Married by America
Encyclopedia
Married by America was a reality television
program hosted by Los Angeles
DJ Sean Valentine that aired in the United States
on Fox
in the spring of 2003. It was produced by the production company Rocket Science Laboratories (Joe Millionaire
, Temptation Island).
Next, the five couples were sequestered at Copper North Ranch for an engagement
period. Relationship Experts (Dr. Jenn Bermann, Dr. Don Elium and Ms. P.) eliminated one couple per week, and the final two couples could decide whether or not they wanted to wed.
In the end, neither of the couples (Jill Nicolini
and Kevin, Billie Jean Houle and Tony) opted to get married.
, WRAZ aired the premier episode but then refused to broadcast the remainder of the series claiming that it "demeans and exploits the institution of marriage." Ironically, North Carolina
's divorce rate is above the national average.
Over a year after the show's cancellation, the FCC
fined Fox a record $1.2 million due to an episode which featured pixilated
strippers and a woman licking whipped cream
off a man's nipple during a bachelor party
.
The ruling underwent great scrutiny when blogger
Jeff Jarvis
uncovered that although the FCC originally claimed to have received 159 complaints, it later admitted to only receiving 90, which came from only 23 people. Jarvis studied the complaints and determined that all but two were virtually identical
to each other, meaning that the $1.2 million judgment was based on original complaints written by a total of only three people. Armed with the new information, Fox vowed to fight the fine.
The fine was ultimately reduced to $91,000 in January 2009.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
program hosted by Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
DJ Sean Valentine that aired in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
in the spring of 2003. It was produced by the production company Rocket Science Laboratories (Joe Millionaire
Joe Millionaire
Joe Millionaire is an American reality television show that was broadcast on Fox beginning in January 2003. It was broadcast in the UK that same year...
, Temptation Island).
Premise
Five single people agreed to be paired up sight unseen with strangers chosen by America. The five newly-minted couples met and got engaged on the spot. This was accomplished through family members and phone-in votes by TV viewers.Next, the five couples were sequestered at Copper North Ranch for an engagement
Engagement
An engagement or betrothal is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be betrothed, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged...
period. Relationship Experts (Dr. Jenn Bermann, Dr. Don Elium and Ms. P.) eliminated one couple per week, and the final two couples could decide whether or not they wanted to wed.
In the end, neither of the couples (Jill Nicolini
Jill Nicolini
Jill Nicolini is a reporter and former model, actress, and reality TV show participant. Currently, Nicolini is an entertainment reporter on Good Day New York on WNYW.- Early life :...
and Kevin, Billie Jean Houle and Tony) opted to get married.
Controversies
A Fox affiliate in Raleigh-DurhamThe Triangle (North Carolina)
The Research Triangle, also known as Raleigh-Durham and commonly referred to as simply "The Triangle", is a region in the Piedmont of North Carolina in the United States, anchored by North Carolina State University, Duke University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and cities of...
, WRAZ aired the premier episode but then refused to broadcast the remainder of the series claiming that it "demeans and exploits the institution of marriage." Ironically, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
's divorce rate is above the national average.
Over a year after the show's cancellation, the FCC
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
fined Fox a record $1.2 million due to an episode which featured pixilated
Pixelization
Pixelization is a video- and image-editing technique in which an image is blurred by displaying part or all of it at a markedly lower resolution. It is primarily used for censorship...
strippers and a woman licking whipped cream
Whipped cream
Whipped cream is cream that has been beaten by a mixer, whisk, or fork until it is light and fluffy. Whipped cream is often sweetened and sometimes flavored with vanilla, in which case it may be called Chantilly cream or crème Chantilly ....
off a man's nipple during a bachelor party
Bachelor party
A bachelor party , also known as a stag party, stag night or stag do , a bull's party , or a buck's party or buck's night , is a party held for a man shortly before he enters marriage, to celebrate his "last night of freedom" or merely to spend...
.
The ruling underwent great scrutiny when blogger
Blog
A blog is a type of website or part of a website supposed to be updated with new content from time to time. Blogs are usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in...
Jeff Jarvis
Jeff Jarvis
Jeff Jarvis is an American journalist. Previously he was a television critic for TV Guide and People magazine, creator of Entertainment Weekly, Sunday editor and associate publisher of the New York Daily News, and a columnist on the San Francisco Examiner.-Career:Until recently Jarvis was...
uncovered that although the FCC originally claimed to have received 159 complaints, it later admitted to only receiving 90, which came from only 23 people. Jarvis studied the complaints and determined that all but two were virtually identical
Boilerplate (text)
Boilerplate is any text that is or can be reused in new contexts or applications without being changed much from the original. Many computer programmers often use the term boilerplate code. A legal boilerplate is a standard provision in a contract....
to each other, meaning that the $1.2 million judgment was based on original complaints written by a total of only three people. Armed with the new information, Fox vowed to fight the fine.
The fine was ultimately reduced to $91,000 in January 2009.