Amish Break Out - More?
 

Aren't you amazed about our resident tv experts-posters. This amish series isn't even out of the can and they've researched it! What Tom Shaleans! More, please, about the six Ams v. six norms in LA! Sleeping arrangements? Restaurants? TV?

I think this is the first time I've read a post on Fodor's without having even the slightest, vaguest idea of what it's about! :)

Anybody need a really bad joke?

What goes clippity clop, clippity clop, BANG, BANG, clippity clop?

An Amish drive-by...........:->

Sorry, couldn't help myself.

I think I am more amazed that this merited another thread.

I'm looking foward to it - nothing's better than having fun at the expense of another group's heart-felt faith!

... oh, Rosemary, baby, how could you. And any of you wish to clue in Meesthare. The earler synopsis (by whom?)of the Amish reality series was simply too good not to follow up. So, lets keep the details coming! Have a great day all.

ttt ... details, anyone? We do have some tv experts!!

Holy hex sign Blacktie, I must confess I watched Amish in America with guilty pleasure. The premise is 2 (alleged) Amish young women and 3 (again alleged) Amish young men move into a swanky house in the Hollywood hills with 3 young men and 3 young women who are (in their own opinions) hip city people. The city slickers looked on with shocked amusement when the Amish came calling. Supposedly the Amish are in the midst of a religious rite of passage known as rumspringa in which they are allowed to venture out into the world to decide whether or not they want to remain in their Amish communities. If they choose not to return, they are shunned. Randy, one of the Amish young men, looks as if he just stepped out from a Beverly Hills salon with his trendy spiked hair. Jonas also sports as updated 'do and he is already hinting that he's being tempted not to return. So far the Amish are seeing new technologies and avocados! Ariel, one of the city slickers, was given the privilege of grocery shopping for the group and she chose 2 of the Amish to be her companions. The twist? Ariel is diehard vegetarian who chastised the Amish for selecting eggs because they are chicken abortions. Although those left behind asked for specific food items Ariel replied to them she would try and remember what they wanted. I don't know if I will be a regular viewer but more often than not there is a twist to these shows that is not revealed until the end.

I tripped over this show while fleeing from Boston bombast (non-partisan comment: I don't look forward to the GOP convention either). Meesthare: premise of show: take a group of young adults (older adolescents) from the strict and protected world of the Amish and put them together with a group of "normal" (hah!) contemporaries in Los Angeles and see how each responds to the situation. Non-Amish are supposed to be guides and gurus, while Amish are supposed to explore and experience the "outside world" as part of their test of their commitment to spending the rest of their lives in the Amish community.

I have to say, I found it something short of credible. At the very least, you have to ask how kids who'd supposedly "never seen a parking meter" (I don't buy that for a second -- I've been to Amish country) understand what a "reality" show is well enough to sign a contract to go on one for an extended period of time.

Honestly, something just doesn't ring true, between the startling willingness to try certain things (bikinis! sushi!) compared with supposed naivete about some things, and those accents that come and go along with the bleepable language.....

The earlier thread that was frozen raised questions about the authenticity of the Amish kids. I see now what they meant.

And Blacktie, I'm not at all sure I'd call the non-Amish "norms." Those kids are so shallow and culture-bound -- dedicated to name-brand clothing labels and makeup, not to mention a bit bent around the edges -- that I think they'd be far more out of their element in Amish country than the Amish have been with, for pete's sake, sushi. Horse puckey, eeeeeeeuwwww. I guess that'll be the premise for the follow-up program (or maybe the last part of this one).

What gives it all away to me, finally, is that it isn't culture shock that's going to grab everyone's attention -- so far, none of the Amish have caved in to fear or disgust or refused to do anything (poor Mose in the Water -- seemed like a staged episode in a B movie). No, what the producers are cranking up is the dissension between the groups and among the individual characters. Prediction: various person-to-person confrontations, conflict, reconciliation and "I've really come to understand them so much better," and inevitably there will be a romantic hookup between one Amish and one "secular" kid.

That'll be 2 cents, thanks.

Thank you, Merilee, it's interesting to hear how the producers bring off this strange premise. Amercian TV is a ground breaker. I'm always amazed at how up posters are on the latest programs. How do people find the time, I wonder. In any event, I'll try to tune it in sometime. Take care.

lol, Cassandra, 4 cents at least. I gather the production values exceed the efforts ongoing in Boston. An observation, if you will: this site is certainly an a-political locale. Is tv do you suppose an easier reality for most posters? There seems, for example, to be a bit of inventing occurring here with some posters, which does seem to fit tv viewing, IMHO. Anyway, thanks for the input.

Cassandra,
A co-worker's daughter recently applied to be a contestant on the next season of America's Next Top Model. During the interview process the applicants were interviewed alone and were asked questions such as what traits do you dislike in others, what is intolerable to you, what is your worst personal habit and what is your best, and on and on. Applicants for these shows are definitely chosen based on who can create the most drama and conflict.

But could anyone ever top Omarossa?

Thank you so much for the enlightenment! I sat there staring at the post, going "Amish?" "Break Out?" Huh???
It looks like an interesting show, fake or not. I'm a sucker for reality shows. I have to sneak peeks at Big Brother when my sweetie isn't home or is busy reading the Times Literary Supplement and doesn't notice. I actually had to miss the most recent installment of America's Next Top Model because we were out for dinner. He did sort of get vaguely interested in Survivor last time around, but I couldn't get him to admit it.

Haven't see the TV show on the Amish youth. From what I've read at a certain age Amish youth may kick up their heels a little and taste the "English" world but then mostly settle in to accept Amish ways. They come to realize the superior values in their Amish society. But living it up in LA...no way!

Who is to say that being deprived of electricity and some neat conveniences is so important if you have a family-centered society which cares about you and where there is admirable honest labor.

Ozarks Bill

Re: Ariel and chicken abortions...

Mose: I bet Abe Lincoln ate eggs

Ariel: Yeah and I bet he died when he 36yrs old.

Mose: <laffin'> Yeah but not from eggs!
OK... I WATCHED IT, DAMMIT!
:-D

I don't know which of these Amish kids I like the most! They're all enchanting! If you haven't seen this show you don't know what you're missing...

Paris and Nicole should be tied up and forced to watch these kids. They only have an 8th grade education but are leaps and bounds beyond those two Beverly hillbillies.

Do we start a pool to see who'll go back to Amish ways and who'll stay in LA or at least in the "Englsh" world? If any?

I was very touched by the time they spent with the mentally handicapped and have moderately revised my opinion of the Gay Guy. But kind of lost the glow with the concert.

Wonder if the producers are revising as they go along.

it will be interesting to see how this works out!

Chicken abortions?

TV has sunk to a new low.

Suddenly, the movie Scrooged isn't all that far fetched.

I thought The Swan would top the epitome of bad taste but now I'm no longer sure of anything.