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Archive through July 29, 2004

The TVClubHouse: Other Reality Shows ARCHIVES: Archives for 2004-2: Amish in the City: ARCHIVES: Archive through July 29, 2004 users admin

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Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 7:07 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I like it and will probably keep watching!

I'm opposite your situation, Tk. I grew up in the Cleveland suburbs and only moved to this rural area a little over 6 years ago, at 28 years of age. I'm glad I moved when I was old enough to know that different is good.

I really enjoy our mixed communities "down here", even though it can be frustrating when you're behind a buggy and in a hurry, lol....

The great food in the Mennonite restaurants make up for it though!! :-)

I keep telling my husband that I'd love to spend a week with an Amish family, just to see how different (and difficult for me, lol), it would be.

ETA: Yay Scorp! There is an encore presentation on Friday!


Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 7:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I loved it, I found it interesting when Mose had his drowning incident, Miriam (hope I remember that right) tried to reach out to him, but he didnt know how to accept her help, nor did she really know how to give it,,, well with editing maybe, but it got me to think that many times the Amish are really segregated in the communities where I'm familiar with (eastern IN), I totally agree that they did find extreme personalities, and it will be interesting to see how this plays out, I thought it would be more exploitative.

I really like how the 'city kids' were asked to wear Amish clothes - why no buttons? LOL So much to learn.

and when Moses was reading his Bible in German and punishing himself, I so wanted to introduce him to Martin Luther!!! (Martin Luther used to beat himself/punish himeself, was a German Monk... and is credited for he Reform of the Church... ) If anything I think we saw him recommit himself to his faith, and he will enjoy the experience, but I cant see him interacting too deeply.

Tk4x5
Member

07-10-2004

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 7:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I know I'll keep watching. This is one of the few "candid" reality shows where I've seen 2 hours of footage and not a drop of alcohol or "mood" altering substances.

I like that the city kids come from all different types of backgrounds as well. Also, this show is not stacked w. the usual "actor/star/celebrity/Hollywood" wannabes. That alone is refreshing.

Halfunit, since I grew up with a "mixed" community, seeing people dressed like the Amish kids,was so common, that it was uncommon when I moved away from it.

Scorpiomoon, I'm glad you're going to give the show a chance. Like Halfunit posted, there's an encore on Friday. The only part that may be a bit off putting is the way the Amish kids are shown walking towards the house and the initial reactions from the city kids. (this is a very brief part of the show)

*seems funny calling them "kids" since some of them are in their mid-20's but since that's the term the show uses, I'm going to stick w. it*

Seamonkey
Member

09-07-2000

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 8:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Looks like it is starting this very minute.. will record it.



Riviere
Member

09-09-2000

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 8:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Like the show, but really, the city youths seem so ignorant and ill mannered. If my kids acted that way upon meeting friendly folks from a different background / religion I'd be ashamed. I grew up near Amish country, would often see Amish families in waiting room of a doctor we shared. Some small towns in Indiana still keep hitching posts along with parking meters. When we drive back east to visit kin we take the scenic backroads for 200 miles to see the Amish farms, and often meet buggies along the roads. Very practical, hardworking folks. It's great to see these country youths having a taste of city life. Only sad a few of the city youths seem to be such bratty boors with an "us vs. them" attitude. It could be a wonderful once in a lifetime experience to learn from...

Tk4x5
Member

07-10-2004

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 8:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Reader, I don't know how I missed your posts before, probably 'cause I was trying to post during commercial breaks. Anyway, I like what you brought up about Mose and recommiting to his faith and the self punishment. He does seem like a very disciplined individual.

With the attitude he has now, I think he will be someone that get's the most out of the experience. I liked the way he over came his fright and went back into the ocean w. the lifeguard, that was the best thing he could have done.

I believe it was Ruth that made the comment that the Amish guys weren't used to doing the "indoor" chores. Randy truly looked taken aback when Nick upbraided him for leaving dirty dishes around. ( of course this scored HIGH on the irony meter as the producers made sure we saw plenty footage of the very messy house before this incident)

While, Jonas was hot a firecracker when he found out that the city kids were blaming the Amish kids for lots of stuff AND talking about them behind their backs. I like that he confronted the group w. his feelings on the subject.

Thematically, I expected there to be an element of us V them to the show. W. this cast, though I don't think it's always going to be Amish kids V City kids.

From one of your earlier postings you said that it's a possiblity one of the girls doesn't return to the community (at least for now) and I would suspect that's Miriam, since she was the one that immediately started w. the make-up etc.

Lurknomore
Member

07-07-2001

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 11:36 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I was really looking forward to this show and found it very interesting in many ways. I also had some problems with it. Growing up my family vacationed in PA Amish country every year. 2 years ago I went back with a friend and had a fascinating trip and visit inside a few Amish homes, where I think I learned more than in all my years before. The culture has intrigued me for years, and I've learned a lot about it.

That said this was what I wrote about the show to some friends elsewhere, and I really am not sure what to make of a lot of it so far because of these inconsistencies. Though I am sure I will keep watching!

I thought it had some interesting moments, but as usual missed a lot of potential, while catering for the sex and fight angles versus interesting storyline etc.

When I'm fresher I'll probaby post more on this, but the main thing I wanted to say was I am having multiple problems buying that these are just regular Amish straight off the farm (versus maybe some who left years ago etc). Here's just some of what bothered me;

All of them, including the girls, curse pretty liberally. I wasn't aware that most Amish girls are always pissed off, etc. And they seemed quite comfortable talking that way, not like it's new to them. Would their families/fathers permit that in an Amish home?

When they filmed one of the girls at home they showed an Amish doll in her bedroom. Amish dolls are made without faces, because they don't believe in showing images of themselves. Her doll had a face.

As I said above, they seem quite comfortable showing their images on TV, something clearly forbidden. (Amish believe that any image of themselves at any age is against the bible, which is why they never take pictures, nor allow pics to be taken of them). I was hoping for some wresting with it, or an explaination but nothing. Also the way some of the girls posed for camera pics at the beach (at least one was Amish, maybe more) was something they seemed comfortable with. Amish taking pictures of themselves??

Is it me or did those girls just seem too comfortable in "English" clothes not to mention bikini's. Ok I know a lot of Amish keep some regular clothes during this time, but they clearly said the women don't swin etc. Yet they are prancing around in bikini's??? That just didn't ring true.

Amish women work like dogs, and I didn't see the girls jump into that role. Having been raised that way, if this was their first time away, wouldn't that have come naturally?

They didn't seem taken back by modern appliances they never would have seen before (other than not knowing what dishwasher button to push..but on that dishwasher I wouldn't have known what button LOLOL). Yet they talk of never having been on trains and a few other things that Amish do go on generally. It's not that they are not allowed to do those things, they simply can't own them. For example Amish families hire drivers and take vacations. They just aren't supposed to own a car. Etc.

So I'm not sure what to make of it. Moses (I think that's his name, the one who almost drowned) seemed the most authentic Amish to me. But having been Baptised, if I understand correctly he could be shunned for doing this, since he already took his vows to the church. All in all, a lot of stuff just didn't add up to me. I still think it was interesting, though I wish they focused more on talking about issues not just talking to the camera about them.


Lurknomore
Member

07-07-2001

Wednesday, July 28, 2004 - 11:44 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
BTW Halfunit...last trip I found the most AMAZING Mennonite run buffet...not only was the food out of this world and more than I could eat in a year, it was so cheap it was silly. We found out about it at the end of our trip...they don't advertise or try to get the tourists, and most of their diners seemed locals, including Amish. I am dying to go back. There are times I SO wished I lived closer, but I'd probably gain 100 lbs lol.

Whoami
Member

08-03-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 12:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Wow Lurk. You make a lot of valid points. So many of these shows end up being proven as scripted, I don't enter into any of these shows anymore trusting anything fully.

I figured if anything, they interviewed the City Kids to find the most obnoxious, self-centered and intolerant people they could find. Like that one guy continuing to validate his teasing as okay because he's only joking. Sheesh!

I also don't like how, not only are the Amish kids outnumbered, but the City kids all got there first and bonded, and therefore claimed the house as their own first. The producers are stacking the cards against the Amish at every angle.

That being said, I'll definetly keep watching, if more to see the Amish kids than anything else.

Ketchuplover
Member

08-30-2000

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 4:11 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Got cow pus? :-)

Conejo
Member

08-23-2002

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 6:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Lurk, I believe that a couple of the Amish 'kids' had already been living outside their Amish communities for a couple of years - so that might explain why they were familiar with some of appliances, etc. When they first introduced them, the one girl (Miriam?) was wearing a white bonnet which usually would indicate that she is mennonite and would have more 'freedom' than the traditional Amish.

I grew up in Millersburg, OH (Holmes Co.)and they are very, very hard working people. We had an 'Amish girl'(that's what they're called) that helped out around the house (cooking, cleaning, watching us kids, etc.) and she was extremely hard working and EXTREMELY clean around the house (their personal hygiene is another story). My mother was always amazed at how their windows always seemed to sparkle on their houses!

As for them swearing, the Amish 'kids' can be quite the partiers! I know some that would sneak out of the house, change clothes in the corn field and go out on the town.

Overall, I really enjoyed this show - and will be watching next week!

Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 6:58 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Lol, cursing was not allowed when I was growing up either, but it sure didn't stop me when I was out of earshot of mom or dad!

I know that this is being edited to show what the producers want us to see. We have all been down that "reality show" path before!

As far as their images on TV, I thought the opening scenes of "Amish Country" looked like the film crew shot it out of a pick-up truck. It looked shaky and hurried. My guess is they filmed without permission and that validates what our newspaper wrote about being lied to by the producers.

I haven't looked into what rumspringa actually entails, but my impression was that "anything goes", so being in front of a camera would not be a bad thing during this period.

The bikinis? Could be peer pressure, could be because they have a body that can pull off wearing a bikini... Not sure if they brought them or if show interns took them shopping.

I know that were it not for peer pressure, I would not have worn half the things I wore in the 80's....

Legwarmers? Ick!!! :-)


Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 7:00 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Conejo - I knew you were close, but I didn't realize you grew up in Millersburg! :-)

I think I read somewhere that Miriam is from Mt. Hope.


Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 7:32 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Yeah, what half said... and conejo!! And lurk you have some great points!!

Just chiming in to add that the producer that was on the radio I listened to really sounded respectful. He also chimed in on his respect for the faith, and that they interview several Amish Kids, and his criteria was simple and basic (and I havent a clue what it was as DD kept interrupting me!!) I did hear him say that only about 25 kids met that criteria, and from there he picked the kids from the show.

I also will say that different sects have different interpretations (? for lack of better words!) and in IN the Amish also work in other people's homes, as well as in the community, esp in modern kitchens, so the appliances really wouldnt throw off the kids they chose I'm sure!!

Conejo
Member

08-23-2002

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 7:45 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
That's right Half! We moved from Nashville, TN to Millersburg, OH when I was in 5th or 6th grade and I lived there until I was 18. My sister still lives there and my parents live between Killbuck & Millersburg off route 62!

One of them was from Ashland, OH. Anyone remember? Was it Randy? If he dated Miriam, one of them must drive a car because it would be a looooooong way from Mr. Hope to Ashland via horse and buggy.

Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 7:49 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I want to say the other girl was from Ashland. I'll have to watch tomorrow and jot down where each one is from.

Conejo
Member

08-23-2002

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 7:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Just checked their bio on the UPS website and Randy is from Indiana and it only lists the 2 girls as being from Ohio - but it doesn't say what city.

Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 7:54 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
According to UPN's official site, Miriam and Ruth are from Ohio, Randy is from Indiana, Jonas was raised in Iowa (but I thought they listed him from another state), and Mose is from Wisconsin.

I wonder how Miriam and Randay dated...?? It'd be great to ask during a webchat before rumspringa ends!!


Calamity
Member

10-18-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 8:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I was outside and missed the first 15 minutes so I didn't see if the show introduced where everyone was from.

When I tuned in, the Amish kids had just arrived and the City kids were shrieking and wouldn't open the door for them *shakes head*. I watched a little more - even I'm not as strident as Ariel (name?) was at the grocery store! - and then went back outside. When I came back in about a half-hour later and flipped the tv back on, I was surprised the show was still on. They had just arrived at the beach. I really felt bad for Moses. That must have been a terrifying experience, made even more so by being with a group of strangers and cameras in the way.

The show did remind me of The Real World (which I haven't watched in ten years - gosh, I'm feeling old). What I saw didn't seem too exploitive but neither was it very illuminating. Maybe if the City kids would show a little more mature, engaged interest in the Amish kids' experiences/opinions instead of treating them like almost-freaks in need of makeovers.

I don't know if I'll continue to watch this but will admit that it wasn't as bad as I feared it might be. I'm in Ashland btw, and I think the news said it was Miriam who was from here but maybe it was Ruth.

Halfunit
Member

09-02-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 8:28 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Here's an article from the Ohio Ag Connection website.

Mamie316
Member

07-08-2003

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 9:26 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
It was so neat to see the Amish kids faces when they saw new things. I was so touched by them at the beach, especially Ruth. They seemed like they wanted to learn so much and I was bothered by how their were treated by the "regular" kids. What a wonderful experience. I think that you all are right about them picking the most obnoxious ones around. It makes for better tv drama. I was glad when Jonas stepped up to the others for making Ruth cry.

Realfan
Member

08-08-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 10:08 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
<<Realfan: do you have any stats on your "mental retardation" claim? They aren't that small of a community to require what you term as "in-breeding.">>

Here you go (The community I visited was Lancaster, the same as quoted in the report. Maybe the Ohio community is different.):

<< The occurrence of relatively rare recessive diseases may be much more frequent in communities that traditionally have been "self-supporting" in terms of finding a partner in life. Inbreeding significantly increases the probability with which recessive diseases surface. In this respect Tay-Sachs disease already has been mentioned, which is much more frequent in Hasidic Jews than in other populations. Another example is the Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome ("six-fingered dwarfism"), of which 50 cases are known among the Amish population in Lancaster County PA. Worldwide, only another 50 cases of this disease have been recorded. A little closer to home is relatively high occurrence (0.5%) of albinism among the Hopi Indians. This albinism, due to tyrosinase deficiency that causes a lack of melanin (pigment) synthesis, occurs at a 0.002% rate worldwide.>>

(quote above from a report at http://photoscience.la.asu.edu/photosyn/courses/BIO_343/lecture/humans.html. There are many other scientific reports about the same subject.)


Realfan
Member

08-08-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 10:13 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Now, on to the show! I really felt for the Amish kids (though a couple were a lot older than I expected--Mose is 24, not "late teens"). The English kids (so to speak) were too rude, especially that guy from Boston and the gay guy. He's just a <> all around. Don't care for the <> fashion stylist, or whatever she is.

And the vegan!! What a judgmental little <>. I'm sorry, eat all you want of whatever, but DON'T judge others, thank you very much, especially when 99% of the world of humans eats meat! Get over yourself. Her crap about chicken abortions (not true; the eggs aren't fertilized) and cow pus--geez, I guess when I breastfed my son, I was feeding him human pus? What a <>. The cows from outer space really didn't help her credibility any, did it? Pretty dang funny--painfully so, that anyone can be that misinformed. And she was <> to suggest she and Mose swim to the buoy in the ocean.

<< I am having multiple problems buying that these are just regular Amish straight off the farm>>

Me, too!! I can't see it, either. I mean, the girls should have to be introduced to makeup and how to wear it, not already familiar with it. And one said she felt like a movie star in that house. I was like--uh, what do you know from movie stars?


<314>

Mistysmoke
Member

08-10-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 10:19 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I had to turn the channel last night. I couldnt stand how the city 'kids' were treating the Amish. I really liked how the one guy from L.A. said he couldnt stand when people didnt accept others for who they are.. and yet turned around and treated the Amish group so poorly.

I admit, part of the reason I couldnt watch was because every time a comment was said about the Amish members, I thought about my MIL and SIL's. They are not Amish, but are called Plain people. When I first met them, they had an outhouse, they had just set up for water to come into the house on its own. They did/do have a vehicle and electricity, however, they had a wood burning stove to cook off. At that time, there were many people left in the community, a number had moved to KY. However... most have now moved out, because more of the English folks are moving onto the land.

Now though, MIL and SIL's live a bit differently, they have thier own phone (before only the leader of the community had a phone), and they now have a regular stove, fridge, etc. (LOL Dont think they would be considered living the Plain lifestyle now)

Anyway, Im rambling on, suppose that means I should call and chat with my MIL LOL. So, thats why I couldnt watch the show, it just felt like by watching it was the same as watching people make fun of my family.


Realfan
Member

08-08-2001

Thursday, July 29, 2004 - 10:23 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I also noticed the "pissed off" comment, Lurknomore. That totally threw me. The guys saying "shit" may be a little more understandable (they do live on farms), but where'd the girl get that expression? Then they showed her in her room, supposedly, and there was a "fancy" clock with an ivy decoration on it, and some other picture or whatnot. Totally not Amish looking, IMO. They don't even hang pictures on the walls.

Of course, there are like 50 sects of Amish and Mennonite, so maybe she's from a less strict sect?