Feedback From The TLC Show

Okay, having “Forbidden Love: Polygamy” air several days ago on TLC was a different experience from having Dawn’s show air in Great Britain. Mainly because all of our friends and families got to watch the show.

First of all, let me clarify something – “Forbidden Love: Polygamy” and “Dawn Porter: The Polygamist’s Wife” are the SAME SHOW. I got an email from one friend, asking me when I was going to give it a break. I am not becoming a media whore (yet), because this was the same show – one had one name in the UK, and the other version had a different name here across the Pond.

(Btw, there is another show that is an extension of this shoot that is due to air on History Channel sometime next year.)

There were some difference between the British and American versions, though. For instance, TLC thought that the “Moroni makes whoopee” and the “she’s humping my husband” comments were too racy.

The person who struggled most with the show airing here in the States was our daughter Sophie. It was one thing to have the show air in front of 1.8 million people in a country not your own. But to be seen by people that you go to high school with – Sophie was mortified. She did the whole teen girl bit and cried in her room, and when she came out, I told her, “Sophie, it’s on TLC, not ABC. How many people are going to watch it?”

The next day, there was a group of girls waiting at Sophie’s locker. One of them asked her, “Sophie, have you ever been on TV?”

“Um, yeah,” Sophie replied.

“What were you on TV for?”

“Because of my family.”

“That is so cool,” they said, and they walked away. Sophie said that she got funny looks all day. (As a consolation prize, I bought her the “Twilight” soundtrack.)

One of the teachers confronted Temple at school and jokingly asked for an autograph.

Every day, word is coming in to me about different friends and family who have watched the program. I got an email from a family friend whom I have not seen in over twenty years. I have heard that some of my extended family was really embarrassed by my appearance. I feel bad about this. Who wants to be an embarrassment?

Most of my family viewed it as a comedy, and Dawn did not make a good impression on my family, in general. The whole family laughed as Dawn went “deeper into the desert to meet a man named Moroni” as the screen showed a blowing tumbleweed and eerie music played.

I have heard that my sister moaned, “Moroni, why? Why??” when she watched me admit that I would have probably strayed in my marriage had I not been a polygamist.

The most painful comments are those from people in my own community. Virtually none of these comments are made to my face, but they end up floating back to me. The derision that my family has drawn is astounding. There was one man who told me to my face, and I really appreciated it. He thought that my appearance on TV might bring risk to his business, because of his associations with me. I don’t see how it would, though.

None of them understand my reasons. And my reasons have to do with not hiding your light under a bushel, but being a light on the hill.

It has been fun reading the comments. Here is one from a blog called “Media Sluts”. (I love the name.):

“Dawn spent a day with another family, who lived in a double-wide trailer in the middle of nowhere, she said with no water or electricity. There were two wives, and I think six children? The oldest daughter was 14, seemed relatively normal, and said she wasn't sure whether she'd like a polygamist marriage or not. The two wives were young and attractive-looking, and the girls were all wearing pants! However, husband Moroni (yes, his name sounds very close to "moron," but he says it's an old family name) admits that there was jealousy between his wives at first. He also says he's looking to add a third..! But he's apparently been turned down more than once, needing his other wives to console him. (Hmm, maybe they found out what the living arrangement was going to be.) After spending a night at this home, Dawn says her goodbyes and gets into a waiting truck with her camera crew. She seems really shaken/upset, and kept saying what an experience it was staying there. Well, I think there were some things about this situation that didn't make it into the show, but they are mentioned in this blog entry, written by the host. (She also mentions how she picked up her colorful, vintage wardrobe for the show.)”

Wow, Martha and Temple were wearing pants! *gasp* What will those women think of next? Polygamy aside, people forget that Mormon women were the first women in our nation to have the right to vote. We are not Amish! I guess this is not a good time to bring up thongs! Ha!

Most of the comments were fairly positive. There were a few about polygamy not being sanctioned in the Bible. Come off of it! Most of the prophets in the Bible were polygamists. No sane person would believe that polygamy is not biblical.

One of my favorite comments was from the YouTube site:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t502voADIaM


“This Brit broad is about as smart as a dung beetle… I almost hoped she’d be kidnapped and made to have 20 kids.”

First of all, since I know Dawn, I can say that there is nothing dumb about her. She is very, very bright. But the comment made me laugh and laugh.

Anyway, many comments deal with our living conditions. I have been planning on going into that, but have had little time. I will get to it soon.