Periodically, I get emails from casting agents at various TV shows wanting to get in touch with a former LW or asking for my help finding a certain archetype. The most recent one was from a casting director of a new A&E show who is looking for families struggling with in-law issues. She writes:
We’re currently producing a docu-series for A&E about couples struggling with in-laws. I wanted to reach out and see if you’d be willing to post something about the show or tweet folks on our behalf. We offer honorariums for participating families, as well as finder fees for anyone who recommends people that make the show.
It’s a compelling show that helps solve major issues. Families who appear on the show have the opportunity to work with a professional relationship expert who will help them to identify and mend their problems. We’re looking for brave couples (and their in-laws) who are willing to share their stories in the hopes of not only repairing their own relationships, but also helping thousands of other families who are going through similar challenges.
We’re in search of newlyweds or engaged couples who have tensions with their in-laws because of cultural divides, age differences, impending pregnancies, parenting, finances and more. In general, we’re interested in issues that relate to so many people out there.
The shoots themselves take less than a week and we offer a $10,000 financial honorarium for participating families. If anyone is interested in speaking with us, we ask that they email us with their names and contact info, along with a photo of the family and let us know about their situation.
If you’re interested, email me at wendy@dearwendy.com and I’ll put you in touch with the casting director.
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Iwannatalktosampson February 27, 2012, 3:04 pm
Oh my god is it weird that I totally want to sign myself and my husbands family up for this? Alcoholism – check. Anxiety issues – check. Family business so everyone is all up in each other’s business – check. Super religious vs. not at all religious daughter-in-law – check.
Addie Pray February 27, 2012, 3:07 pm
I would watch your show for sure.
HmC February 27, 2012, 3:47 pm
I thought of you as I was reading this!
lets_be_honest February 27, 2012, 3:09 pm
Sheesh, for $10k, I’ll pay Addie Pray to be my faux mother in law and Budj to be my father in law, scratch that, husband.
On another note, Wendy, you should tell A&E about our very own Ms. AK_Chic. She deserves her own show!
Iwannatalktosampson February 27, 2012, 3:11 pm
Like.
Addie Pray February 27, 2012, 3:20 pm
Count me in!
Addie Pray February 27, 2012, 3:21 pm
Wait, so that means I’ll play Budj’s mom? Talk about an oedipus complex.
Budj February 27, 2012, 3:24 pm
😉
Eagle Eye February 27, 2012, 3:37 pm
heh, I was just thinking, my bf and I really like the other’s parents, but for 10K, I’m sure we could all come to an agreement (or disagreement as the case may be)…
AKchic_ February 27, 2012, 3:54 pm
*laugh* Thanks for the vote of confidence, but how would I be able to work if I had cameras following me around?
mcminnem February 27, 2012, 3:13 pm
That is fascinating. I’ve always wondered how those shows find their guests/participants. 🙂
britannia February 27, 2012, 3:32 pm
“If you’re interesting, email me.” Idk if that’s a typo or not, but either way, it’s hilarious!
Addie Pray February 27, 2012, 3:35 pm
If it’s a typo, it’s a very appropriate typo.
Wendy February 27, 2012, 4:04 pm
Yes.
Anna February 27, 2012, 3:49 pm
While no specifics readers come to mind, I know I’ve heard stories on DW that would qualify! If anyone from this site is chosen for the show, I will definitely watch. As for me, when my boyfriend and I do get married I will have the best freakin’ in-laws known to man. Seriously. I may be the only women to walk this earth saying “I love my mother-in-law!!”
Just Max February 27, 2012, 5:07 pm
You are not the only one! I often said “I love my mother-in-law!” Alas, she is now my former MIL. Still lover her. She is just awesome. 🙂
Just Max February 27, 2012, 5:08 pm
*still love her.
Gee.
AKchic_ February 27, 2012, 5:50 pm
Freud, your slip is showing…
Portia February 27, 2012, 5:19 pm
My mom was the same way with her MIL, they had an awesome relationship. In fact, she says that when me or my sister have kids, her MIL will be her inspiration for being a grandmother.
FancyPants February 27, 2012, 6:09 pm
Ehhh, my MIL to be is pretty great. She’s never judgemental, never cold or stand offish and really seems to enjoy the concept of having a daughter in law (she only had sons and my fiance is the only one who’s remained in the area). She never makes me feel like she’s trying to replace my mother, but we have a lot of fun together. Basically it’s like I found my fiance and got a fun older friend as a package deal. I’m also positive she’ll be a really good grandmother.
redessa February 28, 2012, 1:07 am
My MIL has some quirks that get on my nerves but overall I think she’s great! And I tell her how much I appreciate her too.
lemongrass February 28, 2012, 3:47 pm
I LOVE my mother-in-law. She tells me “you’re my favourite daughter-in-law.” Granted, she only has one son but I’ll take it where it comes.
AKchic_ February 27, 2012, 3:53 pm
Thought about it – but I know damned well what would happen. The SO would refuse on the basis that his mother would look unstable to the rest of the world, and he swears it’s her stroke that made her that way (nobody else in the family, including his brother, agrees with him), and she would refuse on the basis that she wouldn’t want to be around me.
Although, it would be a great way to break it to her that we’re getting married…
honeybeenicki February 27, 2012, 4:53 pm
I’m pretty sure my husband wouldn’t agree either. And I know the in-laws wouldn’t agree, but I thought it would be a great way to break it to her that we’re going to try to have kids.
AKchic_ February 28, 2012, 4:14 am
I was right. I brought it up, and I was told that I think that the issues are much bigger than they really are. Even though just last week I had our pediatrician write up a letter stating that our 3 year old’s speech was normal for a 3 year old and that he didn’t need speech therapy, all because SHE was insistent that he needed to go to speech therapy (at a place she recommended) because she couldn’t understand him, and that I knew nothing about children’s speech problems, even though I told her that I am very familiar with it considering that my oldest was in specialized speech therapy from the age of 3 until 3rd grade on a 3x weekly basis and his speech pathologist is a friend of the family (she lives next door to my grandma) and swears on her professional licensing that our 3 year old needs no services. The same SO that also showed his mother the letter from the pediatrician two days after the letter was written because she wouldn’t get off his butt about how we were being negligent for not taking him to see the therapy clinic she recommended.
*headdesk* The first step to getting help is admitting there is a problem. He is still in denial.
Pamplemousse Rose February 27, 2012, 3:59 pm
A show with exactly this premise aired in Canada on Slice (think Bravo) called “The Outlaw Inlaws.”
I think the relationships were mended because the relationship counselor was so awful, people realized they didn’t have it so bad!!
CollegeCat February 27, 2012, 4:28 pm
Let me guess it was it Dr. Drew’s Canadian cousin? That guy is the worst…
HelloJello February 27, 2012, 4:49 pm
I vaguely remember this show. I think at one point the counselor made a daughter-in-law and mother-in-law drive a team of dogs (or something like that) through the snow…. and the mother-in-law fell off and blamed the daughter-in-law…. I think their relationship was worse when the counselor finally left.
spark February 27, 2012, 6:14 pm
Wendy, you should take the casting agent’s email out of the letter so that inquiries from this site go through you. If someone emails the casting agent directly, you could miss out on the (totally appropriate) finder’s fee. You’re the one who found them, so make sure you get the fee! Just saying 🙂
Wendy February 27, 2012, 6:34 pm
Duh, thank you. I thought I had, but clearly not.
Wendy's Dad February 28, 2012, 11:06 am
Sounds like something Drew should sign up for. Will we get to split the 10K?
MsMisery February 28, 2012, 2:12 pm
I’ve seen season one of this show on A&E. I am pretty sure it was edited to make the viewer hate the guts of everyone on it (or at least think you’re crazy), but if you’re at your wit’s end, why not? Seemed to work for most of the people on the show.