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Real-Life Partridge Family Too Wholesome for TV
Filed under: In The News, Amazing Kids, Amazing Parents, New In Pop Culture
Credit: ShaeLaurel.com
They're like a real-life Partridge family.
Well, except there are four kids instead of five. Plus, the father is still alive.
Oh, and they can actually play their own instruments.
Other than that, the similarities are amazing. They are, anyway, if you're looking for an angle to plug a new reality show. There's only one problem: Andrew and Janet Witchger and their four kids are too wholesome for television.
Yep, this would-be Partridge family out-wholesomed the TV Patridge family.
Producers have tried, CNN reports, to base a reality show on the Witchgers and their traveling family band, yet two years of tapes are gathering dust.
"They were looking for people who fight and don't like each other and they wanted all this internal conflict, and that's just not us," 17-year-old Kathryn Witchger tells CNN.
A show seemed like a good idea at the time.
Like the musical Partridge family from the 1970s sitcom, the Witchgers travel in a bus. Their journey started in 2001, when Andrew quit his job as a church music director. He and Janet sold their home, got in their bus and just kept going.
ShaeLaurel, the family's Irish folk music group, plays more than 250 shows a year in elementary schools, county fairs and Renaissance festivals across more than 35 states.
"Some people do look at us and think we're really strange," Andrew Witchger tells CNN. "But we're reminded every time we visit somebody that if we were in a house we wouldn't see each other as much. That's how families get disconnected, because it's pretty much inherent that the bigger the house, the bigger the divide."
The Witchger kids -- Christian, 16, Kathryn, 17, Jessica, 19, and Andy, 21 -- are homeschooled. Well, bus-schooled.
They assign themselves homework and give themselves grades, teaching themselves. School is not easy, they tell CNN.
"Believe it or not, we're pretty tough on ourselves," Jessica tells the network. "We're hard-core teachers."
Despite two years of effort by a television crew to show the seamy underbelly of the family Witchger, CNN reports too many family confessionals ended with smiling kids and parents saying, "It was really fun."
"Yeah, if we didn't like each other, we would totally live in a house," Kathyrn tells CNN. She's smiling, of course.
Remember how the Partridges used to say, "C'mon, get happy"? The side of the Witchgers' bus reads: "Keep Smiling."
Related: Mel B. Spices Things Up With Her 'Scary' New Reality Show
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ReaderComments (Page 2 of 2)
9-14-2010 @ 10:32AM
Blondie said...That girl with the pony tail sure does flip it alot.
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 10:40AM
Steve said...Nope, sorry. The real life Partridge family was and is, The Cowsills from the 60's and 70's. Talented family with recording contracts and top hits. Check them out on youtube. Some great music to be had for sure.
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 10:47AM
sarahhp said...I think they are great! It's nice to hear about a family that actually loves eachother and gets along. I'm sick of all the drama and filthy trash that's on TV-this would be a nice breath of fresh air!
But, sadly enough, the world today likes drama and trash and filth-that is why families are falling apart......no morals or values.
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 11:12AM
Evil Jack said...I feel bad that this is happening to them - to help I am willing to knock up the two girls ( they do have nice racks ) and turn the boys onto smoking dope - if that drama will help them get on TV. Shoot me an email if I can help.
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 1:31PM
Hopeful43 said...You are a sicko and a pervert
9-14-2010 @ 12:44PM
fentex5 said...Looks like Branson, Missouri has their next attraction getting ready for permanent residence. Just as soon as they can't get bookings or can't sell tickets for their traveling act. I hope that there will be room for them in Branson before some one-legged, Guatamalan Bagpipe-playing evangelist ties up the last available showroom to entertain the red neck/blue hairs.
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 2:01PM
Susie said...Are you kidding me? How did I miss this when I was there last year! Man I hate when I miss good stuff.
"some one-legged, Guatamalan Bagpipe-playing evangelist ties up the last available showroom to entertain the red neck/blue hairs"
9-14-2010 @ 1:06PM
Manxie said...Hey......FENTEX.....I truly doubt that ANYONE FORCED you to
either read this article, let alone listen to these people play their music.
Go back to your hole and suck on another cold one...
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 7:19PM
THERESE said...HOW SAD, WHY NOT LET KIDS KNOW NOT EVERY FAMILY IS SCREWED UP AND HATE'S EACH OTHER. A GOOD STRONG FAMILY BOND IS VERY POSSIBLE AND DOES OCCURE. GIVE US A CHANCE TO SEE IF A SHOW CAN MAKE IT WITHOUT SEX, FIGHTING, DRUGS AND ALCOHOL IN IT.
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 1:17PM
L.A. Editor said...I'm sick and tired of hearing right-wing religious people stereotyping "liberals" like me as amoral sin mongers. I DESPISE most of what's on TV, as I think the majority of it reflects the absolute WORST of humanity.
Even if these kids are a bunch of Bible-thumpers (another demographic that's also overrepresented and media-saturated these days), I'd vote to have a show about them on TV, because we as a nation need to see examples of families that get along where the kids are talented, self-disciplined, enthusiastic and work as a team together. Maybe our nation's kids wouldn't act like such losers if they had some role models to look up to. Instead, what they soak up like sponges is the worst of the worst. If America's youth are only exposed to the trashy underbelly of humanity, how do we expect them to turn out? It takes a village, people--not just the village idiots.
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 2:01PM
Susie said...Amen to THAT!
9-14-2010 @ 2:00PM
Susie said...If I didn't watch them on that clip it was enjoyable to listen to. Their stage presence is "odd" to me. I'm not sure I would
enjoy "watching" them. But they are good musicians.
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 2:30PM
beth said...they are prety good!
Reply
9-14-2010 @ 2:29PM
Patricia said...Yep, that's the sad truth.
Big Brother Reality Show texted messaged me about being in the 8th or 9th (I forget which) season show of Big Brother Reality TV Show they said it is now.
But, they said if they is no DRAMA in my life, THEY WOULD CREATE IT!!!! ??????!!!!!!!
THAT'S A THREAT. AND, IT'S RETARDED.
WHY WOULD I HAVE TO ACT (& by "ACT" I mean PRETENT THAT I AM A RETARDED FREAK FOR A REALITY TV SHOW??!!!
THEY NEED TO LOOK UP THE DEFINITION OF THE WORD 'REALITY'.
TEHY LIKE TO IMPLY THAT THE AMERICAN PUBLIC THRIVES ON PSYCHOTIC SH!T & WE ARE ALL SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE MORONS!!!
Remember when we had censored viewership? Remember decency? Remember normal?
Sadly, most would now honestly have to answer, ..."No." andlook dumbfounded.
....and all were corrupt so, God confound their thinking.
Reply
11-30-2010 @ 6:35AM
executive desk said...Your article very interesting, I have introduced a lot of friends look at this article, the content of the articles there will be a lot of attractive people to appreciate, I have to thank you such an article.
Reply