New reality TV show PUSH GIRLS on SUNDANCE

[chaiale]

I'm sick of people in the rest of the country getting the impression that this is what LA is like! These girls keep going on and on about how image-conscious this city is. I'm sure it is if, like most of these girls, you work in the modeling or dancing industry! Otherwise, people here are the same as in any other city, I'd think. You only think it's image-conscious if that's what you're projecting and what you're looking to find. I've lived here my whole life and never gotten that impression. We're really more laid-back than other places; the West Coast is famous for its super-relaxed and casual dress code. There's so much more to LA than the entertainment industry--we have International Pillow Fight Day and host the Grilled Cheese Invitational! These girls are unusually shallow even by the "attractive young women with disabilities in Los Angeles" standard.

I have to say, their makeup and clothes and whatnot are pretty common, though; it's not really that "New Jersey" a look. I saw it with a lot of the women at college. It seems like it's mostly the blonde girl though; Angela and Mia seem normally well-dressed, and Auti's got her own style that, if a little loud, doesn't necessarily come off as trashy.

I still watch the show, and it's wonderful seeing what skilled users can do with their chairs, but their attitudes just ring false. It's all about being an inspirational Supercrip, even if everything's going wrong. God forbid you actually just say "I feel horrible" and NOT be Strong! and Inspiring! about it.

[cass]

Originally Posted by chaiale

I'm sick of people in the rest of the country getting the impression that this is what LA is like! These girls keep going on and on about how image-conscious this city is. I'm sure it is if, like most of these girls, you work in the modeling or dancing industry! Otherwise, people here are the same as in any other city, I'd think. You only think it's image-conscious if that's what you're projecting and what you're looking to find. I've lived here my whole life and never gotten that impression. We're really more laid-back than other places; the West Coast is famous for its super-relaxed and casual dress code. There's so much more to LA than the entertainment industry--we have International Pillow Fight Day and host the Grilled Cheese Invitational! These girls are unusually shallow even by the "attractive young women with disabilities in Los Angeles" standard.

I have to say, their makeup and clothes and whatnot are pretty common, though; it's not really that "New Jersey" a look. I saw it with a lot of the women at college. It seems like it's mostly the blonde girl though; Angela and Mia seem normally well-dressed, and Auti's got her own style that, if a little loud, doesn't necessarily come off as trashy.

I still watch the show, and it's wonderful seeing what skilled users can do with their chairs, but their attitudes just ring false. It's all about being an inspirational Supercrip, even if everything's going wrong. God forbid you actually just say "I feel horrible" and NOT be Strong! and Inspiring! about it.

if you've lived in L.A. all your life then you have nothing to compare it to, do you.

[chaiale]

That's why I said "I'd think." But since I've never gotten a comment or odd looks on my appearance, and since outside of gay men in West Hollywood (a subculture that IS very image conscious, according to my friends), no other LA-native I know has ever commented on it either, I can't imagine what a LESS image-conscious city might be like.

[cass]

Originally Posted by chaiale

That's why I said "I'd think." But since I've never gotten a comment or odd looks on my appearance, and since outside of gay men in West Hollywood (a subculture that IS very image conscious, according to my friends), no other LA-native I know has ever commented on it either, I can't imagine what a LESS image-conscious city might be like.

i lived there 15 yrs, ab and dis. i've lived in other places. believe me, the whole so cal thing is different.

[chaiale]

How? Now I'm really curious. What I see on Push Girls is so completely different from my experience with Los Angeles.

[grommet]

Originally Posted by chaiale

That's why I said "I'd think." But since I've never gotten a comment or odd looks on my appearance, and since outside of gay men in West Hollywood (a subculture that IS very image conscious, according to my friends), no other LA-native I know has ever commented on it either, I can't imagine what a LESS image-conscious city might be like.

I live in San Francisco and it is very image conscious. All the people in their 20s dress like there's a uniform. I grew up in So Cal, I remember what was like there. Seems to me it's much the same though I'd say people are, on average, seem more educated up here. Actually one of the reasons I moved up here is because I wanted to wear more than just a t-shirt.

As far as the show goes .. still making up my mind. It is television but the women are real. They're going through some real sh*t. I'm learning more about quads and paras watching. I have friends with SCI's and dated briefly a woman who was quad but I don't know the day to day of living with SCI, I only see glimpses around friends. It's the same for everyone who has a different disability than me. I'd love to see a show like this about friends with CP, Deaf, etcetera. I can't understand what it's like to have a different disability but I can learn some things.

What I don't like is the fact that all these women have money. I mean great for them, but almost every disabled friend I have struggles financially. You want a clip for a reality show on disability, video me just getting out of bed and making breakfast. Seems like I have to do 16 things just to get to the kitchen and then the goddamn chair is rolling around while I try getting my food together and cleaning up. there's just enough slope in the kitchen floor that I always drift away from the counter. Don't spill the milk, keep the fridge door open, close it all the way, oh geez don't splash dishwater all over the floor .. damn it's on my lap, great now tire tracks from the dirt on my tires. Every day. I am not comparing anything I go through to life with SCI but the details of having a body that doesn't work right and everyday living can have some commonalities. I can open, use, close and put aside a male urinal, in the middle of the night in any state of drugged stupor. After more than a decade I'm operating on muscle memory ;-)

[crypticgimp]

brakes are your friend in the kitchen.

i spent some of my childhood in upstate cal (folsom/sacremento/yubacity/marysville) and recently went to san diego. and woa, night and day!! i wasnt impressed with san diego. i've been to la and man, it's so... impersonal...

i liked the discussion around auti's wanting to get pregnant. it wasnt.. disability-centric but more just the concerns of an older woman whose had a tough past and now wants a family. many women go through that so that bit made me think.

[brian]

Finally watched the show tonight; first four episodes. My first thought: If I ever get a pair of those aluminum bling-bling wheels I hope someone shoots me in the face. Right in my fucking face.

Moreover, it was exactly what I expected. It's just another reality show but with a different gimmick. There's just nothing in it for me. I realize that I may not be the target demographic, but even if I were AB I think the novelty would wear off pretty quickly. It'll be interesting to see what they do to keep it fresh. That being said, If I were in a different place about my injury, seeing these girls be normal might motivate me or get me out of the house.

Originally Posted by crypticgimp

because it is so much like other reality shows like real housewives, is why it's so great. the only real difference is the chairs. showing that there really is no difference between disabled and non-disabled women.

You're right. Exactly. But I think there's a bit of catch-22 here. Because it's so normal is why I'm not interested. As t8 said, show them doing anything SCI interesting or new or unique and I'm in. There are much more interesting people with SCI to show the world, like any paralympic athlete or pretty much anyone posting in the "What workout did you do today?" thread. I'd love to see a show about Mark Wellman, Aaron Frothingham, and Mark Zupan. BUT, like the Times review thoughtfully points out, if we depict people with SCI doing things that are too awesome and remarkable we may think that disability isn't a real issue anymore and that we've socially 'solved' it. Showing people doing and struggling to do mundane life things is why I think the show works. And that's why I'm so bored by it. It's a difficult balance to walk.

I think it's about time there's a show like this and I believe it's doing good, but it's not for me.

Originally Posted by Eileen

First of all it is far too "body beautiful" centered, which makes it not much different than reality shows in general that lack any sort of totally normal looking person

Originally Posted by sherocksandsherolls

it would seem as if they really seem to thrive on it. Seek attention for the sake of the attention

Originally Posted by chaiale

I'm sick of people in the rest of the country getting the impression that this is what LA is like! These girls keep going on and on about how image-conscious this city is...

As others have mentioned, this is a for-profit, entertainment show. Behind the camera there is always a producer saying, "can you talk about it like this" or "let's go to this place - it'll make a good segment" or "do it this way because it'll film better." The concept of a 'reality show' is such a myth. LA is talked up like it is because that's what the rest of America thinks it is and IMAGE is a cornerstone on which the show is based. There wouldn't be a show if these girls weren't pushing against the stereotypical image of disability. They have to talk about it. All the time. And they have to create, produce, and edit the show in a way they think will SELL.


It looks like Hulu took full episodes offline. For those of you who torrent, it can be found here:
http://thepiratebay.se/search/push%20girls/0/99/0







Pawn Stars may be the best show on television.

[t8burst]

Nobody wants to see the reality of SCI, so the show is about hot chicks in cool wheelchairs doing cool wheelchair tricks. A friend of mine wants to rent a chair so he can see what it like being me. He was being sincere and nice but being in a chair and thinking you know what its like having a spinal cord injury is like sticking a feather in your ass and thinking you are a chicken. But the chair is all anyone ever sees, so that is what they think our problem is. Stick a tube in your urethra to pee, spend a half hour every other day digging shit out of your ass (if you are a quad you get the joy of someone else doing this for you), spasms, pain, pressure sores all suck more than being in a chair.

I have only seen the first three episodes, but aside from a nice scene where the quad needed help writing checks and the weird scene with her "AD" the whole show is just hot chicks in chairs and does little to show the reality of SCI.

[brian]

Originally Posted by t8burst

Nobody wants to see the reality of SCI

Nobody wants to see the reality of anything. Shit's boring.