TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

'World's Strictest Parents' Seeks Participants

ADVERTISEMENT

By WALT BELCHER wbelcher

@tampatrib.com

Published: February 27, 2009

On the British version of "The World's Strictest Parents," slovenly disrespectful slacker kids from the United Kingdom are packed off to spend some quality time with surrogate parents in other countries who practice tough love.

Call it "Kid Swap" or "Parent Swap," this concept is not as much of a train wreck as one might expect.

Couples in South Africa, Jamaica, India, Ghana and Birmingham, Ala., had some amazing results in transforming borderline delinquents into little charmers.

The American version is going to stay within U.S. borders. Surly brats will be sent to places such as Utah (with a Mormon family); Texas (a ranch family); Georgia (a "Bible Belt" family) and even the Tampa area (for who knows what?).
Talent scouts from "World's Strictest Parents" will hold an open casting call Saturday at Frenchy's Rockaway Grill, 7 Rockaway St., Clearwater, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The series has been picked up by CMT for an eight-episode run to begin in April.

"World's Strictest Parents" is from Shed Media, which produces "Supernanny" and "It's Me or The Dog."

"We really need parents with strong family values," casting agent Jen Apploff says. "And we need teenagers who want to live with another family and trade in their parents for a new set for almost an entire week."

Executive producer Nick Emmerson says they are seeking "parents with unique interests; conservatives; farmers; parents with devout religious beliefs; academics; eco-friendly parents; and parents who have ordinary or extraordinary circumstances."

Apploff says the parents should have experience in raising teenagers. "Either they currently have teenage children at home or their children are grown," she says.

The casting team also is looking for teenagers (with parental approval) from every type of background: "with unique interests; technically savvy teens; hippies; urbanites; slobs; surfers; affluent teens; liberals; defiant teens; and teens that have ordinary or extraordinary circumstances."

Those who can't make it to the casting can call 1-888-418-3367 or apply online at www.theworldsstrictestparents .com.

DUH!: "Hot diggily dogly!" as Ned Flanders would say. Fox has ordered two more seasons of "The Simpsons," which will bring the longest-running series in primetime television history through its 22nd season.

The 44-episode pickup ensures the series will reach 493 episodes, so they probably will go for 500. Jan. 14, 2010, marks the 20th anniversary of the series debut.

SENIOR MOMENT: The broadcast networks have just about given up on made-for-TV movies, but CBS goes retro on Sunday with Tom Selleck in the fifth adaptation of a Robert B. Parker crime novel about a troubled cop working in a small tourist trap town.

"Jesse Stone: Thin Ice" finds Stone investigating the shooting of an old friend and a 7-year-old unsolved kidnapping.

AMAZING CYCLE: While "Amazing Race" is playing out its current season on Sunday nights, host Phil Keoghan will be cycling from Los Angeles to New York for charity and to promote the CBS series and his book "No Opportunity Wasted."

He is scheduled to start peddling on Saturday on a ride that will average 100 miles a day for a total of more than 3,500 miles, spanning 40 days with pit stops in more than 30 cities. His "Ride Across America" is being sponsored by health food chain GNC.

It's scheduled to end on May 9 (the day before the finale of "Amazing Race 14"). The stunt also calls attention to National MS (multiple sclerosis) Society's "Bike MS" fundraising events.

TUNE IN TONIGHT

"Dollhouse," 9 p.m., Fox

The new personality for Echo (Eliza Dushku) this week is that of a backup singer so she can protect a threatened pop star.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT