Feb. 24) - HBO is taking a big gamble with its new comedy series "Big Love"
about the trials and tribulations of a Viagra-popping polygamist and his
three wives in suburban America
The buzzed-about series, produced by Tom Hanks, is set to debut on March
12
after the megahit series "The Sopranos." But the risque show is already
riling many Mormons, who say that it dredges up old stereotypes about the
religion, which banned polygamy more than 100 years ago.
And some former polygamists worry that the comedy will minimize the real
problems that polygamous families -- especially women and children -- can
face.
In "Big Love," Bill Paxton plays Bill Hendrickson, a wealthy businessman
from Salt Lake City who practices polygamy. With three families and three
homes that he tries to hide from virtually everyone, Hendrickson has a
ridiculously complicated -- and HBO hopes, watchable -- personal life.
Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloë Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin play his wives.
Feminist Dream or Living Hell?
The central conflict of "Big Love" revolves around Hendrickson's attempt
to
deal with the ***, fighting, jealousy and chaos that comes with having
multiple families.
But some women say that kind of competition and backbiting isn't the
reality
of a polygamous life. Elizabeth Joseph writes on polygamy.com that a
plural
marriage is "the ultimate feminist lifestyle." She says that she's a busy
journalist and that polygamy allows her to pursue her career while being
assured her kids are well-tended at home.
Linda Earl, a member of a polygamous family in Central Park, Ariz.,
agrees.
She told ABC News' "Primetime" in 2004: "I'm pretty independent. I don't
want to have to dote on a guy every night. I don't want to make sure that
he
has a meal every night. Let somebody else do it that likes it."
And Earl said that jealousy and finding time for intimacy weren't problems
either. "It's never really an issue of scheduling," she said. "Um, you
just
find out if there are ladies that have needs that might be a little more
im****tant than your needs. Especially, if a young lady is trying to have a
child."
Her husband, Robert, who did not want his last name identified, is a
wealthy
businessman. Despite having numerous wives, he told "Primetime" that his
life wasn't one big raucous *** party.
"I think you're confusing me with Mr. Hefner down in Los Angeles," Robert
said. "There are much cheaper ways to have *** than to maintain a plural
household."
While Earl finds her arrangement beneficial, other women in polygamous
homes
have said they have been forced into marriage against their will and
subjected to abuse.
Don't miss "Primetime" on March 2 at 10 p.m. ET, when the show continues
its
re****ting on polygamy, as a woman who escaped a polygamous community tries
to go home after being gone for 18 months. Flora Jessop, 35, is a former
"sister-wife" who fled her polygamous marriage and has devoted her life to
liberating other women from the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day
Saints,
a tiny, breakaway group of Mormons.
Based in Colorado City, Ariz., the FLDS maintains absolute control over
women's lives, Jessop said, not even allowing them to have contact with
people outside the group.
Jessop said of her mission: "It's like taking someone straight from hell -
and bringing them to heaven."
Vicky Prunty, 43, is another former "sister-wife" from a polygamous
marriage. She left several years ago and founded Tapestry Against
Polygamy,
a group that aims to expose the practice and help women leave their
polygamous marriages.
Prunty said her marriage was "a lot like 'Big Love' -- except I was in a
double marriage, not a triple marriage. And my husband didn't take
Viagra."
Joking aside, Prunty said that she had mixed feelings about the show. She
hopes that it will bring attention to polygamy, but she's afraid it will
gloss over some of the serious problems.
"It could minimize the problem," Prunty said. "It will probably hit more
on
the entertaining and humorous aspects of the life. . But it's not
indicative
of women with 12 children forced to have a baby every year."
Modern Mormons Miffed
Like Earl and her family, Hendrickson and his wives are supposed to be
part
of a fundamentalist sect of Mormonism. However, Mormonism banned taking
multiple wives before the turn of the 20th century.
But that distinction is lost on most people, and many members of the
Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints feel that "Big Love" exploits
out-of-date stereotypes.
The church, which is based in Salt Lake City and one of the
fastest-growing
religions in the United States, said in a statement: "Polygamy was
officially discontinued in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
in 1890. Any Church member adopting the practice today is excommunicated.
Those groups which continue the practice in Utah and elsewhere have no
association with Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and most of
their practitioners have never been among our members."
"The Church has long been concerned about the continued illegal practice
of
polygamy, and in particular about re****ts of child and wife abuse
emanating
from polygamous communities today. It will be regrettable if this program,
by making polygamy the subject of entertainment, minimizes the seriousness
of the problem."
HBO has agreed to add a disclaimer at the end of the first episode, saying
that the Mormon Church has officially banned polygamy. The show's creators
also said they had spent more than two years researching the concept to
make
it realistic.
Prunty doubts that is possible.
"To really understand it, somebody would really have to live it," she
said.
"Otherwise they'd have a difficult time grasping the complexities of the
lifestyle and the abuse."
But will Prunty be watching the first episode?
"Absolutely!" she said with a laugh.
02-24-06 09:38 EST
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Part man. Part street. 100% kosher
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