Transamerican Love Story
Encyclopedia
Transamerican Love Story is an American
reality television
program featuring transgender
woman Calpernia Addams
and hosted by Alec Mapa
. It originally aired on February 11, 2008 on Logo
, the LGBT
television network. The show is similar in format to other reality dating shows in that each episode one potential suitor is eliminated.
market and quickly realize that many Southern ingredients are not kosher. The men initially get along while preparing the meal but things become more strained as the cooking progresses. Barry, having taken control of the cooking and organizing the men, earns a wine-and-cheese date with Calpernia. The guests arrive for dinner, several dishes of which are not well-prepared. The dinner party ends with a singalong initiated by Shawn. Shawn earns a few moments with Calpernia based on her friends' recommendations and they share a short kiss. Jim reveals to Mark that he is transgender and is pleasantly surprised by Mark's positive reaction. At the elimination, Calpernia sends Barry home.
James St. James
) evaluate them. Calpernia performs her song "Stunning" and the men learn they will then perform for her. Mark is initially adamantly opposed, but eventually agrees to put on a performance. Mike wins the performance competition and earns alone time with Calpernia during a limo ride. The next day Calpernia finally spends some alone time with Peter, but she's concerned that he's more interested in the mint julep
s she's serving than in her. Calpernia eliminates Peter at that night's ceremony.
at Oil Can Harry's and a "family dinner" at the mansion. The dinner becomes a shouting match, culminating in Calpernia's breaking down in tears. The next day, Shawn must leave the mansion to attend a funeral. Calpernia eliminates Mark at that evening's ceremony.
mother", Chyna. Calpernia goes to Las Vegas with Mike to meet his mother and father, and to Ventura with Shawn to see his home neighborhood. Jim's parents and former roommate
s visit the mansion to meet Calpernia. At the end of the episode, there is an elimination ceremony in which Jim and Shawn are invited to stay. However, in a twist, Mike is also invited to continue, and Calpernia announces that all four of them are returning to Los Angeles for the final portion of the competition.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reality television
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 featuring transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
woman Calpernia Addams
Calpernia Addams
Calpernia Sarah Addams is an American author, actress, musician, and a spokesperson and activist for transgender rights and issues.-Biography:...
and hosted by Alec Mapa
Alec Mapa
-Personal life:Mapa, a Filipino American, was born in San Francisco and attended George Washington High School . Mapa is openly gay and lends his support to various projects supporting the gay, lesbian, and Asian American communities...
. It originally aired on February 11, 2008 on Logo
Logo (TV channel)
Logo is an American digital cable television channel owned by Viacom's MTV Networks division. Launched in June 2005, the channel's programs are geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community...
, the LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
television network. The show is similar in format to other reality dating shows in that each episode one potential suitor is eliminated.
The suitors
- Barry - a 45-year-old actor from Beverly Hills, California
- Blaine - a 47-year-old car dealer
- Jim - a 32-year-old transgender writer from Hilliard, Ohio
- Mark - a 34-year-old professional wrestler from New York City
- Mike - a 24-year-old personal trainer from Chicago, Illinois
- Peter - a 25-year-old media consultant from Encino, California
- Rich - a 37-year-old yogaYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
instructor originally from New York City - Shawn - a 33-year-old concert promoter from Ventura, California
Episode One: Getting to Know You
Calpernia is introduced to eight bachelors, ranging from straight, pansexual to transsexual male. The men spend one-on-one time with Calpernia while her friend Andrea James entertains the other gentlemen. Later that night, Calpernia hosts a harem sleepover party while the men tend to her every need. Based on that evening, Calpernia decides to eliminate Blaine, who previously revealed that he had owned a transsexual porn business.Episode Two: Something's Cookin'
Calpernia's friends are invited to a southern dinner prepared by the men. The men shop at a nearby kosherKashrut
Kashrut is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha is termed kosher in English, from the Ashkenazi pronunciation of the Hebrew term kashér , meaning "fit" Kashrut (also kashruth or kashrus) is the set of Jewish dietary laws. Food in accord with halakha (Jewish law) is termed...
market and quickly realize that many Southern ingredients are not kosher. The men initially get along while preparing the meal but things become more strained as the cooking progresses. Barry, having taken control of the cooking and organizing the men, earns a wine-and-cheese date with Calpernia. The guests arrive for dinner, several dishes of which are not well-prepared. The dinner party ends with a singalong initiated by Shawn. Shawn earns a few moments with Calpernia based on her friends' recommendations and they share a short kiss. Jim reveals to Mark that he is transgender and is pleasantly surprised by Mark's positive reaction. At the elimination, Calpernia sends Barry home.
Episode Three: Love's a Beach
The six remaining suitors go through a "mini boot camp" with a female-to-male former drill sergeant while Calpernia and Andrea watch from a nearby yacht. Following the boot camp the men race to the yacht on two-man rubber rafts for the chance to win alone time with Calpernia. Shawn and Rich win the race and take the opportunity to get to know Calpernia better. Back on shore, Mark clashes with the other men, particularly Mike. The next day, Calpernia drops by to spend some alone time with Mark. Peter (who's worried about having had no alone time with her) and Mike crash the end of their date. Jim tells all of the remaining suitors that he is transgender and they are all very supportive. At the elimination ceremony, Calpernia eliminates Rich, saying they would make better friends.Episode Four: I Love the Nightlife
Mark continues to come into conflict with the other suitors. Calpernia brings the men to a club where several of her friends (including original club kidClub Kids
The Club Kids were a group of young New York City club personalities mostly led by Michael Alig and James St. James in the late 1980s and early 1990s...
James St. James
James St. James
James St. James is an American television personality, author, celebutante and former Club Kid of the Manhattan club scene in the late 1980s and early 1990s.James St...
) evaluate them. Calpernia performs her song "Stunning" and the men learn they will then perform for her. Mark is initially adamantly opposed, but eventually agrees to put on a performance. Mike wins the performance competition and earns alone time with Calpernia during a limo ride. The next day Calpernia finally spends some alone time with Peter, but she's concerned that he's more interested in the mint julep
Mint Julep
The mint julep is a mixed alcoholic drink, or cocktail, associated with the cuisine of the Southern United States.- Preparation :A mint julep is traditionally made with four ingredients: mint leaf, bourbon, sugar, and water. Traditionally, spearmint is the mint of choiceused in Southern states, and...
s she's serving than in her. Calpernia eliminates Peter at that night's ceremony.
Episode Five: I Like the Way You Move
The episode begins with group interactions between the remaining four suitors. The country/western-themed episode involves the suitors learning two-steppingCountry/Western Two-step
The country/western two-step, often called the "Texas two-step" or simply the "two-step," is a country/western dance usually danced to country music....
at Oil Can Harry's and a "family dinner" at the mansion. The dinner becomes a shouting match, culminating in Calpernia's breaking down in tears. The next day, Shawn must leave the mansion to attend a funeral. Calpernia eliminates Mark at that evening's ceremony.
Episode Six: Meet the Folks
This episode stresses the importance of family. With Shawn absent for a funeral, only Jim and Mike are left to meet Calpernia's "dragDrag
- In science and technology :* Drag , the force which resists motion of an object through a fluid* Drag equation, a mathematical equation used in analyzing the magnitude of drag caused by fluid flow...
mother", Chyna. Calpernia goes to Las Vegas with Mike to meet his mother and father, and to Ventura with Shawn to see his home neighborhood. Jim's parents and former roommate
Roommate
A roommate is a person who shares a living facility such as an apartment or dormitory. Similar terms include suitemate, housemate, flatmate , or sharemate...
s visit the mansion to meet Calpernia. At the end of the episode, there is an elimination ceremony in which Jim and Shawn are invited to stay. However, in a twist, Mike is also invited to continue, and Calpernia announces that all four of them are returning to Los Angeles for the final portion of the competition.
Episode Seven
Host Alec Mapa recaps the series so far, including clips from previous episodes and interviews with the remaining suitors and Calpernia.Episode Eight: Season Finale
Calpernia and the three remaining suitors move to a luxury hotel and the suitors get makeovers. Calpernia calls Jim to her room and eliminates him. Mike and Shawn each make their final pitch for Calpernia's heart and in the end she selects Shawn.Critical response
The Washington Blade praised the series, citing it as "refreshing for its lack of sensationalism."Follow-up
As of June 2008, Calpernia and Shawn were still seeing each other, although she describes the relationship as casual.External links
- Transamerican Love Story at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...