The prize on this (proposed) game show? A baby.

Forums: Tv, Parenting, Adoption, Reality Television, Game Shows
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The programme, called Find My Baby A Home, focuses on a group of couples in competition to win a baby.

He admitted the concept was tough for some to swallow. "Look, it was a very hard sell. The TV people struggled with the idea at first, until they saw our sizzle reel, and then they saw the emotional journey and the positive story."

Cleave said an adoption agency will select and screen a number of couples looking to adopt a child. Bolton Productions is not involved in that process.

"The couples selected will go to a retreat, like on The Bachelor or Survivor, and there is a judging panel who advise the pregnant mother on which couple she should choose to win her baby," he said.

The panel comprises the mother at full-term, her friends and family, a representative from the adoption agency and a psychiatrist.

Cleave said he was on the verge of inking a deal with a major American production company, which he declined to name.

"Everything will be done out of America. I'll be an executive producer."

I chopped that up a bit, here a link to the full story: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/news/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10808242

After reading this I visited some of the adoption forums that I used to visit regularly to see what the chatter was.

I was really surprized!

After a few posts noting how appalling this all was things started sorting out in a different way.

The people looking to adopt were saying it's all pretty much like that anyway: you try to sell yourself to mothers and hope she picks you from among all the other "contestants".

The birth-mothers were saying how they wished they'd had a panel of experts to help them decide on the right people. (Many noted that they would not have wanted to do this in any kind of a game show format, to be sure). A few ventured that this was a positive thing, in a weird way, in that birth-motherhood might no longer been seen as shameful -- if they showed that the woman was in a powerful position, making decisions for the right reasons.

The adoptees remained horrified and really, their opinion is the only one that should count, in my opinion. I completely understand why they feel that being a game show prize is degrading.

There were a few, of course, who thought the concept would glorify promiscuity and unwed motherhood and make would make the baby Jesus cry. And they might have a point in this day and age of reality show stardom where girls can end up on "Teen Mom" type shows thereby becoming fodder for the tabloids.

What say you, A2K?

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[+3] - Setanta - 05/29/2012The big diffference between the adoption process and a game show is that in the adoption processs, one is not making a pathetic spectacle, the purpose of which is to further enrich a group of...

Anything that makes the Baby Jesus cry is OK by me.

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I want to go on that show.

I'll make Baby Jesus cry all right.

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@boomerang,

I agree (from what I've been told) that it really is kind of like a game show where you write up a resume and present yourselves in the most flattering light to a mother hoping she will chose you. Dan Savage (sex columnist, "It gets better" guy, "santorum" definition creator and adoptive parent) says he and his husband were able to adopt despite being told it could take years because the mother liked the idea of letting a gay couple adopt her child. Still, I remember the heart break this couple I knew would go through whenever something didn't work out and I would hate to see families' dreams get crushed on TV for entertainment. We have Americal Idol for that.

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@engineer,

I think it would be ruinous to any couple who appeared on the show and didn't get picked. They'd be "losers" to any other woman trying to choose an adoptive family.

Our adoption was really unusual in that we never went out looking for a kid. We never had to market ourselves to mothers. Even then, we had to "sell" ourselves a bit with all the background checks and interviews and references required. It's hard.

Still, I could imagine people signing up to be on this show. The most desperate people I've ever known were ones that were having a hard time conceiving or adopting. It makes people do strange things.

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@boomerang,

As icky as it seems to me from the perspective of the potential adopters and birth mother, that you are a form of entertainment in "winning" a baby - these are adults making a decision to be a part of this.

I also wondered about it from the adopted child's perspective which seemed completely wrong. I'm glad you included this perspective -

Quote:

The adoptees remained horrified

That is what really bothered me - the unborn child is who is being discussed as a source of entertainment. It just seems plain wrong to me - imagine watching your birth mother and parents and potential parents on TV talking about you. What the heck happens when the child says - hey I'd rather have been adopted by Fred and Wilma on here - how come I got stuck with you?

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@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

That is what really bothered me - the unborn child is who is being discussed as a source of entertainment. It just seems plain wrong to me

That's it in a nutshell. It's horrible.

Then again we're discussing a culture where toddlers and tiaras is acceptable.

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@chai2,

Quote:

Then again we're discussing a culture where toddlers and tiaras is acceptable.

Not to me - haven't watched it although I've heard enough to solidify continuing not to watch.

It is one thing for an adult to "prostitute" themself - quite another to have a child who cannot make such a decision.

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@Linkat,

I think that from all positions this would be a disaster over the years but especially to the kid.

You know that the tabloids would follow them forever: "Game Show Baby Fashion Spread!", "Game Show Baby Turns 10!", "Game Show Baby Busted For Drug Use!", "Game Show Baby Reunites With Birthmother!", "Game Show Baby At 50: "Leave me alone!""

The kid would never have a moment of privacy.

The adoptive parents would have every decision they made raked over the coals of public opinion.

The birth mother would watch at a distance and occasionally be asked to comment.

The other contestants would happily snark.

It would be a mess for everyone.

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@Linkat,

Linkat wrote:

Quote:
Then again we're discussing a culture where toddlers and tiaras is acceptable.

Not to me - haven't watched it although I've heard enough to solidify continuing not to watch.

It is one thing for an adult to "prostitute" themself - quite another to have a child who cannot make such a decision.

I've never watched the actual show, just youtube clips that say enough about it.

Maybe they could give a baby to the winning toddler.

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The big diffference between the adoption process and a game show is that in the adoption processs, one is not making a pathetic spectacle, the purpose of which is to further enrich a group of already wealthy men and women and their shareholders who do not, in fact, give a **** if you live or die. This is crass exploitation--which is to say, business as usual.

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@boomerang,

what a foolish joke it is. Is a baby going to die for the game show

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One word: horrible!!

To make the hardship of potential adoptive parents even harder all the while being watched by an entertained crowd, must be pure agony. Is there not even an ounce of dignity left in this world?

As most know, I went through the hardship of adoption and the lengthy process to get there, I never would have subjected myself to such a deal - never in my life!!

Having said that, I don't find fault with the potential parents. The crusade to adopt an infant can be gruesome and I understand how desperate a couple can get in order to become parents. You basically prostitute yourself and do just about anything to get a baby. To take advantage of the vulnerability and desperation of these couples is simply wrong, wrong, wrong.

Our society has no more shame and dignity left. Sad.

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I can't believe this would even be considered entertainment. Who is the target audience? Adoption is a great thing and because of it, I have a wonderful extended family.
I'm not sure how anyone could watch people being turned down, when all they want is a family. It's hard enough dealing with the fact they can't conceive and then add the public humiliation..
This is so wrong, on so many levels.

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The prize on this (proposed) game show? A baby.

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