glantern954
Oct 19, 2006, 7:33 AM
I saw the showed mentioned here and feel this review is dead on.
Title: Don't Quote Me: Fantasy Island
Author: Kim Ficera,
Published: October 18, 2006
Source: AfterEleen.com
"You've heard it over and over gain, in the media, on every sitcom, from husbands and boyfriends everywhere, same sex encounters between women is every man's fantasy. Dirty little secret: it's almost every woman's too."
— A Sept. 27, 2006, press release announcing the VH1 News presentation Women Seeking Women: A Bi-curious Journey
" I was only bi-curious and VERY shy when I got to Hedonism III for the Wild Women's Week. … The Pajama Party, Tuesday night at the disco changed everything. Beth, you must have read my thoughts when you started that three way kiss with D******. Our lips were locked the rest of the week only coming up for air to eat."
— A.B. from Kentucky in a testimonial to Wild Women Vacations/First Travel, a company selling "bi and bi-curious adventures" to heterosexual couples and single women.
Last spring, VH1 News accompanied four women — Tammy, Wendy, Robbyn and Linda — and their husbands to the Hedonism III resort in Jamaica to film Women Seeking Women: A Bi-curious Journey, which originally aired on Oct. 5. According to the show's description on VH1.com, "While there, [the women] made a bold step in transforming their bi-curious fantasies into bi-sexual reality."
Bi-sexual reality? Uh, that's pushing it.
On the show's website, Women Seeking Women is described as a "cinema vérité-style documentary." I call it thinly veiled sensationalism.
Instead of providing an intelligent, sober view of the many types of bisexual experiences that people have in our culture, VH1 News provides one vapid view of wife-on-wife action, resulting in little more than a how-to for sexually bored, heterosexual couples.
While I'm all for consenting adults fulfilling their sexual fantasies in any ways they wish, it's hardly "a dirty little secret" that straight women have bisexual fantasies and act on them, and it's certainly not "news" that their husbands or boyfriends are eager to watch those fantasies play out.
Attempting to pass off Women Seeking Women: A Bi-curious Journey as a legitimate documentary by producing it out of VH1's News division is not only insulting to anyone who can easily distinguish news from sensationalism, but also to those of us who work hard to make sure that the viewing public understands the distinction.
The one-hour program focuses primarily on Tammy, a 37-year-old mother from the small town of Necedah, Wis., who makes the trip to Hedonism because, as reported on VH1.com, she has " always fantasized about women, but never acted out her fantasy."
Eager to " spice up" her 15-year marriage, Tammy, along with her husband Mike, planned their getaway with the help of another couple, Beth and Robert. Beth and Robert own Wild Women Vacations. On their website, wildwomenvacations.com, they tell prospective clients that they specialize in delivering "erotic vacation experiences" to "STRAIGHT women with BISEXUAL fantasies," "BI-CURIOUS women seeking their first beautiful experience," and "BISEXUAL women whose motto is … `SO MANY WOMEN, SO LITTLE TIME.'"
Those caps clearly indicate that Beth and Robert have their fingers somewhere other than on the pulse of the bisexual community. Where? You can't make me write it.
At Hedonism, Beth and Robert are portrayed as event-planning hosts, but in any other setting these two would be called pimps.
"The fear of rejection by another woman is very strong when seeking your first experience," they explain on their site. "We are highly sensitive to guests in this position so we do everything we can to help break the ice. By telling us which woman or women you may be interested in, we will help with an introduction."
Although "newbie" Tammy had spoken to Beth by phone prior to the trip, it appears that she and Mike don't quite know what to make of Beth and Robert, or the resort, upon arrival. On the show, Tammy's body language is guarded and the look on her face suggests that she fears Beth will sneak up on her and give her a "beautiful experience" from behind.
Beth obviously knows the look, and being the smart and experienced bisexual she is, immediately leads Tammy to the alcohol, leaving Mike with Robert.
Robert gives the impression that he's gotten lost on his way to a tea dance. Not that I think there's anything wrong with that, but Mike looks like he would rather rip the hairs from his knuckles one by one than go anywhere with Robert. And I don't blame him. Robert's vibe screams "disingenuous."
Eventually, Tammy and Mike enjoy some alone time in their room. They seem somewhat more relaxed than before, until Tammy spies a game of naked volleyball being played just outside her window. After noticing that one male player is quite obviously enjoying the game more than the others, she again becomes uncomfortable. I can almost hear her thinking, There's no wood in volleyball!
Tammy's discomfort is soon alleviated, however, at the Wild Women Meet and Greet cocktail party. The Meet and Greet, as explained in the Expectations section of wildwomenvacations.com, "offers the first real chance to find new friends … Absolutely no sexual activity takes place here and it will be discouraged. We do not wish to scare off first timers or bi-curious women before they are able to adjust and become completely comfortable."
Maybe that fear factor is why there's no mention in this `documentary' that Jamaica is considered one of the most homophobic countries in the world, and that two lesbians were brutally murdered there last June. It would definitely be a buzz-kill for the couples to have learned that the most vicious of anti-queer Jamaicans don't stop beating their victims long enough to discuss the difference between lesbians and bicurious women on a "journey."
Anyway, at the cocktail party, Tammy and Mike get to know Wendy, Robbyn and Linda, and their husbands, Herb, Ron and Dave. Stories and expectations are shared. For Wendy and Herb, it's their second trip to Hedonism. Robbyn and Ron are also experienced. Robbyn confesses that when last in Jamaica, she fell in love with another woman. Linda resembles someone I know, and I can't get past that to remember much about her.
Tammy's mood is a bit lighter now, and that could be because she's sitting down. Mike, too, seems a bit more settled in to the possibility that by the end of the week his wife will have been passed around the group like a joint on Willie Nelson's tour bus. There's both caution and longing in the air. The hunters are also the hunted. But no one is scared off.
Scratch that. I'm scared; I'm afraid for Tammy. I fear that she came for filet mignon, but will leave with a turkey burger and a side of herpes.
The rest of this can be read at:
http://www.afterellen.com/column/2006/10/quote-fantasy3.html
VH1 will rebroadcast Women Seeking Women: A Bi-curious Journey on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006, at 11:00 p.m. EST
Title: Don't Quote Me: Fantasy Island
Author: Kim Ficera,
Published: October 18, 2006
Source: AfterEleen.com
"You've heard it over and over gain, in the media, on every sitcom, from husbands and boyfriends everywhere, same sex encounters between women is every man's fantasy. Dirty little secret: it's almost every woman's too."
— A Sept. 27, 2006, press release announcing the VH1 News presentation Women Seeking Women: A Bi-curious Journey
" I was only bi-curious and VERY shy when I got to Hedonism III for the Wild Women's Week. … The Pajama Party, Tuesday night at the disco changed everything. Beth, you must have read my thoughts when you started that three way kiss with D******. Our lips were locked the rest of the week only coming up for air to eat."
— A.B. from Kentucky in a testimonial to Wild Women Vacations/First Travel, a company selling "bi and bi-curious adventures" to heterosexual couples and single women.
Last spring, VH1 News accompanied four women — Tammy, Wendy, Robbyn and Linda — and their husbands to the Hedonism III resort in Jamaica to film Women Seeking Women: A Bi-curious Journey, which originally aired on Oct. 5. According to the show's description on VH1.com, "While there, [the women] made a bold step in transforming their bi-curious fantasies into bi-sexual reality."
Bi-sexual reality? Uh, that's pushing it.
On the show's website, Women Seeking Women is described as a "cinema vérité-style documentary." I call it thinly veiled sensationalism.
Instead of providing an intelligent, sober view of the many types of bisexual experiences that people have in our culture, VH1 News provides one vapid view of wife-on-wife action, resulting in little more than a how-to for sexually bored, heterosexual couples.
While I'm all for consenting adults fulfilling their sexual fantasies in any ways they wish, it's hardly "a dirty little secret" that straight women have bisexual fantasies and act on them, and it's certainly not "news" that their husbands or boyfriends are eager to watch those fantasies play out.
Attempting to pass off Women Seeking Women: A Bi-curious Journey as a legitimate documentary by producing it out of VH1's News division is not only insulting to anyone who can easily distinguish news from sensationalism, but also to those of us who work hard to make sure that the viewing public understands the distinction.
The one-hour program focuses primarily on Tammy, a 37-year-old mother from the small town of Necedah, Wis., who makes the trip to Hedonism because, as reported on VH1.com, she has " always fantasized about women, but never acted out her fantasy."
Eager to " spice up" her 15-year marriage, Tammy, along with her husband Mike, planned their getaway with the help of another couple, Beth and Robert. Beth and Robert own Wild Women Vacations. On their website, wildwomenvacations.com, they tell prospective clients that they specialize in delivering "erotic vacation experiences" to "STRAIGHT women with BISEXUAL fantasies," "BI-CURIOUS women seeking their first beautiful experience," and "BISEXUAL women whose motto is … `SO MANY WOMEN, SO LITTLE TIME.'"
Those caps clearly indicate that Beth and Robert have their fingers somewhere other than on the pulse of the bisexual community. Where? You can't make me write it.
At Hedonism, Beth and Robert are portrayed as event-planning hosts, but in any other setting these two would be called pimps.
"The fear of rejection by another woman is very strong when seeking your first experience," they explain on their site. "We are highly sensitive to guests in this position so we do everything we can to help break the ice. By telling us which woman or women you may be interested in, we will help with an introduction."
Although "newbie" Tammy had spoken to Beth by phone prior to the trip, it appears that she and Mike don't quite know what to make of Beth and Robert, or the resort, upon arrival. On the show, Tammy's body language is guarded and the look on her face suggests that she fears Beth will sneak up on her and give her a "beautiful experience" from behind.
Beth obviously knows the look, and being the smart and experienced bisexual she is, immediately leads Tammy to the alcohol, leaving Mike with Robert.
Robert gives the impression that he's gotten lost on his way to a tea dance. Not that I think there's anything wrong with that, but Mike looks like he would rather rip the hairs from his knuckles one by one than go anywhere with Robert. And I don't blame him. Robert's vibe screams "disingenuous."
Eventually, Tammy and Mike enjoy some alone time in their room. They seem somewhat more relaxed than before, until Tammy spies a game of naked volleyball being played just outside her window. After noticing that one male player is quite obviously enjoying the game more than the others, she again becomes uncomfortable. I can almost hear her thinking, There's no wood in volleyball!
Tammy's discomfort is soon alleviated, however, at the Wild Women Meet and Greet cocktail party. The Meet and Greet, as explained in the Expectations section of wildwomenvacations.com, "offers the first real chance to find new friends … Absolutely no sexual activity takes place here and it will be discouraged. We do not wish to scare off first timers or bi-curious women before they are able to adjust and become completely comfortable."
Maybe that fear factor is why there's no mention in this `documentary' that Jamaica is considered one of the most homophobic countries in the world, and that two lesbians were brutally murdered there last June. It would definitely be a buzz-kill for the couples to have learned that the most vicious of anti-queer Jamaicans don't stop beating their victims long enough to discuss the difference between lesbians and bicurious women on a "journey."
Anyway, at the cocktail party, Tammy and Mike get to know Wendy, Robbyn and Linda, and their husbands, Herb, Ron and Dave. Stories and expectations are shared. For Wendy and Herb, it's their second trip to Hedonism. Robbyn and Ron are also experienced. Robbyn confesses that when last in Jamaica, she fell in love with another woman. Linda resembles someone I know, and I can't get past that to remember much about her.
Tammy's mood is a bit lighter now, and that could be because she's sitting down. Mike, too, seems a bit more settled in to the possibility that by the end of the week his wife will have been passed around the group like a joint on Willie Nelson's tour bus. There's both caution and longing in the air. The hunters are also the hunted. But no one is scared off.
Scratch that. I'm scared; I'm afraid for Tammy. I fear that she came for filet mignon, but will leave with a turkey burger and a side of herpes.
The rest of this can be read at:
http://www.afterellen.com/column/2006/10/quote-fantasy3.html
VH1 will rebroadcast Women Seeking Women: A Bi-curious Journey on Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2006, at 11:00 p.m. EST