarily rein in provocative programming.
Fox spokesman Scott Grogin said the company would have no immediate response.
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I have just recently learned about the existence or up-comming existence of this show, and i live in Ottawa, capital of Canada. Unbelievable what some networks will do to further degrade human dignity for the abstract notion of "ratings". I am very proud of being an adoptee and am very proud of all those involved in what i call a great community ( adoptees, adoptive parents, foster parents, biological parents).
Proud to have signed the petition.
In solidarity from Ottawa, Canada
En solidarit avec MA communaut
Marc-Andr驩 Mongeon, 22 years young university student
Private mail me if i may be of any further use to anyone, or just to chat.
Copy of the letter I sent to Fox. I plagerized a previous poster a little. Plagerize as you see fit :D [font=Tahoma]Sent:[/font][font=Tahoma] Wednesday, December 29, 2004 3:11 PMTo: 'askfox@foxinc.com'Subject: No to "Who's Your Daddy"[/font] [font=Verdana]I am writing in reference to your new show WhoӒs Your Daddy. If I understand the premise of the show correctly the other "contestants" are going to be trying to deceive the daughter into thinking they are her biological father. As an adoptive father of two, it sickens me to think that someone would want to make my children believe they are their father. I am their ԓreal daddy - there is absolutely and unequivocally nothing unreal about me or the father/child relationship I have with my kids. My children do have a birthfather, but I am their daddy! I just don't see how this could be entertainment; free speech, maybe, but tasteful entertainment, never. School children will undoubtedly see this tasteless, irresponsible drivel, latching onto this "who's your daddy" phrase and teasing adopted children. I know we can't protect them from everything but this show is beyond repulsive. Both my adopted children (age 9 and 5) were born in India. It is obvious to those around them that they are ԓdifferent, that our family is different. My 9-year old has felt the negativism stereotyped in our society around adoption. She has come home from school crying because her classmates have told her we are not her ԓreal mom and dad and not a ԓreal family. The trailers and this poor excuse for entertainment only support that negativism. Adopted children who donԒt have the life experiences to handle the emotions and teasing that will undoubtedly be directed toward them if this show is aired will be hurt the worst. I hold Fox accountable for inciting the added pain and burden my children will bear. Adopted children have experienced enough loss and emotional despair, do they really need a media giant like Fox adding to that? Does Fox really want to be responsible for perpetuating and promoting more heartache on adoptees the word over? I ask Fox to make the responsible, empathetic decision and not air this show. I (along with many others in the adoption community) will not be watching anything on FOX or its affiliates until you step up and admit your mistake and declare that you will not air the show.[/font]
And here's a similar one I sent to FCC Commissioners and cc'd fox execs: [font=Tahoma]Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2004 12:30 PMTo: 'Michael.Powell@fcc.gov'; 'Kathleen.Abernathy@fcc.gov'; 'Michael.Copps@fcc.gov'; 'KJMWEB@fcc.gov'; 'Jonathan.Adelstein@fcc.gov'Cc: 'joe.earley@fox.com'; 'scott.grogin@fox.com'; ':gail.berman@fox.com'Subject: No "Who's Your Daddy"[/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]To:[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]FCC[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]Chairman Michael K. Powell[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]FCC Commissioner Kathleen Q. Abernathy[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]FCC Commissioner Michael J. Copps[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]FCC Commissioner Kevin J. Martin[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]FCC Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana][/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]From: Adoptive Parent, [/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana][/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]I am writing in complaint of Foxs new show ғWhos Your Daddy.Ҕ, the first episode of which is to air on Jan. 3. This show purports to be a realityӔ show in which an adult adoptee (adopted as an infant) will interview eight men - one of whom is her birthfather. She will try to determine which one is the "real" birthdad (implying that her adoptive dad isnt ғreal). If she picks the right one, she gets a reunion and $100,000. If she picks the wrong one, she gets a reunion and the contestant who fooled her gets the money. If I understand the premise of the show correctly the other "contestants" will try to deceive the daughter into thinking they are her biological father.[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana][/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]As an adoptive father of two, it sickens me to think that someone would want to make my children believe they are their father. To play with a childsԒ emotions at that level is simply irresponsible. I am my childrens ғreal daddy - there is absolutely, unequivocally nothing unreal about me or the father/child relationship I have with my kids. My children do have a birthfather, but I am their daddy! I just don't see how this could be entertainment; free speech, maybe, insensitive exploitation, absolutely, but tasteful entertainment, never. School children will undoubtedly see this tasteless, irresponsible drivel, latching onto this "who's your daddy" phrase and teasing adopted children. I know we can't protect them from everything, but this show is beyond repulsive. Both my adopted children (age 9 and 5) were born in India. It is obvious to those around them that they are ԓdifferent, that our family is different. My 9-year old has felt the negativism stereotyped in our society around adoption. She has come home from school crying because her classmates have told her we are not her ԓreal mom and dad and not a ԓreal family. The trailers and this poor excuse for entertainment only support that negativism. Adopted children who donԒt have the life experiences to handle the emotions and teasing that will undoubtedly be directed toward them if this show is aired will be hurt the worst. Adopted children have experienced enough loss and emotional despair, do they really need a media giant like Fox adding to that?[/font][/font] [font=Verdana][font=Verdana]I recognize that the FCC is not in a position to force Fox to pull their tasteless show as it is protected by free speech in America. I am exercising my freedom of speech and speaking out as best I can against this unreal realityӔ show that trivializes the deep, often painful emotions surrounding adoption. Adoption is precious and sacred to those of us who have been truly touched by it, not something to exploit. I ask each of you, as the commissioners and as people, to publicly state your opposition to Foxs airing of this hurtful, tasteless show that reduces adoptive familiesҒ emotions to a game.[/font][/font]
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I got a message back from Ford. Here is the main part of the email:
"we believe one of the most effective ways to connect with
customers and generate mass awareness of our products is through
television advertising. We treat our purchase of commercial time as we
do any other prime time, mainstream television program. By buying
commercial time on top-rated shows, we are not making judgment on the
specific content of the show but simply making an optimized attempt to
reach our many customers through award-winning television programming."
Looks like they are going to continue advertising on Fox. (maybe more pressure on them would help)
Anyone else hear from a sponsor?
From the very words of Ford...it appears they will advertize on any piece of garbage so long as they can get their message out and make a buck. They, and other advertisers like them are the reason so much garbage is on TV today...but then it also takes an audience and a lot of people seem to want to watch garbage.
Firing off a e mail to Ford!
Larry~
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momto4boys
I am so glad you plagerized me! Your letter is great. I hope all the letters help.
Yea! for North Carolina. Love those Tar Heels.
I hope every other affliate follows their example.
Please don't get me wrong. At first I was mortified at the thought, but then I watched the show. I would SELL MY SOUL TO THE DEVIL TO FIND MY SON!! IF it meant going on live TV with FOX so be it!! The end, in my opinion, justifies the means. Did you people think of the parents? Or the child? That did not have the resources and or funds to find their child/bparents? Fox came along with all their resources and made an offer. Would you refuse it? If after so many years of posting and searching and coming up empty handed..they said, I found your child, are you willing to do this to meet her/him? You bet your sweet bippy I would be signing on that dotted line so that I could meet my son. I don't have money to find him, or to hire people to locate him. All I can do is post on every single site I can find and PRAY that one day he will see it. So..GOOD FOR THEM. TWO Bparents and one child who all agreed to go public for ONE bottom line. TO BE REUNITED. God bless them for it! Boycott all you like, I just feel sad that so many of you cannot see the flip side of that coin.
I watched the show and it wasn't as bad as I thought it might be. Sure there were some cheesy moments (getting the men to disco dance as her birth father had once won an award for disco dancing :rolleyes: ) The money was never the focus and barely even mentioned when she did "win" it at the end. She was also reunited with her birthmother and 3 half-sisters (her birth father's girls) It had me in tears at then end.
They could have done the show without the $$ and it would have played out just the same.
Boycott all you like, I just feel sad that so many of you cannot see the flip side of that coin.
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With another title would it have pulled in SUCH attention as it did? Fox will never win a Pulitzer for writing and that is a well known fact. Who knows, maybe for all contriversy it has caused maybe a major network will pick up the idea. It's a well known fact that Fox has in the past done copy cat show's when they find out a network has one ready to release but they beat them to putting it out. So, I will keep my fingers crossed that in 2005 someone will put a more positive spin on openly addressing reality reunion shows. I still hold to my original views. And it's nice to see that I'm NOT the only one who didn't dive in and send mad mails etc.
I found this program to be very offensive on so many levels and I have posted this link on other threads- TJ is a soft porn star who is hoping to break into mainstream media. I am not judging her- I put the blame squarely on FOX for tainting what might have been an educational show that focused on the need for open records with cash, lies and sex.
Last update on May 1, 12:53 pm by Miriam Gwilliam.