These "reality" shows are usually full of crap, but its time to heat up the popcorn when ABC decides to swap the "wife" of a gay couple with the "wife" of an Oklahoma biblethumper. . .:
Oklahoma Man Sues Over Gay 'Wife Swap' Show
by Margo Williams, 365Gay.com Boston Bureau
Posted: November 18, 2005 5:00 pm ET
(Muskogee, Oklahoma) An Oklahoma man who agreed to take part in the ABC show "Wife Swap" is suing the producers for more than $10 million after the "wife" they sent to his home was a gay man.
Jeffrey Bedford of Haileyville says in his suit that he was "misled" and "threatened" by the producers. The suit names Walt Disney - the parent company of ABC, the network, and production company RDF Media.
Bedford says he became so emotionally distraught that he suffered "physical and mental illness."
Bedford claims that when he told the producers he did not want a "gay wife" they threatened not to tell him his wife's location and would not pay for her to be sent home.
The suit also claims that during the episode when Bedford conducted his regular Bible study at his home for the Haileyville Baptist Church, the gay swap participant invited a gay coalition to take part in the study.
It also contends that when he continued to protest to producers they repeatedly told him his wife was leaving him. The suit says he became so emotionally distraught he became physically and mentally ill and was forced to drop out of a college course he was taking.
"ABC is confident that RDF Media, the producer of 'Wife Swap,' treats participants professionally and with respect," ABC spokeswoman Anne Fort told the Muskogee Phoenix
"The show is meant to challenge a family's norms and moreover, the agreement between the plaintiff and RDF specifically stated that the swapped spouse could be either male or female."
Fort said that the episode hasn't aired yet, but only because it hasn't been scheduled.
"We have a number of 'Wife Swap' episodes stockpiled," Fort told the paper.
"Since each is self-contained, we don't have to air them in any particular order, so I can't predict when we'll book this one."
I wonder if he kept the money. . .oh yeah. . .
Oklahoma Man Sues Over Gay 'Wife Swap' Show
by Margo Williams, 365Gay.com Boston Bureau
Posted: November 18, 2005 5:00 pm ET
(Muskogee, Oklahoma) An Oklahoma man who agreed to take part in the ABC show "Wife Swap" is suing the producers for more than $10 million after the "wife" they sent to his home was a gay man.
Jeffrey Bedford of Haileyville says in his suit that he was "misled" and "threatened" by the producers. The suit names Walt Disney - the parent company of ABC, the network, and production company RDF Media.
Bedford says he became so emotionally distraught that he suffered "physical and mental illness."
Bedford claims that when he told the producers he did not want a "gay wife" they threatened not to tell him his wife's location and would not pay for her to be sent home.
The suit also claims that during the episode when Bedford conducted his regular Bible study at his home for the Haileyville Baptist Church, the gay swap participant invited a gay coalition to take part in the study.
It also contends that when he continued to protest to producers they repeatedly told him his wife was leaving him. The suit says he became so emotionally distraught he became physically and mentally ill and was forced to drop out of a college course he was taking.
"ABC is confident that RDF Media, the producer of 'Wife Swap,' treats participants professionally and with respect," ABC spokeswoman Anne Fort told the Muskogee Phoenix
"The show is meant to challenge a family's norms and moreover, the agreement between the plaintiff and RDF specifically stated that the swapped spouse could be either male or female."
Fort said that the episode hasn't aired yet, but only because it hasn't been scheduled.
"We have a number of 'Wife Swap' episodes stockpiled," Fort told the paper.
"Since each is self-contained, we don't have to air them in any particular order, so I can't predict when we'll book this one."
I wonder if he kept the money. . .oh yeah. . .
