Playing It Straight
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| Playing It Straight | |
|---|---|
| Format | Reality show |
| Starring | Daphne Brogdon (host) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 3 (5 episodes unaired) |
| Production | |
| Running time | 45–50 min |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | FOX |
| Original run | March 12 2004 – April 2 2004 |
Playing It Straight is a 2004 American reality show in which one woman spent time on a ranch with a group of men in an attempt to discern which of them were homosexual and which of them were heterosexual. All of the men pretended to be heterosexual. The woman went on individual dates with the men, in addition to engaging in group activities with them. Over the course of the episodes, she voted to eliminate the men she believed to be gay.
At the end of the show, the woman had to choose one man. If he was heterosexual, the man and woman would split the prize money, but if he was gay, then he would receive all the money (and the woman would receive nothing).
Contents |
[edit] Fox Show
The show was first broadcast in the United States on the Fox Network and premiered on March 12, 2004. The program was set on a Nevada ranch, and featured Jackie Thomas (a 21-year-old college student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire; Jackie is originally from Los Angeles, CA). Jackie spent time with 14 men (some gay, some straight) with a chance to win $1 million dollars. If Jackie picked a straight man, they would both split the money, but if she picked a gay man, he would win the entire $1 million. It was hosted by Daphne Brogdon and was canceled after only three episodes, due to low ratings. The remaining episodes were posted to the network website. The show has since aired again on Fox Reality.
[edit] Contestants
| Contestant | Status | Sexual Orientation |
|---|---|---|
| Gust | Eliminated week 1 | Straight |
| Louis | Eliminated week 1 | Straight |
| Alex | Eliminated week 2 | Gay |
| Ryan | Eliminated week 2 | Straight |
| Eddie | Left the show week 3 | Gay |
| Chad | Eliminated week 3 | Gay |
| John | Eliminated week 4 | Gay |
| Lee | Eliminated week 4 | Gay |
| Bradley | Eliminated week 5 | Gay |
| Luciano | Eliminated week 5 | Gay |
| Bill | Eliminated week 6 | Gay |
| Chris | Eliminated week 8 | Gay |
| Sharif | Eliminated week 8 | Straight |
| Banks | Winner week 8 | Straight |
In 2005, nearly one year later after the show was recorded, Fox issued a press release stating that Jackie and Banks were still together. After the show, Jackie and Banks dated for about two years. For the first eight months, they had to keep their relationship quiet until the show aired. Banks went so far as to tell friends that he had to leave the show because he broke his arm, rather than reveal he won.
In 2007, Fox Reality is reairing these episodes paired with "Reality Revealed" interviews of the contestants at each commercial break.
[edit] Channel 4
Channel 4 (UK) broadcast their own version of the show, first episode on 8 April 2005, as part of their Twisted Dating Season. The show is set on a Mexican ranch and Zoe Hardman is spending time with 12 men. Ten men started the show and two more, Lee and Marco, were added in week 3 - it was revealed when they arrived that one was gay and one straight. The prize money was £100,000 and the show was hosted by June Sarpong. The show is being repeated on Channel 4's sister station E4.
[edit] Contestants
| Contestant | Status | Sexual Orientation |
|---|---|---|
| Pretesh | Eliminated week 1 | Straight |
| Raphael | Eliminated week 1 | Straight |
| Demetrius | Eliminated week 2 | Gay |
| George | Eliminated week 2 | Straight |
| Lee | Eliminated week 3 | Gay |
| Peter | Eliminated week 3 | Gay |
| Jonny | Eliminated week 4 | Gay |
| Alex [1] | Eliminated week 5 | Gay |
| Daniel. K | Eliminated week 5 | Straight |
| Marco | Eliminated week 6 | Straight |
| Danny. B | Eliminated week 6 | Straight |
| Ben [2] | Winner | Gay |
[edit] Seven Network
An Australian version of the show aired on the Seven Network starting October 2004 hosted by Natalie Garonzi. Despite much of the hype surrounding it the shows ratings dwindled and it was moved to a later timeslot. After Campbell (who was gay) was eliminated, Chad, Dane and Evan were left for one non-elimination round before appearing in the final episode. Chad was the eventual winner and he was revealed to be straight, whilst Dane and Evan were both gay. The Australian show has also aired in the US on FOX Reality.
[edit] Contestants
| Contestant | Status | Sexual Orientation |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | Eliminated week 1 | N/A |
| N/A | Eliminated week 1 | N/A |
| N/A | Eliminated week 2 | N/A |
| N/A | Eliminated week 2 | N/A |
| N/A | Eliminated week 3 | N/A |
| N/A | Eliminated week 3 | N/A |
| Ben | Eliminated week 4 | Straight |
| Dean | Eliminated week 4 | Gay |
| James | Eliminated week 5 | Gay |
| Damon | Eliminated week 6 | Straight |
| Evan | Eliminated week 8 | Gay |
| Dane | Eliminated week 8 | Gay |
| Chad | Winner | Straight |
[edit] See also
- Boy Meets Boy - a 2003 program on Bravo in which a gay man successfully chose another gay man from a mixed group of gay and heterosexual men.
- Gay, Straight or Taken? - a 2007 program on Lifetime Television which in each episode a female has to determine which of three men is gay, straight, or already in a relationship.
[edit] Notes and references
- ^ In week five Alex won the contest to dress Zoe, on winning he was awarded with a dinner date with her, after much anticipation Alex decided to confess to Zoe that he was gay, at the Week 5 Elimination Zoe picked Alex to be eliminated as it was obvious as he was gay.
- ^ Ben was picked to win by Zoe, but it was then revealed that he was gay. He felt guilty, hating what he had done, and gave her all the money. She refused to take it all, giving Ben half back. She stated that even though he was gay she was still glad she chose him.
- ^ Mr Gay UK 1998.
