Michael T Hudson

Under pressure from civil rights groups, ABC on Wednesday canceled plans to broadcast a reality show that let the white suburban families living on a cul-de-sac in Austin's Circle C Ranch decide which of seven families -- including one black, one Asian, one Hispanic and one gay couple -- would move into their Southwest Austin community.

The show, "Welcome to the Neighborhood," was to be a summer replacement for the top-rated "Desperate Housewives," which is set on a fictional cul-de-sac. The one-hour reality program, developed by MGM and the producers behind such shows as "Extreme Makeover," was to have begun a six-episode run at 8 p.m. July 10.

In the series, seven families seek votes from three white families in Circle C. The families, through interviews, competitions and social interactions, award a 3,300-square-foot, four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bathroom home to a neighbor, the families say, who will fit in with the community's mostly Christian and Republican values.

Critics of "Welcome to the Neighborhood," which ABC had promoted heavily, said it violated the letter and certainly the spirit of Fair Housing laws by allowing such factors as religion to be a consideration.

The Washington-based National Fair Housing Alliance, consisting of more than 100 private nonprofit housing agencies across the country, spearheaded a campaign asking housing agencies and civil rights groups to urge ABC not to broadcast the show.

"I'm elated," said Shanna Smith, president and chief executive of the alliance, of the cancellation. "There'll be no copycat shows by the other networks. Also, ABC understands there are civil rights issues and understands the implications."

Some alliance members contended that even though the families willingly entered the competition and were seeking to win a house rather than purchase it, the law stipulates that characteristics like race or religion cannot be considered.

A statement released by ABC on Wednesday said the intention was to show "the transformative process that takes place when people are forced to confront preconceived notions of what makes a good neighbor, and we believe the series delivers exactly that."

In the early episodes, some members of the voting families are seen making disparaging remarks about the gay family, questioning whether a Korean family was foreign-born and rejecting a white family who practiced Wicca, a pagan religion. One man makes a comment about the number of children piling out of the Hispanic family's car.

One family was to be rejected each week.

As for the show, "It's hilarious and had me in stitches," said John Brittain, chief counsel for the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonprofit civil rights organization. "If it weren't so discriminatory, it would be great."

Additional material from the Associated Press.


I had no idea this was in Austin.

j123vt_99

me neither... looked stupid anyway

marty888

And to think .... the dodos who come up with these brainless ideas are making megabucks.

coladar

Uhh... Who on earth thought a show in which a bunch of "White Christians" voted on whether a group of gays, blacks, asians or hispanics was least offensive to them was a good idea? ... I'd like some of what those network execs were drinking.

Fielding Mellish

Maybe ABC can move forward with their take on "The Apprentice", in which a CEO hires a new secretary based on who has the biggest cans.

This was a horrible idea from the get-go.

B.A.

The same morons who think a great idea is giving a 3-4000 square-foot home to people who obviously can't afford to pay the bills and maintain a much smaller home.

DJLinus

Now, I'd watch that!

Gil Jawetz

I couldn't believe this when I first read about it. It's so pathetic that they made it and then it's doubly pathetic that they won't air it. Not only are they morons, but they're also coward! Hilarious.

So are we ever going to find out who won? If it turns out that the homeowners actually really took a shine to the black or gay families, accepted them as people, and really wanted them to move in, would the show still be deplorable?

Red Dog

Too bad. This sounded kind of interesting.

Groucho

Is this the show where the winners are stuck with a huge tax bill and because of zoning laws can't even rent the place out? I heard about that fiasco.

B.A.

I'm not sure - I believe that this now-cancelled show from the morons behind Extreme Makeover: Home Edition who keep building bigger and more ridiculously extravagant homes. I quit watching the show last fall because it was getting rampantly retarded.

William Fuld

Hopefully some children's rights group will get ABC to drop Brat Camp before it airs too.

B.A.

I'm actually kind of interested in Brat Camp.

Michael T Hudson

I would love to see the shows go back after a few years and see what the place looks like.

neilo13

The most important question here is, WHO WON??

Cartload

I don't know. I think the only way one should go about hiring a secretary is to use the George Costanza method.

"You're luscious. You're ravishing. I would give up red meat just to get a glimpse of you in a bra. I’m terribly sorry."

Jadzia

This guy:

DRG

Forgetting whether or not this show would be any good for a moment, wasn't the main point of the show that they would be GIVING the winners this house as a prize? I thought these laws were to protect regular people purchasing or renting a home. These are people who voluntarily signed up to take part in this process, for better or worse. Basically they've f***ed some family out of a free house because they wanted to "protect them" from something they volunteered for.

BigDan

That was the HGTV Dream House contest.

OldDude

Good point. The families should sue for being "protected" out a house. That's the American way. They might all get a house that way.

Bill Needle

Reminds me of the folks who oppose school vouchers: Can't have that because then the poor folks' kids could go to private schools too.

Mr. Salty

Too late. ABC already produced and aired a test season of "Brat Camp" earlier this year on the ABC Family channel. It actually wasn't bad. They brought a bunch of British kids over from London and dropped them at a remote Utah facility that deals with out-of-control kids.

RocShemp

One reality show down. A million to go.

Giles

Access Hollywood reported on tonight's show that another reason why ABC dropped the show was that groups affliated with the 'Fair Housing Act' and GLAAD really thought this show was demeaning.

Thrush

Theres another brilliant Idea. Take a bunch of children with emotional disturbances and watch them get berated and humiliated on national TV. Straight out of the Dr. Phil guide to child Psychology.

[Southern accent] Snap out of it ! You gonna throw yerself a pity party and whine fer the rest of yer life just cuz yer daddy molested you? Or are you gonna pull yerself up by yer bootstraps?[/Southern accent]