Reality Bits

Dance Moms’ teacher Abby Lee Miller has been indicted for fraud. Following an investigation by the FBI, IRS and postal inspectors it has been revealed that Miller hid $755,000 in income. 

I was forced to watch episodes of the Lifetime series a while back when I was showrunning another show featuring kids.  As I was told more than once that our show should in no way be like Dance Moms I felt obliged to watch it. Who knew how much that shit would trigger me?    

As a formerly serious ballet dancer I am sadly well acquainted with the sadists who find a calling as dance teachers, but Miller takes things to a whole new level. 

Suffice it to say, I'm not exactly saddened to hear about her legal issues. Fingers crossed they will also result in her child abusing show getting cancelled!

#DanceMoms

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Next, a couple new things to report on the Duggar front (the family has provided much fodder for this blog): Anna Duggar, long-suffering spouse of Josh-the-molester, has sold their home in Arkansas and moved her family to Florida (where her own cultish family lives).  Some folks are hoping this is a sign that Anna may divorce the Duggar, but I wouldn't hold my breath.    

In seemingly unrelated (but likely not so unrelated) news Michelle Duggar gave the following advice to a pregnant fan asking about how to be the best wifey despite her condition: 

"You've got to remember this. Anyone can iron Jim Bob's shirt, anybody can make lunch for him. He can get his lunch somewhere else. But you are the only one who can meet that special need that he has in his life for intimacy.  So when you are exhausted at the end of the day, maybe from dealing with little ones, and you fall into bed so exhausted at night, don't forget about him because you and he are the only ones who can have that time together. No one else in the world can meet that need."

Some publications believe this is shade aimed at Anna, whose husband strayed with porn stars while she was pregnant.  

#19kidsandcounting #freeanna

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Finally, Effie Brown can't win for losing on Project Greenlight.  As discussed earlier on this blog, on the first episode of Project Greenlight she was presented as the Archetypal Black Woman raising issues of diversity in choosing a director. As the the show has unfolded, however, she has been (surprisingly) recast as The Man as in "The Man is keeping me down."   

In Project Greenlight terms, The Man is whoever stands in the way of the Visionary Director. In the real world as well as on the show, that would be the Producer (AKA the person who controls the budget). As Producer, a role she has successfully inhabited IRL, Brown made the perfectly reasonable suggestion that the Visionary Director Jason Mann shoot his film on a digital format rather than 35 mm. Well, it's reasonable unless you are wrapped up in the mythology of the whole Visionary Director schtick.  Because Visionary Directors only shoot on film. So Jason was obliged to go over Brown's head to get the format he wanted.  

In this fascinating interview with Indiewire, Brown discusses her experience on the show, and why doing it was a bad idea. 

As I always say, kids, when it comes to appearing on a Reality show: JUST SAY NO!!!!

#damonsplaining #projectgreenlight