A new swinger themed show based out of Ohio

[CandyCane 33]

'Neighbors with Benefits': Swingers Reveal Their Lives in New A&E Series : People.com

[two4youinswva 3,068]

Well, they picked a swinger state as the location, so that's one thing that's accurate so far. Guess we'll have to check it out on March 22nd to see how it plays out.

[LFM2 1,482]

I loved reading the comment section.

 

That's entertainment.

[cplnuswing 4,713]

I loved reading the comment section.

 

That's entertainment.

 

Yes it was! At the time of my viewing, it had 73 of the little angry face emoticons too, about 1.5 times all the rest put together, so you kinda knew where that was going.

 

Didn't someone do virtually this same show like in Atlanta or somewhere a season or two ago and it was a total flop? I know, let's move it to a different location and try the same thing again!!

[CB&DD 218]

Just great, another show that reminds me of home. First the car show that they show my home racetrack on and now this one. I think the tv show producers are conspiring to make me even more homesick. Lol.

[CandyCane 33]

LFM2 said:

I loved reading the comment section.

 

That's entertainment.

 

I loved reading the comments too!!!

[funcoupledayton 2,708]

I'll watch it! Maybe they'll go to clubs we've been to?

 

There was a show last year in Atlanta, I think it was on A&E also. I think it was The Secret Lives of Swingers. It was pretty awful.

[two4youinswva 3,068]

Reality show about Warren County swingers causes controversy.

[SW_PA_Couple 4,024]

You can make a sure bet on this. If it is called a Reality TV Show, there will be very little real about it.

 

But you have my appreciation, Candy Cane, for pointing to it.

[intuition897 2,179]

God help me, I commented. *sigh* Why oh why can I not resist rising to the bait?

 

I keep hearing, "Ew, sick, gross, disgusting!" I don't know why this is any more "gross" than single people having sex. It's just meat slapping together, people. Get over it. If you're squeamish about that, keep your damned pants on. And news flash: probably 99% of y'all don't look like porn stars when you review the dirty video you made of yourselves for your "personal collection". Now, the rights of consenting adults to do what they will notwithstanding, these people are boneheads for selling out and plastering themselves all over TV for a quick buck and/or a bit of fame. The sleaze factor of "reality" TV shows (and I use the term loosely) is my definition of disgusting. Their kids' social lives are taking a NOSE DIVE right now because all the pearl-clutchers are making their children cross the street to avoid them. It's not the kids' fault, and they likely didn't know anything about it...until now. Well done, idiots. If they'd kept it to themselves - as they should - life would've gone on a usual, their kids wouldn't be spending a small fortune on therapy a decade from now, and they'd be as far under the radar as the REST of the swingers in literally every other neighbourhood in North America. They're everywhere. You work with them. They deliver your mail. You live next door to them. They fix your teeth, do your taxes and teach your kids. Sleep tight.

 

Too much?

[CB&DD 218]

We don't think you went to far, we love your comment. Pretty sure some people will be sitting in their dentists chair wondering exactly where the dentists fingers were at recently though.

[intuition897 2,179]

We don't think you went to far, we love your comment. Pretty sure some people will be sitting in their dentists chair wondering exactly where the dentists fingers were at recently though.

 

LMFAO! Indeed.

[sunbuckus 3,567]

God help me, I commented. *sigh* Why oh why can I not resist rising to the bait?

 

 

 

Too much?

 

I didn't read the article or the comments (I'm afraid of getting upset if it has you foamy!) but I think it's got just the right touch.

[two4youinswva 3,068]

Groups urge boycott of Warren Co. swingers reality show

 

Citizens for Community Values (CCV), One Million Moms and the American Family Association are urging supporters to boycott the network and its advertisers until it drops its new program, "Neighbors with Benefits," set to premiere March 22.

 

In other news, A&E says "Thanks for the free publicity".

[CB&DD 218]

These people really need to find something worthwhile to focus their energy on. Lol. We will be watching the show as long as these people don't succeed in getting it cancelled. Them being pissed almost makes us want to watch it even more.

[SW_PA_Couple 4,024]

In the year 1982, I was moving my family to Casper, Wyoming. To big city people, Casper would have left a definite impression of small town. But it was, and might still be, the largest population in the State.

 

On our first occasion to be on the city's Main Street, there was a protest happening in front of the Rialto theatre. The protesters were blocking people entering to see the movie Life of Brian. I had never even heard of the movie but I then knew that, whatever it was about, I wanted to see it. The movie's producers eventually offered a formal thanks for all the people who make a dieing movie into a success.

 

I expect the same to happen with this A & E thing.

[funcoupledayton 2,708]

In other news... Swingers are urging A&E to drop the program, too. In our community the common consensus is that this is not going to be good for us. People are worried about going to local clubs for fear of media taking covert photos in the club or vigilantes taking photos of license plates and then exposing the car owners.

 

There have been a lot of local radio shows and articles recently about the topic. One of the club owners was on and most members felt he was giving too much information and not doing anyone any favors. I didn't listen myself.

 

The comments of TV and internet news stories are kind of scary. Many people saying children's services should be called, these people are disgusting and will burn in hell, etc, etc. It's been a wake up call for me, in a way. I knew people didn't approve, but I feel like some of these people would shoot me on the spot if they knew! I am much more on guard.

 

I think the outcome will be most harmful to area clubs. Most people I know say they'll just go to house parties or private events for the next six months until everything blows over.

[SW_PA_Couple 4,024]

. . . One of the club owners was on and most members felt he was giving too much information and not doing anyone any favors. I didn't listen myself. . .

I have to wonder if this club owner avails himself of good legal advice. I suspect that an attorney would advise, "say nothing" or "tell them to contact me."

[cplnuswing 4,713]

Kind of a threadjack but not really since along those same lines. We got a notice on SLS from a nearby party letting people know the play room would no longer be a play room. They specifically cited the TSC controversy in Nashville and things just being too high profile right now and not wanting to take a chance on any legal gray area. We've never been to this party or even know much about it, so whatever they were doing may have already been a blatant violation, or maybe not, but it sounded like they were spooked and going to dial things back until things calm down.

[intuition897 2,179]

We're not ashamed of our chosen marriage style, but we are discrete. I was at my desk the other day, overhearing my coworkers carry on a conversation about whether or not one of them should un-friend someone on Facebook because she and her husband were in an open marriage. I carefully avoided the conversation at all, but holy shit...the comments they were making made it perfectly clear: this is NOT something I'm about to bring up over the water cooler. "I would have a hard time not judging that.", "I mean if you don't want to be married, don't get married.", "Way to introduce sexually transmitted diseases into your marriage.", along with other choice garnishes of "Gross", "Disgusting", and "Sick". I have nothing to gain by 'converting' any of these people - none of them are on my fucket list. There will be no bringing them around to my way of seeing things; they're just too saturated with vanilla to even approach the subject. The most I might do, if I were asked point-blank, is say that I don't give a fuck what they do in their bedroom or with other consenting adults.

[two4youinswva 3,068]

This one continues to spark articles and conversation:

 

Surprise: People aren't thrilled with new reality show Neighbors With Benefits

Neighbors With Benefits couple shares their rules for a happy swinger lifestyle

Busybodies inspire me to watch swinger show

[CB&DD 218]

So after watching it last night what are others thoughts on it? Seemed a little light on reality and heavy on a script. Saw both positive and negative moments, unfortunately it seemed to kinda focus on the negative side a little more. Truth is we'll probably keep watching it mostly cause it is a topic that interests us. Hopefully it improves.

[SB1967 15]

I liked watching the show because it did show both sides.

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

We watched it as well. Shortly after it started, Ms. Gold asked if this was a reality show or a drama (she couldn't tell). Knowing someone who was on a reality show, we were told that 'if it could have happened, then it's reality'. That they take clips from all over the place, sometimes weeks apart, and splice them together to tell whatever story they want to tell.

 

Anyways, it did seem to start out well, but by the end of the show the storm clouds appeared on the horizon. It looks like they are going to show how bad swinging is for a relationship, even though last night one couple pointed out how monogamy doesn't seem to work that well either (50% divorce rate within 5 years). Already one member of two different couples were caught breaking the rules by texting each other directly (not the group texts that they apparently usually did) and had done it for awhile. Also, the two couples meeting up at a winery/hotel/??? then having the wives change husbands and start making out...well the shot of the bartenders face was priceless. Anyways, without giving too much away, we will continue to keep watching because of the subject matter, but it looks like another 'swinging is exciting but bad' show. Plus, it's difficult to have a TV show about sex when you can't show the sex. That just leaves the drama without the good parts. Hope we're wrong...

[SB1967 15]

Can someone tell me where you are reading the reviews?

[funcoupledayton 2,708]

We watched it. It was truly awful. I feel bad for everyone involved on the show or remotely associated with it. I can't believe the main couple are excited and promoting it. The only thing good that comes across about them is that they have nice bodies. The husband is portrayed as a huge asshole, in my opinion. I suppose he could be that bad in real life, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. The way they recruit and treat the new couple is sickening and predatory. The way he throws his friend under the bus with the texting BS, ugh! The main couple seems a little evil and very manipulative. Their minions (the other swinger couples) just seem stupid. They are all train wrecks.

 

I think it's actually kind of a missionary (not that kind, you pervs!) project. The Christian neighbors vs. the Hedonists. Who will prevail? The message so far is if you are a hedonist you are in for hard times, fighting, crying, buying used cars...

 

Now, my husband said, "You know I will do whatever you want, but please don't make me watch this again."

 

So, since I don't want to torture him further, I will watch the rest on my own. Next wk I'll be at my parents so I'll report back later.

 

It is terrible, but I do want to watch to see how it progresses. I'm so active in the lifestyle. I think it's good to know what vanilla people are seeing and hearing about "us".

[GuyInMD79 1,500]

The first episode seemed to be mostly about drama, problems, and moralizing against the lifestyle. We have seen isolated instances of drama from time to time, but not as pervasive as it seemed in the show. I understand that it may not be as compelling of a TV show to portray couples being happy and having fun, but that doesn't mean we have to like how how this thing of ours is being portrayed. I feel like telling some of the couples on that show to take a break from swinging, reconnect with each other, and figure out whether the lifestyle is really right for them in their relationship. And Mr. Kravitz there across the street, peeking through his blinds and acting as the conscience of the neighborhood, was especially annoying.

 

Bottom line for me was that it showed the lifestyle going bad a lot. And even when the show portrayed things going well, it still somehow turned the lifestyle from an exciting, free, comfortable sexual exploration with friends into a salacious, immoral activity.

[MrDiscover 802]

SB1967 said:

Can someone tell me where you are reading the reviews?

 

Neighbors With Benefits react: Reality swinging is (no surprise) cringe-worthy | EW.com

“Neighbors With Benefits” TV Review on A&E | Variety

 

Too bad this show can't be viewed online in my country, I would like to be a disaster-tourist (as we call it here).

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

I saw that '8 ways Neighbors with Benefits makes swinging sound like a cult' and cringed. One of the reviews (not necessarily from the above listed) asked how it was possible to make a TV show about swinging and sex without showing any swinging or sex. Once that is removed all that is left is drama. Similar to 'Secret Sex Lives - Swingers' on Discovery, you just show the train wreck.

[MrDiscover 802]

Secret Lives was shown in the Netherlands and I thought the same. That's why I found the Dutch report, although only about one club, more honest since it showed the fun as well. I understand why that is not possible in the States due to stricter rules on nudity on tv. But now it is like the Chip Foose's "Overhaulin'" but without any cars being shown or Deadliest Catch without fishing

[Trophy1802 132]

My wife and I watched the show and found it to focus more on the negative side of the LS and seemed to pit the good against evil, especially when it came to the religious based vanilla neighbors who were trying to save those that were being recruited by the main couple.

 

In addition, it portrayed an open, and almost too open, attitude of the main couple when it came to how they were openly recruiting other couples in the LS. It may be the way things are in other areas, but from what we have seen and experienced, most people maintain at least some form of discretion when it comes to sexual activity and being involved in the LS.

 

Unfortunately, it did not give a very attractive perception of the LS pertaining to swinging parties and the pressure or expectation for the need for sexual activity that may be evident at these gatherings. My wife was actually ironically surprised at the way the women were portrayed as catty, back-biting and down-right evil towards one another.

 

On the truthful side of thing, it did actually bring out a bit of discussion concerning the comfort level and trust and communication needed between a couple and other couples in order for participation in the LS to be successful.

 

We are positive there could be a better and more positive portrayal of the LS.

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

MrDiscover: One of the things that 'Overhauling' no longer features is how they would 'take' the car from the owner and let them think it was missing or stolen only to get the car back as a finished work of art at the end. Now it's just 'let us have your car and we'll fix it up for you'.

[MrDiscover 802]

Well, now I do regret my analogy. Taking away someone's husband and fixing him in the LS would not work out well. But I bet the networks would rate that as a great TV format...

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

[SoFlaCouple 188]

I loved reading the comment section.

 

For me, reading the comments section is a vivid reminder that no matter how normal and healty we believe the lifestyle to be, most of the rest of society does not agree. All the more reason to never out yourself to vanilla friends and co-workers.

[Trophy1802 132]

Mrs and I caught the second show last night.......and things did not appear to be much better.

 

Amazing how jealousy and insecurity played a major part on behalf of the male in the main couple of the show. Here it is, he and his spouse are out openly recruiting other couples to join in their swinger group, and on top of it telling his wife to be a bit bolder and make the first move with other guys, but his insecurity and jealousy became quite evident in last nights show.

 

And of course, the whole religious debate came up again when the female of another couple actually came out to her mother. Kind of amusing when the mother said, "The devil spells sin as F-U-N", and how the bible says "one man for one woman". Just curious as, unless I am mistaken, were there not several biblical characters that actually had more than one wife.

 

BTW, on a lighter note, Mrs and I joked that we spell adultery as F-U-N.........lol

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

We have the second episode on the DVR but have been afraid to watch it yet.

 

I think the devil can probably spell better than that. Even if he can't, there's always spell check

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

Old Testament: If you were wealthy you usually had numerous wives (needed them to provide a future workforce). Most people lived a rather nomadic life.

New Testament: Polygamy had kind of fallen out of favor when masses of people started living in cities. You no longer needed lots of help to raise live stock or to farm any longer if you were living in a city.

[SoFlaCouple 188]

We finished the second show last night, and ... well, we liked watching it. Not because it is riveting programming, to the contrary it's seems a bit scripted and contrived.

 

However...

 

We liked for other reasons. First, it sparked discussions between us on various issues, and helped to reaffirm that we are on the same page in a lot of different areas.

 

Second, like most LS couples, we have had our bumps along the way. We typically only discuss these bumps with each other and not among our LS friends. Seeing the issues arise on the show (usually before they even happen), the reactions, the discussions, and how they are resolved are instructive, both in a positive and negative way.

 

Third, although we have had friends come to us with an issue from time to time, we have never been a fly on the wall of other couples to see how they resolve their issues. This gives you that opportunity. Just maybe someone will learn from some of these situations.

 

Fourth, it's a decent reality check on how swingers can be perceived by others, and potential consequences of being out or outed.

 

Finally, it is a reminder that no matter how careful you think you are, you may be giving away the fact that you are a swinger. For example, when the one woman confessed to her mom, my take away is that no matter how careful you may think you are, you may unknowingly be identifying yourself as a swinger by your everyday actions (in fact, how people carry themselves in bars and interact with others is how we are able to pick swingers out of a crowd).

 

Will the show win an Emmy? No.

 

Does the show promote the best view of swingers? No.

 

Are there lessons real and potential swingers can take from the show? I think so. And for that reason, I'll keep watching.

[two4youinswva 3,068]

And it's over.

 

‘Neighbors With Benefits’ Cancelled As A&E Pulls Swinger Couples Apart | Deadline

 

A&E has canceled its love-thy-neighbor reality romp after just two episodes. The network said today that is has stripped Neighbors With Benefits of its series status and has no plans to run the seven unaired hourlong episodes, though we hear there’s a teensy chance they’ll turn up online.

[SW_PA_Couple 4,024]

A&E will probably not give a reason for the cancellation. But maybe that does not matter. I believe it a good thing.

[njbm 2,868]

Boo! We enjoyed it! We liked Swing Town also (several years back). Swingers are a hated and misunderstood minority. We will continue to find fellow hedonists and enjoy our brief time on earth. We have to fight for our right to party!

[GuyInMD79 1,500]

I had high hopes for this show, and it disappointed me. So I won't miss it. It amounted to anti-lifestyle propaganda, rather than a true depiction of reality. We don't need the bad press!

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

It's almost impossible to air a TV show about sex...ANY KIND of sex, without actually being able to SHOW the sex. All that is left is drama and innuendo and that just doesn't go very far in today's market. Too bad since while I was worried that it was a train wreck, there have been at least two people who came here looking for information based on watching that show. It's the old saying, 'any publicity is good publicity'.

[MrDiscover 802]

Just wondering: is there no network that shows (non-porn) full sex in the US? Also not HBO? I thought they were more free on that subject. Is it legally forbidden or just networks being scared to loose advertisers?

[GuyInMD79 1,500]

There is no over-the-air broadcast network in the US that will show nudity- this is prohibited by the Federal Communications Commission. Cable channels have more freedom, but even there, no cable channel shows full and complete sex. HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc. will show female full nudity, and the occasional penis. But although they will show simulated sex acts to completion, they do not show penetration. The Playboy channel will show actual sex, including penetration, but does not show ejaculation or really orgasms at all. Playboy also does not show any anal sex. The only place to get full-on sex, including orgasms, is the pay-per-view porn channels that most cable systems make available.

[MrDiscover 802]

Ah, I see. Thanks for your info! Makes it more clear, I always thought there was a time restriction in the US too on some chanels, like over here, e.g. no nudity before 8pm and no openly sex before 10 etc.

[GoldCoCouple 4,065]

I don't believe that it is actually prohibited anymore. Programs can be rated TV-MA although most that have been are for violence and/or profanity. The first TV program to get the TV-MA rating was...of all things, Schindler's List in 1997 and the first series was the CBS police drama Brooklyn South. Most of the shows are cable shows with TV-MA but there are a few network shows that have made it: ABC's NYPD Blue, Once and Again, CBS's Chicago Hope and Fox's John Doe experimented with nudity. NYPD Blue is noteworthy for featuring nudity in the context of people engaging in sexual activity and often depicted full back nudity of men and women (usually in darkened rooms). After Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction' baring her breast during a live performance at the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show on February 1, 2004 a moral panic occurred and the Federal Communications Commission tightened its indecency rules. In the current climate, nudity is almost unknown on any broadcast television show, with the exception being animated series such as The Simpsons and Family Guy.