Man sues Wife Swap- new wife was "rather mannish"

[ialsohaveadream]

A man who participated in the popular "Wife Swap" television show is suing producers for $10,225,000 after the "wife" they sent to his home was a gay man.

Jeffrey D. Bedford of Haileyville, which is southeast of McAlester in Pittsburg County, is suing Walt Disney Company, dba American Broadcasting Company, Inc., ABC Television Network and RDF Media Ltd.

Bedford's suit in U.S. District Court in Muskogee states defendants began shooting the show on Oct. 14, 2004, and misled him by not sending a female from a heterosexual family to his home.

The Bedfords said Thursday they would like to comment on their experiences in regard to the show, but hesitate to do so until they talk with their attorney, who is out of town until next week.

The suit filed Oct. 11 claims:

# Bedford was distraught over the misrepresentation to the point of nonparticipation.

# Defendants threatened if Bedford did not film the show that they would not tell him his wife's location and would not pay for her to be sent home.

# Bedford conducted a Bible study for the Haileyville Baptist Church, wherein the gay swap participant invited a gay coalition into Bedford's home for the study.

# Defendants repeatedly told him his wife was leaving him. He claims he became emotionally distraught over his and his family's situation to the point of becoming physically and mentally ill. His wife was not informed of his illness.

# Bedford was not allowed to speak to his wife during the filming of the episode and not allowed to continue his college work during the filming. Subsequently, he was dropped from one class.

# Defendants acted with reckless disregard. As a result of intentional infliction of mental distress he has incurred medical bills, public humiliation, embarrassment and undue grief. He seeks $5 million for that distress and punitive damages of $5 million.

He seeks $75,000 for breach of contract and in excess of $75,000 because of defendants' fraud or misrepresentation, and punitive damages in excess of $75,000. He also seeks court costs and attorney fees.

ABC spokeswoman Annie Fort e-mailed a statement Thursday to the Phoenix: "ABC is confident that RDF Media, the producer of 'Wife Swap,' treats participants professionally and with respect. The show is meant to challenge a family's norms and moreover, the agreement between the plaintiff and RDF specifically stated that the swapped spouse could be either male or female."

Fort said the episode hasn't aired yet, but only because it hasn't been scheduled.

"We have a number of 'Wife Swap' episodes stockpiled," Fort wrote.

"Since each is self-contained, we don't have to air them in any particular order, so I can't predict when we'll book this one."
link (http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051118/NEWS01/511180303/1002)

[Grimm]

Now that's just F#&@ed up.:eek:

[johnnymk]

I wouldn't want no steenking transvestite in my house, especially in my bed:puke:

[LegendKiller]

Not to be homophobic, but yeah, that is just wrong.

[esme]

ABC spokeswoman Annie Fort e-mailed a statement Thursday to the Phoenix: "ABC is confident that RDF Media, the producer of 'Wife Swap,' treats participants professionally and with respect. The show is meant to challenge a family's norms and moreover, the agreement between the plaintiff and RDF specifically stated that the swapped spouse could be either male or female."


wow ....they really misinformed that poor man!! ....i would read the quote above as either the husband or the wife could be swapped but not gay/lesbian partners ...... :shrug:


Defendants threatened if Bedford did not film the show that they would not tell him his wife's location and would not pay for her to be sent home.

that is just wrong!!!

[Grimm]

Actualy, a "spouse" is defined as a married person. If the state the transvestite is from does not allow gay marriage then they are not legaly a spouse. So the contract is broken through misrepresentation.
Assuming the man is being honest, the show deliberately misrepresented the contract for financial benifit.

[esme]

Actualy, a "spouse" is defined as a married person. If the state the transvestite is from does not allow gay marriage then they are not legaly a spouse. So the contract is broken through misrepresentation.
Assuming the man is being honest, the show deliberately misrepresented the contract for financial benifit.


i know that spouse is defined as that .....but like you said .....if that's not the case in this man's state then the companies are at fault

but w/all these lawsuits going around, don't you think that they should've/could've worded this better?

[Grimm]

i know that spouse is defined as that .....but like you said .....if that's not the case in this man's state then the companies are at fault

but w/all these lawsuits going around, don't you think that they should've/could've worded this better?
Their intent was to deceive. They wanted to trick a conservative Christian family into putting up with a situation they would find wholy unacceptable.
They inflicted serious emotion suffering on a family with the intent to entertain others. While I find this man's attitude objectionable, it's his right to hold those beliefs (no matter how wrong I feel they may be).
Le't look at it this way. What if they took a devout Hindu woman, who considers it absolutely ahborrent to eat beef, and put her with a family that owns and runs a steakhouse? Now that would be just wrong. It's cruel.

The production company should be crucified.

[avlena]

Actualy, a "spouse" is defined as a married person. If the state the transvestite is from does not allow gay marriage then they are not legaly a spouse. So the contract is broken through misrepresentation.
Assuming the man is being honest, the show deliberately misrepresented the contract for financial benifit.

when did the gay man become a transvestite? it was just a normal gay man, correct? by the way, not all transvestites are gay, and definitely not vice versa.

If they really did all those tactics that he said, like threatening him with his wife leaving him, then that is so screwed up!!!

some of the stuff, i'm not so sure about though. Like, isn't that part of the show, that you can't contact the spouse that's gone? if you're supposed to be immersed in this other family, you can't very well be calling your husband every night for support.

[avlena]

Their intent was to deceive. They wanted to trick a conservative Christian family into putting up with a situation they would find wholy unacceptable.
They inflicted serious emotion suffering on a family with the intent to entertain others. While I find this man's attitude objectionable, it's his right to hold those beliefs (no matter how wrong I feel they may be).
Le't look at it this way. What if they took a devout Hindu woman, who considers it absolutely ahborrent to eat beef, and put her with a family that owns and runs a steakhouse? Now that would be just wrong. It's cruel.

The production company should be crucified.

Did you see the episode where they stuck the Vegan woman in with a Louisiana family that runs an alligator farm (and eats them as well)? it was a year or so ago, and was a rather popular episode because the Vegan woman gave a bad name to Vegans everywhere.

[ialsohaveadream]

I've never seen the show, but isn't the whole concept that they put you with someone you wouldn't normally associate with? Also, I missed the part of the article where it says that the guy threatening to sue was forced at gunpoint to contact the show to participate AND sign the contract.

[Mommypooh]

I am a member of a homeschool-homesteading group and this was an email that was recieved and forwarded on to the group.

Dear List Owner,


My name is Kirstin and I am a Casting Producer for ABC Televisions show, Wife Swap. I am reaching out to you in hopes that your group can help me find a family for our show. We are specifically looking for a family that follows old fashioned ways of life. A family that lives a very simple life and has strong moral values. A family that knows the importance of spending family time together. A family that believes education is important. A family that keeps an organized home and that uses proper etiquette. A family that is not concerned with modern gadgets and materialistic possessions. A family that really knows what is important in life. We believe that the traditional family values have disappeared in today's society and would like to feature a family that practices such a lifestyle on a daily basis.

In case you are unfamiliar with Wife Swap, the premise is to take two very different families and have the moms switch homes for a week to not only experience the way another family runs their household but also share her way of life with another family. Each family should consist of two parents and at least one child over the age of five and should reside in the continental U.S. It's a positive experience for people to learn about other families and other ways of life.

Our show airs on Disney owned ABC Television on Mondays at 8 pm, the family hour. I want to be sure you know that we are not the scandalous show, Trading Spouses which airs on FOX. They use sensationalism to promote their show and we do not.

My hope is that you would post this to your yahoo group so that anyone interested in applying, will be able to contact me. This is a very unique experience that can be life changing for everyone. In addition, each family that tapes an episode of Wife Swap receives a $20,000 honorarium which is never announced on the program. Anyone who refers a family that appears on our program receives $1000 as a 'thank you" from us.

If you have any questions, please call me at the number below. Please let me know if you are willing to post this to your group so I may keep track of where this message is posted. Thank you for your time in reading this message.

______________________________







Kirstin Dodich
Wife Swap Casting
ABC Television / RDF Media
440 9th Ave, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10001
(P) 212.404.1418
(F) 212.404.1423

[molecularfire]

Man, that is one stupid company...


# Defendants threatened if Bedford did not film the show that they would not tell him his wife's location and would not pay for her to be sent home.

How is this a threat?????

[brainsmile]

maybe he was just turned on....

In the words of George Costanza, "it moved"

[Jeffbx]

Their intent was to deceive. They wanted to trick a conservative Christian family into putting up with a situation they would find wholy unacceptable.

Well, yeah - that's the whole point of the show. If they found 2 compatible families with the same values, it would be a pretty boring show. They look for 2 families with opposite lifestyles & put them together to watch the conflict. Kind of like putting a cat & a dog in a sack & tying it closed.

I don't think they have an argument at all about who was sent to their house to live. However, if the other claims are true, then he's got a good case.

[Mommypooh]

this was in responce to a letter that was sent saying how the show was terible and degrading and all kinds of things. Here is ABC's response.

Our hope with this show is that ANYONE who applies is doing so to learn more about different lifestyles and openness. Otherwise, why would anyone out themselves through it. Of course, when you put someone into a situation that is so different from there own, it is shocking and sometimes they have a hard time adjusting to something so different. If you take a city girl who is used to getting manicures every week and put her in the country where she has to learn to milk a cow, it is going to be a bit of a culture shock. Everyone on the show knows they are going to be somewhere completely different from their home and are excited about it. Once they get there, sometimes they are very overwhelmed. The great thing about our show is that most of the time, the family's really respect and appreciate the others lifestyle and end up learning from each other. There is another show out there on FOX (not mentioning ANY names) that likes to put their families through the ringer- that's not us! :)

I so appreciate you writing to me and posting my message to your list. I really hope to have a positive outcome for a family like yours. I am hoping to feature a family like yours because I believe that so much has gotten lost in the American family! I think a family with tradition values and a simpler way of living could really make a positive impact on a family that doesn't spend time together, works too much or is more concerned with making lots of money and buying expensive things. I hope to talk to some of your members. Have a great day!

[Jeffbx]

I think a family with tradition values and a simpler way of living could really make a positive impact on a family that doesn't spend time together, works too much or is more concerned with making lots of money and buying expensive things. I hope to talk to some of your members. Have a great day!

Sounds like they're looking for someone to send to live with the kids on 'Growing up Gotti'.

[ialsohaveadream]

this was in responce to a letter that was sent saying how the show was terible and degrading and all kinds of things. Here is ABC's response.

Our hope with this show is that ANYONE who applies is doing so to learn more about different lifestyles and openness. Otherwise, why would anyone out themselves through it. Of course, when you put someone into a situation that is so different from there own, it is shocking and sometimes they have a hard time adjusting to something so different. If you take a city girl who is used to getting manicures every week and put her in the country where she has to learn to milk a cow, it is going to be a bit of a culture shock. Everyone on the show knows they are going to be somewhere completely different from their home and are excited about it. Once they get there, sometimes they are very overwhelmed. The great thing about our show is that most of the time, the family's really respect and appreciate the others lifestyle and end up learning from each other. There is another show out there on FOX (not mentioning ANY names) that likes to put their families through the ringer- that's not us! :)

I so appreciate you writing to me and posting my message to your list. I really hope to have a positive outcome for a family like yours. I am hoping to feature a family like yours because I believe that so much has gotten lost in the American family! I think a family with tradition values and a simpler way of living could really make a positive impact on a family that doesn't spend time together, works too much or is more concerned with making lots of money and buying expensive things. I hope to talk to some of your members. Have a great day!
That person's English teacher must be in tears right now.

[johnnymk]

That person's English teacher must be in tears right now.

Speling seams to be have a low pryorty nowdays, dont it?

[ialsohaveadream]

Speling seams to be have a low pryorty nowdays, dont it?
Also too u no wut else is? grammer.