Last week Forever Young made its debut on TV Land and tonight at 10p, the best reality show on television in a really long time, is back with its second episode. On tonight’s show the 10 roommates are broken up into two teams of five to see how they work together as team while they run a business. One team runs a Taco Truck, and the other one is making hot dogs. The winning team is determined by who made more money and mistake will be make things interesting. Then you must must must watch the ending to see how they divvy up the prize money. The rationale for how they do it will really change your perspective on how both generations see the value of money. It is a true eye opener.
I recently spoke with Christian Taboada, who is the heart of the show, and he told me what it was like to be on Forever Young. Christian was out of work at the time when he saw a posting that read “Do you want to represent your generation?” So he responded to the ad and had several meetings with the show’s producers. As soon as he met with them, he feel in love with the idea. He just didn’t know what to expect when they told him he was selected to be on it.
The first thing he saw was the place where he was going to live for the next few weeks. He said, “I have never been in a house that big in my life. So walking up, I was like I’m staying here? OK! That’s a big window. That’s a big tree. Then you walk in and there is a swimming pool, pillows and a big old dining room table that is the size of my house now. It was beautiful.” Then he added, “I didn’t care about anything else, I don’t know who you people are, but I am going to stay right here. I don’t care.”
Eventually he left the luxury of the inside of the house and ventured out. That is when he saw his roommates were not the same age as him. When he saw the old timers he was like, ‘Oh snap! OK, roomies. What’s up?’” He knew he was representing his generation, but he was not expecting such a huge gap in their ages. But then as he thought about it, it all made sense.
He then explained that when they had their first meeting together it was a little tough for the younger generation to be listened to. But he was able to get their side heard. He explained to me “Accepting is a big thing in my life. So hey, you know, don’t judge. Come on in. I’ll see what you can do. If you can dance, then we will dance together sometime.”
And dancing is what an 85 year old Shirley will do in an upcoming episode. She will work a pole like a stripper a 1/4th of her age can. Was it shocking for him to see that. He said, “Shocking isn’t the right word. Just exclamation point, is all I can say.”
So was that his most memorable moment from the show? He shared with me that he loved their chats at the fire pit. After a few of their get togethers there, it really started to feel like a family to him. And even though the show ended a while ago, he finds himself thinking of some of his roommates that way. He still talks with the over 70s all these months after they moved out of the house. He speaks with Shirley at least twice a week, Emileen and him email all the time and AA sends a postcard whenever he goes away. After the show ended he went to NY on a trip and he saw AA and Emileen while he was there. How many other reality shows can you say the people have a bonded like that?
So now that experiment is over, what did he learn from it. He said, “I feel like I learned that I have a lot more in common with the older generation than I ever knew.” He appreciates that they didn’t care that he was gay from the get go. In fact he tell his friends, who are struggling to come out, to tell their grandparents first. This is something he learned after the experience he had by being on Forever Young.
So what would he say to get you to watch? Here’s his pitch, “If you are tired of watching the same thing, tune into watch Forever Young and we will show you why it is so good to be forever young. The surprises, the family, the love that you wouldn’t expect. If you actually sit and listen to the genuineness and the honesty of it all. It is so, like holy sh!t am I crying. It’s real.” It’s real and it is real important for everyone of every generation to watch.
So tune into the show tonight and every Wednesday at 10p on TV Land with your grandparents. And when it is done you should discuss what you have just learned with them and see what they took away from it. Forever Young might be the first show to bridge the generation gap!
Valerie Bertinelli Tweeted a picture of George Hamilton with Cloris Leachman in bathrobe and I wonder if the two of them have something to tell us? Nope, they were just taking a break from filming Hot in Cleveland that is back on TV Land on June 19th with a live episode.
Now when it comes to the episode they were filming, Cloris was reunited with her Mary Tyler Moore co-stars Valerie Harper, Mary Tyler Moore and Georgia Engle. An episode I can’t wait to see when it airs.
Now when it comes to Leachman even without makeup, the Beauty Queen is still very much a beauty.
Tonight at 10p TV Land is debuting their reality series Forever Young and everyone can learn a real lesson from this show.
Forver Young is an experiment where five people over 70 live with five people under 30 to see how the two generations get along. When the 10 people first enter the house they don’t see eye-to-eye, but as time goes on they each learn from the other age group. We all get to see that you can teach old dogs new tricks and the older generation does have something to say to the younger one.
In each of the 6 episodes we will learn some interesting things like World War II came before the Civil War, an 83 year old woman can work a pole better than most strippers, you’re never too old to start dating again and every generation can teach the other one something new.
There are many heartfelt moments in this series as the two generations get together to talk and bond over their lives. In fact it’s the rare reality show where you actually feel good about people after you watch it.
That’s because you get a perspective that you’ve never seen before on television. When I sat there and watched it, I learned a lot about the older generation through their eyes. So much so that it will really make you look at them differently and listen to what they have to say. But then I look at people that are my age and I see they have something to say too.
This show makes you realize that you shouldn’t always make assumptions about the other generations. You might think that that one age group thinks a certain way, but you will be surprised to find they are more accepting than you first thought. Wisdom comes with age, but it is also innate in all of us even at a young age. We also all go through hardships and just can’t assume because you are older that you are the only ones who have gone through it. There is one challenge that gives a really interesting perspective on money. Something I never realized before and something I will always take to heart and reconsider for the long run of my life.
There is so much segregation in our world that we forget one of the biggest forms of it is ageism. Forever Young makes us reevaluate that and everyone who watches it will come out of it for the better. What other reality show can you say that about?
I never felt so good watching a reality show as I did this one. Because it really made me look at my elders differently as in for the better and I hope the elders do the same when they watch this show. But then again I can’t see why they wouldn’t
Once again Ashton Kutcher breaks down barriers via his television shows, first with Beauty and the Geek and now with Forever Young. Who knew there was a social genius behind the man who starred in Dude, Where’s My Car?
I cannot say it enough Forever Young is a social experiment that everyone can learn from and more importantly enjoy watching whether they are under 30, over 70 or in the middle.
TV Land announced today that it picked up Hot In Cleveland for a 5th season. The new season will bring the show’s total episodes to 104 that number is 13 more than years Betty White has been gracing this world with her presence. Not a bad number for TV Land’s first original sitcom that also stars Valerie Bertinelli, Wendi Malick and Jane Leeves.
The sitcom will be back on June 19th with a live episode!
Hot in Cleveland is getting even this hotter August because Tim Conway and Carol Burnett are going to guest star on the TV Land sitcom. Betty White’s TV sister (Burnett) on Mama’s Family will play her roommate Victoria’s mother Penny. Conway will return as Elka’s (White) ex-boyfriend and he will have his eyes on Penny. And we will have tears coming from our eyes because we will be laughing so hard.
Ms. White once told me that she can’t keep a straight face around Conway, so imagine how hard it is going to be for her when she has to work with these two comedic legends together. I predict there will be so much laughter that we will wish we are wearing a pair of Lady Pants just like the ones that Victoria wore in that Japanese commercial.
Back in 2010 TV Land went from airing sitcoms that already aired to producing some of their own. Since then they have launched 5 new shows and up until now, none of them have been cancelled. I say that because according to Deadline Retired at 35 is living up to first part of its name. That’s because TV Land has cancelled the show after 2 season. And I have to say, it aired longer than it should’ve. I barely got through the pilot and never went back. Sounds like I am not the only one.
Hot in Cleveland is back on TV Land tonight at 10p and we find out where that baby on their doorstep came from. The three women decide to raise the baby and they will screw up time and time again, so that means lots of laughs. But isn’t it all about the baby, Melanie gets a job and Heather Locklear is her new boss. Even though the Melrose Place bitch is doing a comedy, she can still do evil well. Then there is Elka and her hairdresser (Regis Philbin) that she just found out is not gay and they are going to see if there relationship can work outside the salon. Will they make the cut, you have to tune into find out in an episode that will have you laughing for beginning to end.
Then at 10:30p HIC might have Locklear, but Happily Divorced has the original bitch because Joan Collins is joining the show. Peter gets into a car accident and meets the Dynasty legend and she hires him to be her assistant. Of course she says yes and we have Alexis Carrington doing comedy!
And something Collins knows well from her Dynasty days is choosing between two men. Tonight Fran has to decide between her on-again, off-again boyfriend Elliot or new perfect one Frankie (Ralph Macchio). It is not an easy decision and once she does decide which man is the one, she will have another decision to make. Think you know what it is?
Valerie Bertinelli was on Howard Stern‘s radio show today and somehow they got to talking about a$$ hair. For someone reason the Shock Jock was convinced that the Hot in Cleveland star has hairy butt and she was insistent that she doesn’t. I think she is telling the truth, but it was fun to watch their TMI conversation!
Last night on TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland, the girls all took part in Cleveland’s Fashion Week and they walked the runway. At the end of the show Betty White was one of the beautiful models and Wendie Malick told her to “Jolie the Leg.” So she lifted up her pants leg and revealed that even though she is 90 years young, the Golden Girl has golden legs. I want to know her secret because ever girl needs gorgeous gams no matter how old they are.
The TV Lands Awards hosted by Kelly Ripa are coming on April 29th and this year they are honoring two huge ’70s sitcom. Hot in Cleveland star Valerie Bertinelli will be reunited with , Bonnie Franklin, Mackenzie Phillips, Glenn Scarpelli and Pat Harrington to accept the Innovator Award. The show was the first one to feature a divorced woman raising her two kids, something that was taboo in the day. Also being honored is Laverne & Shirley and showing up to receive the Fan Favorite Award will be Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, Michael McKean and David L. Lander. There is one more honor that was announced today and that is the Pop Culture Award that will go to Pee Wee Herman. Personally I think he is more in Pop Culture for something that is not related to Pee Wee’s Playhouse, but still he was a staple in many of our lives as we grew up for the show.
Now when it comes to the honors, I am so excited to see what Glenn Scarpelli looks like because I had such a huge crush on him when I was growing up.
