Edgy Mama

I must be listed somewhere in the multiple bloggy links as a “Mommy” blogger because I received this e-mail the other day:

Hello there,
I came across your blog while looking for appropriate places to research parenting and raising children. I’m currently working with The Learning Channel casting a new television series about children with behavioral, sleeping, or eating problems. The show is a hit in Great Britain and TLC is excited to adapt it for American television. I was wondering if you’d be so kind as to post our flyer, or our contact information and the kind of people we hope to hear from.

Let me tell you a little bit about our show:

An international TV first, this exciting new format takes parenting television to a totally new dimension by fusing reality TV with observational documentary to observe families solving their behavioral problems. This is not reality TV. This is reality with a purpose. Three families will be selected with toddlers and young children, each suffering from a parenting problem. They will be invited to a residence in the UK where they will learn the skills they need to turn their lives around in just six days…

Our ideal families have children between the ages of 18 months and 8 years old. We would love to hear from all families: single parents, alternative lifestyle parents, teen parents, ethnic minority parents, anyone and everyone!

I’ve attached a copy of our flyer as a Word document. Feel free to look it over. If you feel your website could help with our search, I’d love it if you could post it within your site. Please don’t hesitate to call me with any questions or concerns you may have – my direct office line and e-mail are listed below. The ones listed on the flyer I’ve attached get potential families to a hotline and general information e-mail center. As the casting associate producer, I’m sure that I can answer most of your questions regarding casting, as well as the show.

Best wishes, and thank you for any help that you can offer us!

Michael Petrella
Casting Associate Producer
Optomen Productions

I find it difficult to believe that Michael actually read any of Edgy Mama before sending this missive, as this blog is not exactly an appropriate spot to research parenting skills. Maybe to research irritable Mommy syndrome or bored MILFdom, but not a place for healthy child-raising advice.

But it is SUCH a nice, personal e-mail. I cut out Michael’s direct office line and e-mail, because I felt that he was going out on a limb to give me personal access (oh, and I guess I’m supposed to post the flyer instead of the e-mail. But you and I both know I don’t like to follow the rules).

Maybe Michael wants me to apply for the show? My family could reenact our current Juice Wars or the Gameboy Wars or play Whiner Takes All. Of course, the producers would have to bleep out every fifth word of mine, though I then could explain my theory that the kids are going to hear the words anyway, so they might as well hear them from me. My kids could beat up each other and then have a chat with the TV psychologist during their time-outs. As some of our more interesting family conflicts arise in the middle of the night, the producers could take footage of E-spouse running around the house nekkid and me with wild hair and baggy jammies that typically show a bit of plumber’s crack when I lean over to tuck in whomever has night neediness. What fun!

If you or anyone you know is interested in applying for the show (free trip to England), e-mail me at janusatannefittenglenndotcom, and I’ll put you in touch with my new buddy Michael. Wouldn’t it be great if someone on the show was a blogger? Way cool blog fodder.