Benjamin & Akinyi: Come On Down! You're the Next Contestant on "The (Bride)Price is Right!"

[Drogo]

Benjamin, 33 (Arizona) and Akinyi, 25 (Kenya)

As a divorced father with a five-year-old, Benjamin wasn’t having much luck with meeting women from his hometown, so he broadened his search and found Akinyi. Benjamin now has his bags packed for his first-ever international trip to meet her in Kenya and ask her parents for her hand in marriage. It won’t be easy, as Benjamin is not only the first boyfriend Akinyi has ever introduced her family, but also—as far as they can remember—the first white man to visit their village.

Edited August 26, 2019 by Drogo
Added topic title

[toodles]

I just......can't.  No one in Phoenix will date him.  No red flags here!🤑

[DaphneCat]

1 hour ago, toodles said:

I just......can't.  No one in Phoenix will date him.  No red flags here!🤑

And ANOTHER one with a small child involved.  The only thing in his favor is she's at least somewhat age appropriate.  He's not some old dude looking for a young, pretty nanny/maid.

[Drogo]

Is Kenya as hot as Phoenix?

[RealReality]

This guy is gonna be totally confused when he doesn't immediately see her at the airport and starts freaking out about having spent his last dime on airfare and being abandoned in a country where he doesn't know anyone.

I mean, it's going to obviously happen to someone on this show....why not him?

[Pinkyupteacup]

Lol

Edited August 7, 2019 by Pinkyupteacup
Humans

[magemaud]

It just came to me who Benjamin looks like-the actor Tony Hale in his role as Buster Bluth on “Arrested Development.” 

Edited August 19, 2019 by magemaud

[Toaster Strudel]

On 7/17/2019 at 8:48 AM, Drogo said:

Benjamin wasn’t having much luck with meeting women from his hometown

I can't wait to find out why that is!

[Drogo]

13 minutes ago, Toaster Strudel said:

I can't wait to find out why that is!

Oh I think we get it now. 

[Mrs. Hanson]

1 hour ago, Drogo said:

Oh I think we get it now. 

Well......he seems socially awkward, for sure but that can't be the only reason, right?  He is FT employed, has 50/50 custody and is studying to be a minister.  You can not, WILL NOT ever tell me that with Phoenix being, well Phoenix plus you have San Diego, New Mexico and all of freakin' Nevada right there......no one?

New drinking game for these two:  A drink for everytime "Bride Price" is brought up!!!!

[greekmom]

Benjamin reminds me of the pathetic gamer from the documentary Love Me. 

Instead of going international why didn't he try expanding to Nevada, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico?

[Kareem]

A rhetorical question for y'all - Why on earth do people in other countries think everyone in the US is filthy rich?  Do they show nothing but Housewives reruns over there or something?  I get the possible opportunities there are for people who aren't allergic to work but the belief seems to be that even the average Joe's are loaded.  It's been around for years; you would think with all the online info available that reality would be a bit more accessible.  Just added Phoenix's little flower to the list.  smh

[gonecrackers]

When this guy says her name it sounds like "zucchini" or "bikini" - guess it depends on what he's hungry for at that moment.

[DaphneCat]

3 hours ago, Kareem said:

A rhetorical question for y'all - Why on earth do people in other countries think everyone in the US is filthy rich?  Do they show nothing but Housewives reruns over there or something?  I get the possible opportunities there are for people who aren't allergic to work but the belief seems to be that even the average Joe's are loaded.  It's been around for years; you would think with all the online info available that reality would be a bit more accessible.  Just added Phoenix's little flower to the list.  smh

Not to get too far off topic - but tv shows regularly show "poor" people with things like great apartments and fantastic clothes they could never afford in real life.  If your impression of struggling is living like Monica and Rachel on Friends it only makes sense that you think everyone has a lot of money.

[Emkat]

Her earrings in that picture look identical to the silicone brush I have in the kitchen for basting. 

[Mrs. Hanson]

3 hours ago, DaphneCat said:

Not to get too far off topic - but tv shows regularly show "poor" people with things like great apartments and fantastic clothes they could never afford in real life.  If your impression of struggling is living like Monica and Rachel on Friends it only makes sense that you think everyone has a lot of money.

I will go one further with you:  I was born in 1965 and I never cared for Good Times, Sanford and Son, What's Happening, etc as I thought, really?  Is all there is to the AA community?  (I am caucasian btw.)  And Akini said she thought "all white people are rich" - I am not saying she said all Americans are rich either.  And if all you see are reruns of Dallas, Dynasty, Beverly Hills 90210, Friends, Frasier, Modern Family, well then no wonder people think we are loaded.

I checked with some airlines - don't judge me - it is a good 16 hour flight from Phoenix to Nairobi!  Seriously, DUDE WHAT IS GOING ON???

[HunterHunted]

11 hours ago, Kareem said:

A rhetorical question for y'all - Why on earth do people in other countries think everyone in the US is filthy rich?  Do they show nothing but Housewives reruns over there or something?  I get the possible opportunities there are for people who aren't allergic to work but the belief seems to be that even the average Joe's are loaded.  It's been around for years; you would think with all the online info available that reality would be a bit more accessible.  Just added Phoenix's little flower to the list.  smh

TV and movies. You know the topics that are almost never discussed continually in American entertainment are money, credit, and finances. Even when money is discussed, it tends to be a discrete episode or story arc. X character needs to work two jobs to buy a dress for the prom,  Christmas presents, or fix that item X secretly broke. They never talk about things like property taxes or the US tax system. If taxes are discussed, it's a wacky plot about being audited. So foreign audiences often think that Americans are taxed like they are and we still have all of this money to buy fancy clothing on top of all that. There is minimal understanding of the USA's woefully poor social services programs and system.

I know my family in other countries had no clue about American property taxes. I said to them "you really don't own your home in the US; you rent it from the government for the rest of your life."

Additionally, a lot of TV and film costuming and set decoration do a terrible job of showing class and wealth distinctions. I remember reading an account by the costume designer for Homicide: Life on the Street or Law & Order about trying to put the characters in the types of clothing they could actually afford and how they all looked like shit on film. Some executive made them change it so the characters are actually wearing $3,000 suits.

Also it just depends on what American programs are on the free channels in that country.

https://www.vulture.com/2015/12/most-popular-us-tv-shows-around-the-world.html

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/netflix-map-shows-most-popular-shows-in-91-countries

[Hannah94]

I haven't completely made a decision on this couple yet (too new), but I think she is positively stunning and seems way more intelligent than other freaks on this show. I think I am hoping the best for these two.

[iwasish]

7 hours ago, Hannah94 said:

I haven't completely made a decision on this couple yet (too new), but I think she is positively stunning and seems way more intelligent than other freaks on this show. I think I am hoping the best for these two.

Without makeup I think she’s a 3, a 4 at most. 

[Gigglepuff]

On 8/20/2019 at 7:52 AM, Kareem said:

A rhetorical question for y'all - Why on earth do people in other countries think everyone in the US is filthy rich?  Do they show nothing but Housewives reruns over there or something?  I get the possible opportunities there are for people who aren't allergic to work but the belief seems to be that even the average Joe's are loaded.  It's been around for years; you would think with all the online info available that reality would be a bit more accessible.  Just added Phoenix's little flower to the list.  smh

All media. The same reason why so many people think that everyone living in Africa, South America, India, other parts of Asia etc...are poor, uneducated, and living in huts. 

[hookedontv]

With his tight budget, you'd think he would NOT cut the crusts off his little sandwich. He needs some sandwich making lessons from Ludwing STAT!

[HunterHunted]

On 8/23/2019 at 11:04 AM, Gigglepuff said:

All media. The same reason why so many people think that everyone living in Africa, South America, India, other parts of Asia etc...are poor, uneducated, and living in huts. 

I'm Nigerian-American. I was born and raised in the states. I was talking to some of my med school classmates about going to back to Nigeria to visit my grandparents who lived in Lagos. One of them asked me asked me about living in a tree and seeing wild animals. I told them the only wild animal I'd ever seen was the boa constrictor that ate my grandma's cat because one of the people in her complex had a bunch of exotic snakes and reptiles. The constrictor got loose. Lagos is a city with millions of people; it has 20 million people. Even back when I told the story, Lagos had like 9 million people. No one asks you if you've seen any Russian wolves in Moscow or koalas in Sydney.

Edited August 25, 2019 by HunterHunted

[Gigglepuff]

2 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

I'm Nigerian-American. I was born and raised in the states. I was talking to some of my med school classmates about going to back to Nigeria to visit my grandparents who lived in Lagos. One of them asked me asked me about living in a tree and seeing wild animals. I told the only wild animal I'd ever seen was the boa constrictor that ate my grandma's cat because one of the people in her complex had a bunch of exotic snakes and reptiles. The constrictor got loose. Lagos is a city with millions of people; it has 20 million people. Even back when I told the story, Lagos had like 9 million people. No one asks you if you've seen any Russian wolves in Moscow or koalas in Sydney.

I find that people in general have huge misconceptions about other countries and often know little about geography past their own neighbourhood. I'm Canadian, and I know that some people think that I likely encounter polar bears on the daily, that it's cold and snowy here year round, etc... Just yesterday, an NFL player playing an exhibition game in Canada wore a shirt that stated, "Winnipeg, Alberta." Alberta is two provinces away from where Winnipeg is. Total lack of education in the most basic geography imo. 

[Toaster Strudel]

On 8/19/2019 at 12:08 PM, Mrs. Hanson said:

studying to be a minister.

Well here's a huge red flag!

[RealReality]

8 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

I'm Nigerian-American. I was born and raised in the states. I was talking to some of my med school classmates about going to back to Nigeria to visit my grandparents who lived in Lagos. One of them asked me asked me about living in a tree and seeing wild animals. I told the only wild animal I'd ever seen was the boa constrictor that ate my grandma's cat because one of the people in her complex had a bunch of exotic snakes and reptiles. The constrictor got loose. Lagos is a city with millions of people; it has 20 million people. Even back when I told the story, Lagos had like 9 million people. No one asks you if you've seen any Russian wolves in Moscow or koalas in Sydney.

I think it's all in what we see or are exposed to.  Like all these people who assume that Americans are rich.... when I was like 10 I assumed all Australians carried a giant knife and wrestled crocodiles.  Or that their babies were carried off by dingos.  Maybe both....I had a jumbly mind when I was 10.  

It's funny to imagine that if we publiclicized more of rural America fewer people would have the image of America they have now.  

10 hours ago, Gigglepuff said:

All media. The same reason why so many people think that everyone living in Africa, South America, India, other parts of Asia etc...are poor, uneducated, and living in huts. 

Exactly.  There are plenty people in the us living in poverty and in tents/boxes.  I guess we just had a better stage mom.

[Mrs. Hanson]

On 8/22/2019 at 2:53 PM, iwasish said:

Without makeup I think she’s a 3, a 4 at most. 

I agree, with makeup and certain poses she is pretty but with no makeup?  Pass....

[Guest]

On 8/22/2019 at 8:15 AM, Hannah94 said:

I haven't completely made a decision on this couple yet (too new), but I think she is positively stunning and seems way more intelligent than other freaks on this show. I think I am hoping the best for these two.

Eh, she's your typical Instagram poser. But more than that, she has one of the worst, most grating cases of chronic sexy baby voice I've seen. The high, breathy voice is one thing, but her toddler diction is bizarre. She was talking like a three-year-old on their Skype call.

I see Ben is getting the David Poor edit.

[RealReality]

 I think she has pretty fantastic skin, she knows her "insta angles" and her makeup is on point. 

TBF.....that's generally all it takes these days. 

South Africa has many naturally beautiful women, akini is not one of them.  If I were her, I'd be looking to get the heck outta there and Ben seems like a nice enough guy.  Being a stepmom would be a challenge, but his son is a little older and likely spends a lot of the day in school and also spends time with his mother. 

On another note TLC is shady for giving us thar picture above of her with no neck....surely she has one!

[iwasish]

1 hour ago, SnarkEnthusiast said:

Eh, she's your typical Instagram poser. But more than that, she has one of the worst, most grating cases of chronic sexy baby voice I've seen. The high, breathy voice is one thing, but her toddler diction is bizarre. She was talking like a three-year-old on their Skype call.

I see Ben is getting the David Poor edit.

Oh, the baby voice is the worst. Who the hell finds that sexy? 

[RoadFullOfPromise]

I, for one, want to hear more of their story (sorry, their journey), not least because I can’t wait to see what @Drogo comes up with for the thread title!!

[Drogo]

3 hours ago, RoadFullOfPromise said:

I, for one, want to hear more of their story (sorry, their journey), not least because I can’t wait to see what @Drogo comes up with for the thread title!!

Right now the title could be "Benjamin and Akinyi: J/K They're Not On This Show"

[Gobi]

3 hours ago, RoadFullOfPromise said:

I, for one, want to hear more of their story (sorry, their journey), not least because I can’t wait to see what @Drogo comes up with for the thread title!!

 "Papa Don't Preach"?

[magemaud]

Could Akinyi’s dress be any tighter? Unfortunate button placement. 

[blubld43]

When they met, I thought they were really sweet....until I saw Ben's boner. Geez.

[Gigglepuff]

2 hours ago, blubld43 said:

When they met, I thought they were really sweet....until I saw Ben's boner. Geez.

I missed that, thankfully. 

[Azanscrazyhair]

5 hours ago, blubld43 said:

When they met, I thought they were really sweet....until I saw Ben's boner. Geez.

Ugh, thanks for the warning.   I'll be watching tonight.    

[iwasish]

5 hours ago, blubld43 said:

When they met, I thought they were really sweet....until I saw Ben's boner. Geez.

I have to rewatch. 

He certainly isn’t happy  he’s going to be under the brothers microscope. Perhaps Bikini isn’t going to let him sample the goods. 

[Cherrio]

7 hours ago, blubld43 said:

When they met, I thought they were really sweet....until I saw Ben's boner. Geez.

AKA  ahtinypini for Akinyi ?

[magemaud]

Benjamin could use Progressive’s “Name Your Bride Price” tool. 

[magemaud]

On 8/26/2019 at 8:05 AM, blubld43 said:

When they met, I thought they were really sweet....until I saw Ben's boner. Geez.

So he DID bring her a present after all! I missed that, too, but couldn't help but notice that Tim in his khakis appeared to be "tucked" and then strategically placed his hand over his crotch in his dorm pants when he laid down. At least Ben appears to be a healthy male. 

[Coltee Gal]

I watched next week’s preview episode and they really seem sweet together. I think they are the most genuine couple on the show. They seemed comfortable and natural  in each other’s presence.

[Mrs. Hanson]

3 hours ago, jayfay said:

I watched next week’s preview episode and they really seem sweet together. I think they are the most genuine couple on the show. They seemed comfortable and natural  in each other’s presence.

Benjamin seems like a harmless guy who is ten shades of socially awkward.  He seems genuine with his son and has good intentions with Akini, but holy hell:  You have no car, YOU HAVE A CHILD TO SUPPORT, maybe flying halfway around the world to pay for a bride is not the best idea???  

[Lily247]

On 8/20/2019 at 8:39 PM, HunterHunted said:

TV and movies. You know the topics that are almost never discussed continually in American entertainment are money, credit, and finances. Even when money is discussed, it tends to be a discrete episode or story arc. X character needs to work two jobs to buy a dress for the prom,  Christmas presents, or fix that item X secretly broke. They never talk about things like property taxes or the US tax system. If taxes are discussed, it's a wacky plot about being audited. So foreign audiences often think that Americans are taxed like they are and we still have all of this money to buy fancy clothing on top of all that. There is minimal understanding of the USA's woefully poor social services programs and system.

I know my family in other countries had no clue about American property taxes. I said to them "you really don't own your home in the US; you rent it from the government for the rest of your life."

Additionally, a lot of TV and film costuming and set decoration do a terrible job of showing class and wealth distinctions. I remember reading an account by the costume designer for Homicide: Life on the Street or Law & Order about trying to put the characters in the types of clothing they could actually afford and how they all looked like shit on film. Some executive made them change it so the characters are actually wearing $3,000 suits.

Also it just depends on what American programs are on the free channels in that country.

https://www.vulture.com/2015/12/most-popular-us-tv-shows-around-the-world.html

https://www.thrillist.com/news/nation/netflix-map-shows-most-popular-shows-in-91-countries

Idk about TV shows, but most people around the world have seen American films. I always wondered why regular families on TV and in movies seem to live in HUGE houses on tree lined, manicured streets, with kitchens the size of a preschool classrooms. 

[Miss Chevious]

Oh nerdy Benjamin, you are a sitting duck for Family Zucchini.  They want to rope you in, keep you under their watchful eye with their enforced sleeping accommodations and size you up to get the best possible bride price. You're being judged like the prize steer at the cattle auction. They hauled in the whole fam damily to give you the once-over as soon as you arrived. How quickly you lost control of the situation!

There's no way you're going to be able to have any jiggy-jiggy until you've paid up and the marriage ceremony is over. No one is going to touch their little snowflake until you pay up as much as they can get out of you. Big brother Fidel is going to make sure of that.

Your best bet is to call their bluff and make like you want to skedaddle. Pack your bags and head for the airport. That's when they'll be ready to negotiate.

But of course, you won't be thinking with that part of your anatomy. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Miss Chevious
forgot an r. coffee shortage today.

[iwasish]

3 hours ago, Miss Chevious said:

Oh nerdy Benjamin, you are a sitting duck for Family Zucchini.  They want to rope you in, keep you under their watchful eye with their enforced sleeping accommodations and size you up to get the best possible bride price. You're being judged like the prize steer at the cattle auction. They hauled in the whole fam damily to give you the once-over as soon as you arrived. How quickly you lost control of the situation!

There's no way you're going to be able to have any jiggy-jiggy until you've paid up and the marriage ceremony is over. No one is going to touch their little snowflake until you pay up as much as they can get out of you. Big brother Fidel is going to make sure of that.

Your best bet is to call their bluff and make like you want to skedaddle. Pack your bags and head for the airport. That's when they'll be ready to negotiate.

But of course, you won't be thinking with that part of your anatomy. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

My guess is Grayson won’t be going to college. 

[Miss Chevious]

33 minutes ago, iwasish said:

My guess is Grayson won’t be going to college. 

He’ll be lucky if he makes it through high school. 

[Gobi]

1 hour ago, iwasish said:

My guess is Grayson won’t be going to college. 

30 minutes ago, Miss Chevious said:

He’ll be lucky if he makes it through high school. 

But he's number one in Benjamin's life!

[gingerella]

On 8/23/2019 at 7:38 PM, Toaster Strudel said:

Well here's a huge red flag!

Not really though. In Kenya, many families would consider a daughter marrying a minister to be a higher status thing. That said, most countries in Southern and East Africa have outright banned bride price customs. If Benjamin had done a modicum of internet searching on "Marrying a Kenyan woman" he would have found out about this way before she brought it up, and he'd also be able to say, "I believe the Government of Kenya has banned that practice..." But he's an ignorant bumpkin from Phoenix so why would he do any educating himself about her local customs?

[iwasish]

4 hours ago, Gobi said:

But he's number one in Benjamin's life!

Did you see that boner? He’s maybe top 3 now. 

[Bryce Lynch]

On 9/5/2019 at 8:07 PM, gingerella said:

Not really though. In Kenya, many families would consider a daughter marrying a minister to be a higher status thing. That said, most countries in Southern and East Africa have outright banned bride price customs. If Benjamin had done a modicum of internet searching on "Marrying a Kenyan woman" he would have found out about this way before she brought it up, and he'd also be able to say, "I believe the Government of Kenya has banned that practice..." But he's an ignorant bumpkin from Phoenix so why would he do any educating himself about her local customs?

I don't think bride prices have been banned in Kenya, though it was proposed several years ago.  

If anything, it seems like parents are getting greedier and trying to monetize their daughters, when traditionally it was more about tradition and respect.  

This article from 2018 talks about what bride prices are supposed to mean.

http://www.afromum.com/has-the-kenyan-bride-price-gained-new-meaning/

There was a discussion about bride prices and how to calculate them on this Kenyan show.

Based upon the formula, if Akini has had enough sexual partners, Ben might actually be able to afford her.