You guys, I don’t know what happened.
I am not huge on change, so bringing in new shows to my normally rigid DVR routine is rare.
In fact, my disdain and lack of patience dictates that if I am going to try out a new series, I usually try and do it on a weekend during some sort of marathon.
However, I did just officially broke up with Real Housewives of New York in the middle of the first episode. It was messy and awkward.
I’m sorry, I’m just not feeling this.
Not feeling what? What’s not to feel? We have new girls, weird plastic surgery, disconnected story lines, Ramona is still trying to make Pinot happen…
I know, and the Yummy Tummy girl seems lovely when she isn’t talking about death, but there is just a general feeling that you ladies don’t like each other, you aren’t friends, Luann keeps slipping into boyfriend french half way through her conversations, and I was miserable the entire 40 minutes I watched it.
Between NJ getting good and the OC making a comeback, I just don’t have time. If I wanted an awkward encounter, I ask my dentist for a pap smear.
So yesterday, after our morning Father’s Day festivities, Andy took the boys to an indoor driving range, and Gigi and I spent the rainy afternoon on the couch playing with Bratz dolls, bushing our teeth with bleach, and watching the My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding marathon on TLC*. A couple things…
- First of all, I had no idea gypsies were a real thing. I’ve seen them in movies and I was a sexy gypsy for Halloween once in college, but the fact that gypsies exist in a way that doesn’t have them with scarves on their heads with giant hoop earrings, boggles my mind. I don’t want to stereotype modern day gypsies, because some of them look pretty fucking awesome, but I did not expect some of them to look like if Julie Robert’s roommate Kit from Pretty Woman mated with anyone from the Appalachian Mountain people episode of 20/20 where nobody had teeth because they lived on Mt. Dew.
- This show has ruined weddings for me. If you invite me to watch you get married, and you have on some sort of lame ass wedding dress that does not light up, render you immobile, cost as much as 5 paved asphalt driveways, or show your virgin clitoris, I’m not coming.
- I wish I was Sondra Celli. This non gypsy makes bank off dumping glitter and Ed Hardy crosses on 50 yards of ruffles. Supply and demand. She’s a genius. The Steve Jobs of underage, sometimes incestuous matrimony.
- You know when you pass a carryout and see a sign for cigarettes that says like, one pack for $30, and you say to yourself, who the hell even smokes anymore? They do. It’s them. Now you know.
- There are many reasons I couldn’t be a gypsy. I don’t even own actual cleaning supplies; I cleaned up spilled shrimp curry with a baby wipe and some hair mouse yesterday. Also, I’m too claustrophobic to live in a camper with three children.
I’m about 6 episodes in, and I still have so many questions.
How do they afford all this stuff?
Where do they actually travel to?
Why do some of them live in houses?
How did they get iPhones because I had to bring like 3 proofs of address and a clean urine sample to Verizon?
Does anyone else think Pat Baby is totally gay or would make a really, really awesome pageant dad?
And also, why do they just end episodes and not offer any follow up?
MTV always offers updates on Made or those whack job teen moms. Is Tamera allowed to live in Murphy’s Village? Did 14 year old Priscilla find a husband? Did Heath and Alyssa make up with Aunt Mellie, buy a camper and get her infant son back from her mom?
Way to leave me with gypsy blue balls, TLC.
*Ok, we were eating fudge rounds and braiding each other’s hair. I don’t even know where the bleach is, probably on a low shelf somewhere in a nondescript unmarked bottle.
If you love the American version of a Gypsy Wedding then you are going to go insane over the British version. The UK version is SO much better that I can barely watch the US version b/c they are just not as good as the original. Their outfits are crazy. Now I wish I was a UK gypsy!
Totally. The American version is like amature hour. I refuse to watch it after a marathon of the original.
Aunt Mellie doesn’t make up with anyone, trust this.
Were you watching the American version or the British version? Each is wrong yet so entertaining in it’s own right.
On the American version a few weeks ago, one couple married and they are first cousins. Because that’s okay in Gypsy culture. O_0
Marrying first cousins in New Jersey culture is okay too lol.
Ewwwwwwww. It reminds me of a line from some Pauly Shore movie. Where your moms your dad and your dads your brother?
That Pauly Shore movie is “Son in Law.” I’ll pretend I had to look that up. Please do the same ;-)
Omg yes! I’m glad someone has joined me down the rabbit hole! Have you seen the one where the girl gets a cat wedding dress? Like giant cats in sparkles wrapping around the train and a giant sparkly head piece to match! The UK version is definitely better!
Did you also figure out that they refuse to leave in trailers with indoor bathrooms?! Yep- true! A few shows have them shopping for their next home and they talk about how thats weird for them to have bathroom indoors. GROSS! I have encountered real Gypsies in Dallas and they are a cheap, conniving group that tries to cheat out of paying full price on anything.
I live one exit away from Murphy Village in SC. It’s always been a joke that the Gypsies need new blood and they are looking for blondes. Rumor had it they would pay a blonde man thousands to have a baby with one of their daughters. Once in high school a group of friends and I went riding through Murphy’s Village. She hit a huge pothole and demanded I get out of the car to check for damage. When I did she decided to pull away and pretend to leave me. Up until this point, we had not seen a living soul. All of sudden, gypsy children on bikes came riding in from everywhere. she quickly put the car in reverse and screamed “get in get in.” She was totally afraid they were coming to kidnap me since I’m blonde. If she’d left me I probably would have become a gypsy bride. However, like any group their portrayals are exaggerated and most are very nice people with some strange customs. It’s not unusual to see trailers behind the huge houses in Murphy’s village with tin foil over the windows the first year they are built bc they are getting rid of spirits before they move in.
There are honest-to-God Gypsies here in Arkansas. So many of them. They actually live in those awful little campers and go door to door asking if you need cement work done. I guess that’s how they earn their money, though I can’t imagine anyone actually letting a more white- trash-version-of-Ronnie-from-Jersey-Shore pave their driveway.
Ok so I live in AR–where are these gypsies you speak of? I’d like to take a road trip for some gypsy sightseeing!
Check out sister wives… that shit is crazy and amazing! Also on TLC
YES they are INSANE on sister wives…. it is like gpysys except all haveSAME husband!!!
Okay. This is where I make my confession. You know the episodes that take place in Martinsburg? That’s where I live. Some of those people were my neighbors until 2 years ago. The family that lived in my subdivision were spread out over 3 different rental homes owned by a friend of mine. The patriarch of the family lived right across the street from me. And even though I have many, many problems with Gypsies (mostly stemming from the fact that they dress their daughters like $2 whores starting at birth), he was always very respectful whenever I saw him. However, when he was not there, the young men would go wild.
Here’s how it works. Some (not many) of them live in campers. Most of them live in rental homes. Essentially, they live above their means and stay in one area until either the repo guys start driving by looking for their cars and/or the police start with their drive-bys. The gypsies in this area migrate between here and usually SC. Once things start catching up to them in one place, they move on to another. All of the gypsies here have “paving” businesses. They will go thru developments handing out fliers advertising a weekend when they will be sealing driveways in that area for a “discounted rate.” I can’t believe at this point that people even fall for that one, but they do. When they “seal” your driveway, they basically spread used motor oil that they’ve collected. Washes off at the first rain. Don’t get me wrong. There are some very hardworking gypsies out there. However, the scammers give them all a bad rep. Also, they have a number of “businesses.” All of their vehicles (and I’m guessing cell phones, etc) are registered to their businesses. That way when they don’t pay the bills, they just let the business go and it doesn’t affect them personally. They really know how to work the system.
What bothers me most is how they raise their children. THAT is where my poor opinion of gypsies comes from. They really do raise their daughters to be trashy. Look trashy. Act trashy. I find it very abhorrent.
It makes me incredibly sad and angry that these people and The Wild Wonderful Whites of WV are the examples the rest of the world are shown of WV. We are not like that. Those people are an embarrassment. These shows find the very worst examples they possibly can to represent us and advertise it as the norm. But it isn’t. The area I live in is actually a suburb of DC. But it’s like I always tell my friends, you can find trash anywhere.
Thanks for clearing this up! I always wondered the same thing as Brittany. And don’t worry- after I watched the Wild Wonderful Whites of WV, I thought they reminded me of a local family here in MN. And actually some of the Whites did move to MN!
That is a fantastic documentary.
welcome friend! i’m obsessed with the show, too. something about young gypsy women being encouraged to percolate and grind on the dancefloor just tickles my fancy.
pat baby confuses the shit out of me. him and his wife are super strange together. i was also pretty freaked out that he paraded priscilla around the town after she put her dress on. HAWKWARD…
I am so hooked on this show too, like others I have to agree that the UK version is SO MUCH better. I have however missed the episode where the two chicks got into a fight… it’s a sad day when I see the commercial for that one :(
That happened at the courthouse where I spend a lot of time doing research. When she came in in that dress, with a camera crew, everyone just took a break from work marvel at the spectacle they were making of themselves.
I can’t stand the methed out – inbred – American gypsy show. Pat Baby practically lusts over his daughter in the episode where he takes her to Boston to buy her 15th birthday dress. Gross… I love the UK gypsies though. I think the accents make them better. I hate that the girls are all too willing to stop going to school in 5th grade so they can go home and learn how to be wife and mother because they will need to know what to do in about 5 years, when they become a wife and mother. But dammit if they don’t have some wild freaking parties and ridiculous dresses that we all secretly fanticize about wearing.
Omg I CAN’T STOP WATCHING THIS SHOW!! It’s a terrible, bloody trainwreck and I just can’t seem to look away. Last week it was a 4 episode marathon of Gypsy Wedding followed by several episodes of Sister Wives – I couldn’t believe my good luck!! I’m pretty sure thousands of brain cells were killed during this marathon, but I guess I’ll just watch The History Channel a few times and grow ’em back….
I started watching one last night where the dress was about 10 ft wide and the crown was huge. Just starting shankin’ my head and had to move on…
My mom would always say I must have a little gypsy in me bc I love to travel. I must say it sounds like an insult now…
Hmmmmm fudge rounds. *drool*
That show is a train wreck that you have to keep watching. I agree with adding follow-up. Another show that has caught my eye…MONSTER-IN-LAWS. It makes my in-law situation look tame!
I hate reality shows. Yes, I am one of the snotty weirdos who consider themselves ‘above’ all that junk. {ahem} That being said, I can’t stop watching the Big Fat Gypsy Weddings. I have to wait until the Hubby is asleep, then it turn it on. (He works for child services, and I’m afraid he’d totally flip.) I can’t help watching it. I’m so glad I’m not the only one.
I am 100% obsessed with the TV show My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding, also! It’s totally sick AND fascinating.
I have so much to say about one of the absolute non-points of this blog post…OC HOUSEWIVES IS MAKING A COMEBACK! I seriously wasn’t going to watch anymore, but when I saw that Alexis was on the outs I was all in. On topic? I haven’t watched the American version of My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding because I got super excited about the UK version and then I couldn’t understand a damn thing they said and it all had to be subtitled. I don’t watch tv so I can read.
I haven’t seen the US version, but the UK version is irresistible. I wondered if there were actually gypsies in the states after watching the UK version, so I went on where else, Wiki, and found that like 10 miles from me is one of the biggest populations in the states.
Weird.
I watched Gypsy Weddings last night and it reminded me of Toddlers and Tiaras for teens. The gypsy girls are like freelance beauty queens, non? Mom and Dad are stage parents. They spend too much on the dress, hair, makeup, etc. But in this case, they have to host the entire pageant themselves, under the guise of calling it a “Halloween Party” and then, big surprise, their daughter is crowned Grand Supreme Marriage Queen or whatever. It’s quite the spectacle!
I remember reading somewhere once (Reader’s Digest?) that gypsy women have no problems flinging their boobs around and will dance topless but being seen without pants is 100% taboo! I have no idea where I read that. But it was about a gypsy group called the Travellers(?!) This was like 20 years ago that I read it….
I’ve never seen the show…shocking, right? But we’re just now getting Supernatural over here in Egypt.
BTW, “If I wanted an awkward encounter, I’d go to my dentist for a pap smear” is the best sentence I’ve read all day….and THAT was following reading The Bloggess today. ;)
I haven’t watched the American version..am I missing something! I will second the British version being waaaaaaaay over the top though. Whoa Momma….!
Around here, FW TX, gypsy is offensive and travelers is what the families would prefer to be called. I mentioned to my sister, who had a large population of travelers at the school where she worked, that I thought all the women and girls dressed like hookers but then they say they are always vurgin brides. She said, “They figure they need to flaunt the merchandise to land a man!” Also, I think a few bad apples have given that whole group a bad reputation. But my grandma did fall for that “we’ll pave your driveway” scam, God rest her soul.
OMG, I **LOVE** that show. As a general rule, I detest reality TV, but TLC totally sucked me in with this one. It’s June Cleaver meets Linda Lovelace, and I will not tire of it until the day that their cultural rules make sense to me. Which I suspect will be never, and I am totally okay with that.
Does anyone remember the show that was on for a minute with Eddie Izzard and the dark curly haired chick…..Minnie Driver.. That show was about Travellers and it actually explained the culture a bit more.
It was no where near the fantastical train wreck that the Big Fat Gypsies is but it was a good show.
The Riches! What the heck happened to that show?!
I am unreasonably hooked on that show. I CANNOT WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT. I actually look at people in public now trying to find gypsies, because when I thought “gypsy” before, it was just Esmerelda that came to mind. The Disney version. Now it’s skanks with long straight black hair who have annoying accents and yell and fight in public and wear shit that lights up.
The hair’s not necessarily black. Could be blond. And the guys all have spiked Jersey shore hair and heavy gold chains. So… kinda hard to tell with the guys. Could be gypsy, could be Jersey. However, if you see a baby with spiked Jersey hair wearing a gold chain that weighs more than he does, definitely a gypsy family.
I really like the show. That being said, I am really glad my mom never sold me to the gypsies.
Is it bad that I don’t even know what a gypsy is? Like what is the stereotype? What is the history? Now I’m afraid to watch the show since Brittany likes it so much and we r so alike, I’m.afraid ill be hooked too.
Irish travellers …… english gypseys ….. an den romany gypseys have a diffrent culture to us …
I laughed so damn loud at your explanation of gypsies as Kit meets Appalachia. Amazing!
The shows are so over the top and represent only a very small portion of the communities. Yes they may dress ott but thats how they find their husbands. There are a few that con but the majority are honest hardworking indiviuals who hate being targeted over the actions of a few.
I ttally broke up with RHONY during the first episode as well. WTF??? Wheres crazy Kelly and wth happened to Jill. These new chicks were too new for me and I refuse to be satisfied with Ramona as the only crazy lady on the show.
omg I’m a traveller nicki an no we dont dance Arndt wit no tops on were clean an respectable people
This was the PERFECT way to explain My Big Fat American Gypsy Wedding to my boyfriend.
It’s on Netflix now!!! ^_^ I’m so hooked haha. But I’d like more questions answered too… And googling for updates really doesn’t help, although I did find Priscilla has a fb fan page…