S03.E03: Tichina Arnold / Kelly Packard

[Tara Ariano]

New York City native Tichina Arnold leaves behind her busy days and relaxing nights and swaps places with Kelly Packard, who raises animals in the California countryside while adhering to a strict Mormon lifestyle.

[gik910]

So this is the first time I actually watched this show (pretty much based on Tara & Sarah's Talk it Out article) and that was a legitimately enjoyable experience.  I think both ladies made decent observations about the different lifestyles and challenges.  I like that both ladies were centered on family togetherness (just in their own way).  

 

I also really liked each individual family- none of the kids seemed that entitled- they were just kids in different situations.  Indoor camping is awesome as is roller skating (which we did a lot when I was younger).  

 

The big take away is that Tichina Arnold is my new favorite person.  I don't drink much when it is just me at home- but even I have a few bottles of wine/liquor at home and no coffee is just crazy talk.

[oceanblue]

The episode was somewhat interesting, but all of the people involved were really polite, which is nice in real life but not as fun on this show.  I like more quirky people on this show and the non-celeb version.  People are quirky enough to be interesting without the over the top drama of a Real Housewives type show.  The Mormon people were true to their beliefs but not all judgmental and the city family was very relaxed but not at all judgmental.  

[4leafclover]

I had never heard of either of those "celebrities!"

[Kromm]

I had never heard of either of those "celebrities!"

One was on a shitty sitcom with Martin Lawrence 20 years ago and the other was part of the endless string of interchangeable Baywatch ladies... maybe 15 years ago. Neither has done anything of note since.

[Taylorh2]

My dh said that he's never heard of any of the  "celebrities" either. I knew about Tichina Arnold because of "Everybody Hates Chris" but I couldn't pick out the Baywatch chick in a lineup.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if the spouses of the "celebrities" are reallly told who the 'new mom' is because Tichina's husband knew who Kelly was as soon as he walked into the room and saw her.

 

This love fest was boring. 

[4leafclover]

I thought the same thing--no way can some of those "B" or even "C" celebs walk up to a picture in the house they are visiting and say, "Oh, yeah.....I know so-and-so, she/he was on the (fill in the blank) show 37 years ago!"   Andy Dick actually acted like he never heard of Lorenzo Lamas, but then again he admitted that the 80's and 90's were a blur to him. 

[Kromm]

My dh said that he's never heard of any of the  "celebrities" either. I knew about Tichina Arnold because of "Everybody Hates Chris" but I couldn't pick out the Baywatch chick in a lineup.

 

I'm beginning to wonder if the spouses of the "celebrities" are reallly told who the 'new mom' is because Tichina's husband knew who Kelly was as soon as he walked into the room and saw her.

 

This love fest was boring. 

 

Actually I'd forgotten she was on Everybody Hates Chris--a show which recommends her FAR more than the stupidity which was "Martin".

 

As for who knows what and when about the pairings, I've been assuming everybody knows, well in advance--both "celebs" AND spouses.  The house exploration thing reads like a total crock.  Eric Roberts being recognized was the one which convinced me.  He may have been recognizable on sight for some brief period in his career, but that hasn't been the case for years (unless the person doing the recognizing is some kind of Celebrity Rehab superfan, or something like that, or reads tons of tabloids).

[Taylorh2]

I knew who Roberts was as soon as they showed him and I'm not a superfan. You are probably right about the "celebrities knowing in advance who they're going to swap with. When Kelly's husband came in and asked Tichina if she was in "Big Momma's House my dh said....

 

"WTFEVER! He was told who she was"

 

Maybe celebrities don't like not be recongized ?  lol

Edited May 5, 2014 by Taylorh2

[Kromm]

I knew who Roberts was as soon as they showed him and I'm not a superfan. You are probably right about the "celebrities knowing in advance who they're going to swap with.

I didn't mean a superfan of his.  I meant of Celebrity Rehab.

 

Especially with people under a certain age.  I mean what of note has he done, other than grade Z films and one-off guest shots, in the past 25 years or so?

 

EDIT - Oh wait, I admit I forgot Less Than Perfect.  That was on for like 3 years in the early 00s.  And he did get a storyarc on Heroes.  But before that, you have to go back to the mid 80s, before he became a drug fiend.

Edited May 5, 2014 by Kromm

[Tara Ariano]

Eric Roberts was in The Expendables -- that was pretty big. And Justified earlier this year. Plus I think he's known for being Julia's brother just because they're estranged.

 

That said, he has the most hilariously overstuffed IMDb profile I think I have ever seen.

[Kromm]

Eric Roberts was in The Expendables -- that was pretty big. And Justified earlier this year. Plus I think he's known for being Julia's brother just because they're estranged.

 

That said, he has the most hilariously overstuffed IMDb profile I think I have ever seen.

My primary skepticism is more based around people knowing his face than his relationship with Julia though (which most everybody knows, I'd bet).

 

I too noted the pure size of his IMDB.  It's like he's obliged to appear in a hundred pieces of shit each year that nobody sees  to try and make up for the fact that he goes years between appearances in anything credible.  Expendibles and Justified is like.. a good run for him compared to most of his career.

[emcmac87]

So I know this is going back a few episodes but I was looking up a movie Tichina Arnold was in and came across her wikipedia page.  According to that Alijah is her child with a music producer and she and her husband(the basketball coach) got married in 2012.  Maybe it was just me but that was not at all the impression I got from the show, I thought Alijah was both of theirs and they had been together for like 10 years.  I think maybe it was them mentioning they built their family/life/relationship/whatever around their careers?  I dunno.

[topanga]

 

So this is the first time I actually watched this show (pretty much based on Tara & Sarah's Talk it Out article) and that was a legitimately enjoyable experience.  I think both ladies made decent observations about the different lifestyles and challenges.  I like that both ladies were centered on family togetherness (just in their own way).

 

 

This love fest was boring.

 

This was my first episode also, and I loved it. I guess other episodes are more dramatic and have more arguing, but this one didn't need it, in my opinion. Tichina's reactions to the animals and getting her hair wet and the "FOUR KIDS!" was hilarious. Her personality is similar to the characters she played on "Martin" and "Everybody Hates Chris," but she's nicer in real life than she was on those shows.

 

It's interesting that both wives quickly realized how pampered each others' husbands were. I suppose it's easier to see imbalances within a family when it isn't your own family.

[NowVoyager]

One was on a shitty sitcom with Martin Lawrence 20 years ago and the other was part of the endless string of interchangeable Baywatch ladies... maybe 15 years ago. Neither has done anything of note since.

I just did a sharp inhale & clutched my pearls! Oh, Kromm! How could you?! Usually we are so >>>here<<< with your comments. I was in college when "Martin" debuted & we used to have long intellectual discussions in the dorm about buffoonery......& then proceed to laugh our heads off anyway. I still do. Also, I'm biased because I met Tichina on a flight once---super nice & really regular.

Anyway, about the show: my favorite moments were watching the ladies interact with the children. They were great with them & identified some real needs. That scene where the young man placed the lizard on Tichina's arm had me in stitches!