A history of swinging on TV

[pipedream 15]

Did anyone catch the new caravan commercial? I was watching football on Sunday and a caravan commercial came on. The scene started out in front of two neighbor's houses with one husband asking his neighbor if they were into swapping. The other husband looked at his hot wife on the porch and said "Why yes, you guys too?". The first husband got all excited and swapped caravans with him, while driving down the street he asked a couple at a street light the same question. Then the tag line was "Sooo much fun to drive, you have to try them all."

 

For me it seems that every place in the mainstream media on the topic of swinging has been negative. I thought this was a cute, funny commercial that shed some light onto the subject. Did you see it? What did you think?

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

I haven't seen that commercial but swinging has definately been popping up everywhere in the mainstream of late, including several television shows. On CBS, the show "Yes, Dear" had an episode about it, and so did the new show on the WB, "Off Centre" (I didn't see that episode just saw the previews). It was even mentioned in an episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond" a few weeks ago when he bought his wife a sexy board game to spice things up. His mother saw the game and asked "Are you Swingers?", his response, "Mother you just asked me if I'm a wife swapper."

[Flori_DAMAN 26]

I know it is not "main stream" TV but the show "real sex" quite often displays swinging in a positive light including very graphic scenes

[MattMann 17]

How about that scene in "Raising Arizona" where Nicholas Cage's obnoxious co-worker casually announces that he and his wife are swingers and intimates that maybe he and his wife would like to join them? The scene ends with Nicolas Cage punching him in the face and chasing him down.

 

No wonder swingers are reluctant to bring up our lifestyle to non-swinging friends. Glad this board is here.

[jimcat 15]

Quote

Did anyone catch the new caravan commercial? I was watching football on Sunday and a caravan commercial came on. The scene started out in front of two neighbor's houses with one husband asking his neighbor if they were into swapping. The other husband looked at his hot wife on the porch and said "Why yes, you guys too?". The first husband got all excited and swapped caravans with him, while driving down the street he asked a couple at a street light the same question. Then the tag line was "Sooo much fun to drive, you have to try them all."

 

My wife and I caught that commercial at the same time. We laughed it was well done and unlike many mainstream tv commercials or shows did not cast any negative images on swinging.I think were seeing the tip of the iceberg here. Shows like "real sex" on HBO with honest dialog with swinging couples is reaching large audiences. We have not told any of our friends (couples we didn't meet at swingers clubs) about our hobby for all the obvious reasons. With the new morality with emphasis on honesty rather repressed sexuality who knows maybe well be able to open up with them soon.

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

Maybe I'm dreaming but I want to say I saw another commercial along those same lines the other day, tho not for the Caravan. It was for the Truck that converts to an SUV. Same basic lines tho as the Caravan commercial.

 

"Wanna Swap", "Sure"

He gets out changed the SUV into a truck and drives off.

[pipedream 15]

If I remember correctly, that was with two guys. If that was their intent, we must be getting more liberal than we thought. LOL

[danc694u 19]

Originally posted by pipedream:

If I remember correctly, that was with two guys. If that was their intent, we must be getting more liberal than we thought. LOL

 

No you're right! They're getting more liberal. Because that commercial SUX!!!

I'd fire the clown that wrote/produced that run. Especially, the one about "Change" with the parking meter.

 

Could it be a bi/gay thing implied?

 

David -- the anal one

[TNT 1,155]

Did anyone notice in the movie The Grinch (the one with Jim Carey)that the Who's were having a "key party" . In one part the Who's were having a party and they focused on the fish bowl with everyone throwing their keys in it. We knew what it meant, but I bet it totally slipped by the general public, lol.

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

Yup I caught that the very first time. I even had to explain it to my hubby... so I'm sure it slipped by most people. The other thing I noticed was a sign at one point that said "Nude Who's" or something like that.

[anandjeff2 15]

I remember Jeff telling me this story and his sister confirming it, Years ago she and her hubby had moved into a new neighborhood and were at one point invited to a party(Now I have a feeling he hubby didn't tell the whole truth) and she was chatting with a guy there at some point and he asked her if she was game? She said yes..thinking he meant she wanted a refill on her drink. He looks at her and asks which one is her hubby, she asks why and he replies so we can switch keys..she didn't know what he was talking about and asked him why he would want her hubby's keys and the guy said well so we can swap wives for the night..she hightailed it over to her hubby and dragged him out of the party..this was sometime in the 70's..she freaks out whenever talk of that episode comes up..if only she knew...LOL

[NealnAnji 30]

Thanks for mentioning all those commercials that touch on the theme of swapping wives. Since we tune out commercials as boring we missed all of them. Now that you have mentioned some interesting ones, we will look for them.

 

We certainly hope swinging or polyamory goes mainstream without any overtones of guilt. As we all (ls couples) know, sexual activity among consenting adults that includes swapping one's wife/hubby for erotic fun and intercourse is healthy.

 

As far as TV shows and movies are concerned there are more portrayed instances of cheating than one could shake a stick at. This says something about the "mainstream" attitudes and mores. Wish there were more shows, commercials and films that would show couples swapping spouses for sex as natural as life itself. We all may have to wait for a long time for that to happen though! This great site certainly helps spread the right message and helps make converts to the lifestyle. Let us hope mainstream attitudes will change for better.

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

Did anyone see this special on the Oxygen channel this last weekend? I think it came on Sunday night at midnight. I taped it and just finally watched it today. It was a 30 minute special on the Lifestyle convention in Miami, as they followed a couple around. It actually wasn't bad but was almost too upbeat.

 

Did anyone else see it? What did you think?

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

I recently got Tivo and it's a miracle for catching things that you would probably miss otherwise. I set up "swinging" and "swingers" as keywords and get a lot of crap that I don't want but right now I'm watching a rerun of "Nash Bridges" that involves swinging.

 

The basic storyline is that a couple is meeting swingers through personal ads going home with them and then robbing them and/or blackmailing them.

 

To catch the couple Nash and Yasmine Bleeth's character go undercover at a swing club.

[MagicEnigma 16]

It’s a perk of working in the library, in that I wind up seeing almost all the interesting books as I shelve them. I came across a pair of really dated books last year that dealt with swinging. The one was called “Group Sex Tapes” and was written in the early 70s. Mostly it was a series of interviews with different people who were in the lifestyle. The thing that stuck in my mind was “where did all these people go?” Even with things like AIDS, I just couldn’t believe that so many people did that, for it to have vanished. Even having gotten into the lifestyle, I was still wondering if there isn’t a much wider body of people doing it than is widely understood. The group I’m mostly involved with is all at once mature, generally affluent, and educated, yet save for a few, they also don’t stray far from either the group or their club. It makes me think perhaps our lifestyle is rather cellular, which makes since with the stigma outsiders put on it. The increase in media talk about it I would guess is starting to lift the veil off of things. The more people talk about it, the more they will realize its all over the place. Maybe that will go a long way towards making what we do easier to be open about. Or at least ease some of the worry about being “outted.”

[Tanman aka Mike and Marie 16]

The truck commercial is for the Chevy Avalanche, two guys driving down the road and one asks the other if they want to "change" before they pick up their dates/wives, girlfriends

 

So they stop, the one dork starts converting the truck and the other one is changing his clothes on the side of the road.

 

I don't know why the public likes that truck (ugly, yeck!) but that's the Chevy commercial

[NotsoNew 17]

That 70's show had a great spot on swinging.

 

Donna brings home an F on here report card just as her parents are leaving to go out for the evening. She asks where they are going and her dad replies the swingles bar. She looks confused and they say it where singles and swingers go. Her dad then say....we'll discuss your report card when we get home young lady...unless of course we meet someone tonight!

 

Thought it was hilarious.

[twoferfun 15]

I would like to pipe in here that it was a Real Sex episode on polyamory that started my husband and I talking about my burgeoning interests...and his willingness to accommodate them.

 

Even though we haven't gone further yet than reading these posts and listing on Swing LifeStyle, I want to give a little credit to HBO!

[bimrdcpl 15]

Neither one of us have seen the new commercials. And we havent really been picking up on any of the swinger inuendos. But do you guys remember that movie from the 70's called.....Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice? I never got to see the whole thing but heard it is pretty good. And as far as the scene in the Grinch I didnt get that impression about the scene you all brought up. I thought it was they were at a Christmas party and they were drinking to much and being responsible adults. But thats just me I guess. Learn something new everyday!!!!!

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

Another Mainstream movie that featured swinging in the form of a "key party" was The Ice Storm . I don't even remember what the movie was about other than that particular scene and a scene with Christina Ricci making out with Tobey McGuire while wearing a Richard Nixon mask.

[naughty A 23]

closer to polyamory...

 

my favorite is the Dharma and Greg episode where she thinks she is in love with 2 guys - Greg, her husband and her college tutor? played by I think Kevin Sorbo? (sp?)

 

She talks it over with her parents and they're like... well you have to hope Greg is man enough to welcome another man into your marriage.... like so and so and whoever... etc.

 

I love that episode - and then at the very end in the dream sequence where the 3 of them wake up in bed together and the 2 guys complement each other on last nights performance -

 

Hey good job last night - Couldn't have done it without ya...

 

Too Funny.

[rounder 17]

Threesomes/swinging were topics in an episode of the old HBO series DREAM ON featuring Brian Benben (MMF 3some with his black best friend & hot white chick...I believe it was Kirstie Alley).

 

The two males compared notes the next day.

 

SEX & THE CITY had at least one episode about threesomes: Charlotte & bf hook up with a woman they met a party; Samantha is propositioned to have a 3some by the wife of man Sam was having affair with; Carrie discovers that Big had experienced 3some with his ex-wife (while they were still married); Miranda feels left out & advertises for 3some...she meets couple at a bar.

 

While some of the sequences are titillating (Charlotte has an erotic dream in which she drops her robe and approaches the bed in which her bf and other woman lie; woman reaches out to touch naked Charlotte), the viewer will be disappointed if expecting full-blown, explicit sex in any of the setups. Still, there is a lot of erotic tension, especially as Charlotte & bf discuss the prospect while making love (and the scene in which their prospective partner joins them in an upstairs bedroom at the party) and in the scenes in which Miranda meets eager couple looking for threesome. Also, the four female leads discuss the possibility of having a threesome with one of their best friends.

 

If you ever see reruns of the old lawyer show JUDD FOR THE DEFENSE (starring Carl Betz, the male lead on DONNA REED SHOW), you might catch an episode in which Judd defended a man who was stigmatized and lost his job after being accused of attending wife-swapping parties. I saw it in its initial run while I was in high school; this was the first time I had ever heard about wife swapping. Left an indelible impression!

 

By the way, although I am male, I love SEX & THE CITY... the wife and I watch it on DVD and then go and have hot monkey sex

 

(Lori, she liked the episode about threesomes...is that a good sign?)

[Brit_Pair 62]

There was a UK drama broadcast on BBC1 about 5 years ago called "Touch and Go". It was the story of one couple's entry into the world of wife-swapping (don't recollect the term 'swingers' being used, but that's not to say it wasn't).

 

Ultimately, the couple had the weaknesses in their marriage exposed by the stresses of their alternate lifestyle, and succumbed to them. Not a particularly uplifting end to the story, but it was a fairly high quality piece of drama all the same.

[Guest Seymore]

when i was a very little kid...maybe 8 or 9 years old...i watched an episode of All in the Family in which Edith answered a classified ad where a couple wants to meet other couples for friendship. I think the ad is worded with some inuendos that are, predictably, lost on Edith. They invite the couple to their home and gradually it dawns on Archie and Edith what the couple is expecting. I think the swinging husband might have been played by jerry stiller.

 

I remember my mother explaining to me what was happening while i was watching it, (at least mom was progressive enough to explain things to me) ...something to the effect of "this is what some people do when they get bored with their marriages." I remember being totally embarrassed by the whole idea. Actually, i was probably grossed out by the thought of people who look like archie and edith having sex.

[naughty A 23]

I was watching the tail end of a "while you were out" episode ... you know one of the decorator shows... the husband redid the bedroom for the wife and at the end the hostess/decorator of the program says something like there are "time for us to go ...there are two too many people in this room" , the wife said something like "not at all" and then the four of them are in this group hug scene... etc. looking very cozy.

 

4-some sex on a home improvement show?

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

There was also an episode in the first season of "Yes, Dear" where the two couples met another couple and were basically fighting over who was going to be friends with this couple that was "oh so great".... that is until they found out that the "oh so great" couple were interested in them in a different way.

[Elusive BiFem 70]

A few nights ago, I caught the tail-end of a Will and Grace re-run. I don't know the story line, but Grace had just come into a hotel room with a couple. The female half was dressed in lingerie of some sort - don't recall what the male was wearing. I became interested when Grace started talking about the many layers of clothing she was wearing and and started removing some layers - jacket, sweater, etc. Finally she sat on the edge of bed between them (and I was now sitting on the edge of MY bed - watching!) when the man leaned over to kiss her and the female started to touch her on the shoulders. In typical Grace fashion, she jumped up on the bed and started carrying on about how she could not do this, wasn't for her, she was sorry, didn't need to be there - on and on - and finally gathered her articles of clothing and left. End of show.

 

Has anyone else seen that particular episode? Grace was obviously planning on being the single female with this couple, and I would love to know what led up to this. Even I, back in the days of my total naivete, would have been able to figure that one out! I was astounded they were using that story line on network TV!

[naughty A 23]

I did see that episode although it was some time ago.

 

I think that the guy was an old boyfriend that she thought was looking her up because he was interested in her... he said no I have a girlfriend but yes WE are interested ...

 

and then Grace's friends were teasing her that she wasn't the type that would engage in a threesome.... and determined that she could be a "wild and crazy, sexually experimental girl" she went to their room ... I think that is about the part where you saw it from.

[Elusive BiFem 70]

Thanks for the details on the Will & Grace episode, Naughty A. Makes more sense now, but the part I did see was really funny. And I'm still amazed they showed that on network TV.

[sportync 20]

The Playboy channel is running a show this month called,"behind closed doors", and the theme is swinging. They interview a number of couples in several different locations. They also cover a swingers club, and the after-club private party. I thought that it was well done and presented swinging in a very non-judgemental way(as opposed to Montel and the talk-shows). These people opened up about very private aspects of their lives, and my hat is off to them. After all, they "outed" on national tv, something which impressed me.

[ircouple4swing2 15]

yes we both caught the ad spot and it was quite funny but right to the point. We both commented on just how much fun the couple would be having lol

[Lovers6770 16]

Hi,

 

Great posts everybody. Now that you mention it I think I have seen one or two of these commercials once or twice. Commercials have always been written with as much sexual innuendo as they can get away with without offending their target audience. 'Cause sex sells.

 

A variation on this topic that I just recently watched on TV was about how other cultures view/judge Americans through the TV we produce and watch. I found it amusing that the general consensus of people interviewed in India though we Americans were far too publicly sexual in our behavior and attitudes. Since from my understanding many Americans consider the Indian (not American Indian) culture to be wrapped in sexual mystic.

 

Many other Arab & East Asian cultures share similar viewpoints. One interesting aspect of this that came out though was that they actually enjoy, quite a bit, many of our popular TV programs, but yet view us as a people as less than a desirable culture to emulate. i.e. You entertain us, but we wouldn't want to be like you.

 

Many of them are concerned with the loss of their cultural identity as a result of permitting access to our media. This is especially true when it comes to sex/sexual behavior on sitcoms or other TV shows. So we would do well in the eyes of other cultures if we "cleaned-up a bit" in the TV/Movie industry. Hear that Guys/Gals Upstairs!!! They also pointed out that if we as consumers would use a little purse/wallet influence the media would surely respond in kind and make changes. I found this rather profound that they completely understand our culture and how to work within it to effect change. I wonder how many of us in America can say the same about our understanding of other cultures.

 

Food for though.

[Brit_Pair 62]

The newest UK terrestrial television channel, Channel 5, started broadcasting here a few years ago, and in order to help find its audience, it included a good deal of adult material in its initial late evening schedules.

 

One such item was a documentary called “Orgy” - something of a misnomer since it was actually concerned with swinging in England. The centre of attention was an experienced couple, and the cameras followed them through the initial preparations for an intimate dinner-and-desserts party being held in their home, and stayed with them for the party itself. The couple were candid about their desires, although they did wear masks during the ‘interview’ sections, and the gathering itself was a “naughty pussies” theme party, so all of the guests wore cat masks.

 

Segued into the mix at various stages were ‘ordinary people’, who expressed their own thoughts on the subject at hand. There were some typically ignorant responses – “ . . . a lot of fat, sweaty, overweight people with hanging bellies grunting and troughing like a bunch of pigs . . . ” was one young girl’s vision when she considered the word “orgy” – but on the whole, the swingers were treated extremely even-handedly, and the lifestyle was presented in a positive light.

 

Doubt it will be shown again soon. These things tend to slip beneath the censor’s radar on first showing, but the negative publicity generated by the reactionary and prudish middle England tabloid press usually ensures that such unusual pieces of programming remain one-off broadcasts.

 

Just as well I recorded the thing on VHS!

[Flori_DAMAN 26]

Quote

Doubt it will be shown again soon. These things tend to slip beneath the censor’s radar on first showing, but the negative publicity generated by the reactionary and prudish middle England tabloid press usually ensures that such unusual pieces of programming remain one-off broadcasts.

 

Just as well I recorded the thing on VHS!

 

This amazes me as the main exposure we have in the states if you don't look into the politburo of the UK, are such things as the SUN.

 

I guess they don't necessarily subscribe to the reactionary and prudish middle England press though.

 

I understood from word of mouth that there was a much more liberal press in the UK, am I mistaken?

 

I know that the UK allows everyone to run around topless right?

 

LOL.

 

John

[MattMann 17]

There was a recent episode of "Oliver Beene" on Fox that had two couples playing charades and the parent couple of the series had a fight over the wife not giving good clues to the husband so they asked the other couple if they wanted to "swap." The husband of the other couple misunderstood and calmly said that "well we've discussed it, but the problem is my wife just doesn't find you attractive." Then the other couple explained that they meant to swap partners for the game only.

 

I know, it's not much, but at least it was referenced offhandedly and not treated like a horrible thought or caused anyone to get punched like in the movie "Raising Arizona."

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

Quote

Originally posted by bbcpl4cpl

The only show that I ever seen swinging on and bear in mind that I don't watch too much television these days is in reruns of Beverly Hills 90210 when Mr and Mrs Walsh went away somewhere and their hotel room had an adjoining room with the most obnoxious pushy couple that was so blatantly over the top. Later, Jim Walsh and his wife (can't for the life of me remember her first name), are in a hot tub soaking when the couple comes by in bathrobes and ask to join them and they strip off the robes off camera and it indicates their nudity and the walshes shock! Too funny.

 

I remember that one too. Don't feel too bad. BTW, I saw a commercial last night for a 90210 reunion show that's coming up.

[Bandann 15]

Did anyone see the new show on Fox last night at 9 eastern? Its about a cop from NY that goes to Scotland yard. It was about 20 minutes into the show and they were in a swing club. The local cop took the NY cop to the swing club and after he questioned what was going on, he quizzed him on being in the life style, if he was a swinger and everything. It woke Ann right up and I also watched intently.

 

I'm wondering where this will go in the next shows.

 

Anyway, didn't see anything posted on this, so I thought I'd post it.

[sexypairca 41]

Yes I saw that scene, unfortunately I missed most of the rest of the show. He was at this swingers club for a drug bust or investigating something that was illegal. That's about all that I caught other than it was quite a rocken club. I was so tired that I was in and out of sleep, so I not only missed the show but also missed the scheduled chat .

 

Annette

[alabamafuntonig 20]

Fox is pretty open about swinging. Anybody remember the Simpsons episode when Marge and Homer dabbled in the lifestyle?

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

Looks like yet another tv show is heading to a swinger party. This week it's Nip/Tuck. If you haven't seen this show it's actually a fairly decent show about 2 plastic surgeons (both male). One married, one single. It will be interesting to see how they portray things.

 

The show is on FX, Tuesday night at 10pm.

[lnk4u 15]

Julie... it should be 10 EST. and did anyone see the episode last night (9/07)? it involved a threesome. Didn't go too well tho. one of the females was feeling left out. Both females were supposedly lesbian but one missed being with a guy so they got into a threesome with one girl's friend. The one girl whose friend it was (male) started feeling left out then the other girl started kissing him and the original one who was the guy's friend just up and kinda left the bedroom after her girlfriend said "but I kiss you all the time". Shows what can happen if communication lines are not quite right.

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

Yeah, I did see that. That story will actually continue into this week's episode as well, with (I believe) Matt's mother walking in on them.

[J & K 16]

We were watching it right when they walked into the swingers party. Then our little one walked in and we had to change the channel. So what happened?

[austxmark 41]

I thought the repersentation of swingers on that show sucked. It showed tham as pretentious, shallow idiots. I mean "Pleasure Chambers"!! Even the doctor, who is a real slut, was disgusted by the place. I would have been to. I guess with TV you just have to accept that the distortions are going to happem.

 

As for what happened: They went to the party..he kind of made her do a girl on girl thing and then they left.

[BradAndJanet 70]

I can't say too much for how the swingers were portrayed, but it's just TV; nothing is portrayed accurately. On the other hand, we've all heard the stories of guys who push their wives into bi play and exclusive parties where only the 'best' are admitted, so maybe some things were close, at least.

 

I did get a kick out of the 'parents meeting' scene though. The uptight, naive mother's line: "What's a lezzie?", just cracked me up. Funny stuff, that.

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

I'm just finally watching it now. My reactions so far are that some of the comments on swinging in general have been pretty on track.

 

The one guys' comment about swinging being a class system and he wanted to move up to a better class.

 

Julian's girlfriends first response being "am I not enough for you?" - which she's not if you watch the show he is a man-slut and seriously can't handle the idea of monogamy at all.

 

I agree too that the idea of him basically dragging her to the party and her playing with another woman to please him isn't that far-fetched, it's a scenario we've heard a million times.

 

Goodness knows that we've had quite the discussion here about the "Beautiful People only" clubs to know that they do exist and that yes, even swingers can be pretentious.

 

So far I think the most far-fetched thing in the show is how open people are about talking about their interest in swinging. It's obvious that their "swinger" parties are much more about sex and much less about couples sharing.

[youngswingers 15]

I have to say that I was very impressed with 2 things:

 

1) The swinging party was an sub sub-plot that did not get over exposed and dominate the show.

 

2) Swingers were not protrayed as total scum or perverts. In fact, even the guy who wants to get plastic surge surgery so he can be more attractive to other swingers (a character who we are supposed to ndislike) is complex and not a total walking stereotype.

 

Julie, I would say that their portrayal of those "beautiful people" parties in SoBe is pretty dead on. House parties like that are all about sport sex and showing off... and the girlfriend from the show experience is all too common.

[Weezie 16]

What about them testing the guy for STD's and him coming up positive for Hep C? Is this accurate? Now people are going to think all swingers have some sort of disease. I think most people in the lifestyle take care of themselves and take precautions. I guess from a medical standpoint it had to be addressed.

[naughty A 23]

Anyone else catch tonight's episode of CSI (Vegas)?

 

Cliffhanger featuring a probable swinger couple picking up other swinger couples and murdering them...

 

Tune in next week for the conclusion... as the chief suspects turned up dead too.

[lovers 25]

We watched that episode tonight and we can't wait for the conclusion. But I suspect that the swinging angle has gone as far as it's going to go.