So the TV program that featured our family - "Enquete Exclusive" - aired on M6 in France last Sunday, on May 29th.
I didn't think that I would have a chance to watch it. I found it on
M6's website, but there were permission issues. You can't watch it unless you are actually in France. But the other night, I actually found a couple of
websites that actually aired the entire program. My heart started beating when I clinked on the link and saw the view from the top of our hill. Then I saw myself on TV, speaking (in English) to my kids with a French voice overdubbing me.
The show starts out with a man in Quebec, and his two wives. It showed them posing in bed, wearing cutesy pajamas. There wasn't much substance to their segment beyond, "Hey, look at us! We are polygamists, wearing matching pajamas, in the same bed! Woo hoo!"
Then they showed traveled back to France (with a small segment in Morocco) to discuss the polygamy problem among the Muslim population. It wasn't very positive, overshadowed with ominous music that sounded like something out of Dexter. They discussed Muslim men taking wives without telling the other wife, Muslim men abandoning other wives, Muslim men having wives in two different countries, Muslims taking advantage of welfare and public housing, etc. It was very negative. They showed many crying Muslim wives with their faces blurred out, telling of the difficulties of living polygamy. They had a couple of angry relatives, talking about how wrong polygamy is.
While I'm watching this, I understand that these women are suffering. I think that abuse is likely to be present in any culture where women become chattel, become property, where they have little to no say in their domestic lives. However, it was evident that the tone of this TV show was negative. I was wondering how they were going to tie in our family to this tragedy.
The show then moved over to Colorado City, Arizona. (So they DID visit another location!) They talked about the FLDS, about the raid of the YFZ Ranch in Texas, about Warren Jeffs and his imprisonment, about arranged marriages, etc. They showed Ted driving through the town, filming cars filled with local goon squad members following them through the streets (like they would do to any car with a camera in it.) Their visit included visiting a disaffected, former member by the name of Holmes who took them on a bus tour through the city. They stopped and talked to some random people and asked them if they loved their prophet, or some such question, to which they answered that they did. An old man in his garage was accosted, and he threatened to call the police.
I admit. I am not a huge fan of the FLDS. But this segment was a little sensationalized, and obviously it did not promote plural marriage in an encouraging light, either. I was starting to worry about whether this was going to be a hatchet job.
Then I saw some different scenery shots that I recognized as close to my house. Fortunately, the music changed, sounding less like "Twin Peaks" and more like "7th Heaven". Then the camera shows me walking between houses. My first thought was, "OMG, am I really that fat?" Ha ha. The second thought, they showed trailers and a big barn that I recognize, but that are NOT part of our religious community. They needed some good stock footage, I guess.
They introduced me as an independent Mormon fundamentalist (true) who doesn't recognize Warren Jeffs as his prophet (very true), and doesn't believe in arranged and/ or underage marriages (very, VERY true). They mention that I have studied in Europe, and then they have me introduce both of my wives, and their respective children (minus Sophie) - in very basic French.
The narrator says that we live the way we do as fugitives, as pariahs, and that is why we live the way we do without electricity. I guess maybe we do, but I never really considered myself a fugitive.
It is mentioned that this is the first time that an independent Mormon fundamentalist has opened his doors to the media. LOL! Well, that is not exactly true. I am certainly not the first polygamist who has had cameras in his home. This is not even the first time that I have had the media in my home. BUT... It is the first time that I have had the French media in my home, so that is what they must have meant!
They talk a little bit about how hard it is to find jobs in such a desert region, but that Temple - an "assistante maternelle" - provides the salary that sustains the family. Temple is interviewed and talks about how no one forced her into this relationship, that she consented to it. She comes from a family that does not practice polygamy, and that she is happy.
Martha talked a little bit about the theology of plural marriage, but it was kind of hard to focus on anything but her glasses. At that time, her glasses had broken, and we hadn't had the chance to do anything about it yet. Her glasses were dangling from her face. Poor Martha...
Oh, and they did feature Christian chopping wood - just as I hoped he would!
I have to say, I was really proud of my kids. They did an interview with them as they walked between houses. They were exuberant and happy, all of them trying to answer Ted's questions about growing up in such a large family at once. They were truly the centerpiece of this segment. They even showed me having a staged class with the kids about plural marriage. They all answered beautifully. Sara talked about a wife having more than one husband as cheating. I laughed at that. Aidan gave a beautiful answer about the purpose of plural marriage. I can't say enough how proud I was.
After the "class", they show the kids running out to play on the swings. The next part made me laugh so hard. My six year-old son Alex can't read yet. He just graduated from kindergarten. He found a copy of a tiny New Testament. He carried this book around with him everywhere. They filmed him on the playset, reading from this book while on the swing. And the narrator says something like, "And even while they play, Moroni's kids find time to study from the Book of Mormon."
Alex probably was doing it this as an affectation, trying to show the cameras that he can read, when in fact he cannot. But it was so funny that this is the way that they interpreted it. I loved it.
While I am pushing my kids on the swing, I talk - very tongue-in-cheek - about Mormons taking over the world, not by the sword, but by procreation, thus making the whole world Mormon. Even though I was joking, I am sure that some took this very seriously.
The next scene shows Martha and Temple making dinner while I sit at the table, looking at my Blackberry. They something about me supervising. Not true. I know nothing about cooking, so how could I supervise? But I am wearing this impatient look on my face. Probably because I am hungry! After Aidan offers a prayer, we have dinner, and they conduct interviews with the three of us.
After dinner, they film me walking between houses, talking about the challenges of living plural marriage. I don't like this part, mainly because I think I sound stupid while I talk.
The next day they interviewed us while we were standing by our car. I talk a little bit about the differences in each relationship. Martha talks about the need to sacrifice in order to make it work. Then the program ends.
I'm not sure how my segment was congruous when juxtaposed with the Muslim problem. I don't see how they are similar, except that we have polygamy in common. I don't even see how we can be compared to the FLDS. But I must say that - in spite of it being a negative show about polygamy - our segment was very positive. I am very pleased how it turned out. Ted Anspach and M6 treated us with dignity and respect, and I want to thank them for their honest portrayal of our family..
