‘Wife Swap’ looking for Georgia families
Want a break from the spouse? Casting agents have issued an “urgent” casting call for the new season of CMT’s “Wife Swap.” But only if you live in Georgia.
One resident we know says he “couldn’t do that to somebody,” but any husband willing to make the trade is encouraged to get in touch with Hollywoodland Casting.
“It doesn’t matter if you are overweight, messy, rich or poor, if you live anywhere in Georgia, then we want to hear from you,” says casting director Holland Weathers, who’s based in Shelby, North Carolina.
Viewers may remember the original “Wife Swap,” which ran on ABC from 2004 through 2010. CMT announced earlier this year that it would revive the popular television social experiment, which focuses on two families from vastly different backgrounds who swap out wives/mothers.
During the two-week swap, each family must navigate hot-button issues like politics, classism, gender and race with the ultimate goal of finding common ground. At the end of each one-hour episode, the two couples meet for the first time and discuss what they learned and what changes and new rules will remain once they return home.
“At the end of the episode, everyone is usually all kinds of relieved to get back to the way things were pre-swap,” writes CMT.com contributor Alison Bonaguro. “Sometimes lessons are learned, and everyone is super polite about it. Other times, the husbands and wives are super salty about how the two-week swap went down, and they storm off agreeing to disagree. Ultimately, though, both endings are happy ones because absence always makes the heart grow fonder.”
Basically, the show is a twoweek experiment in whether life is better with someone else’s spouse (or significant other).
The emphasis is on “real families,” but casting notes reveal that some families might be considered more “real” than others. Weathers says producers are particularly interested in Georgia families who have “several indoor animals … lots of fur babies.”
Also specified: “Does your family live on the go with little time left for a clean house? Are you always running from activity to activity and can barely stop to sleep, let alone clean?”
The focus on “real people” also
The focus on “real people” means you “don’t have to be picture-perfect thin with a pristine house or lots of money to apply.”
means you “don’t have to be picture-perfect thin with a pristine house or lots of money to apply.”
Families are compensated for their time, and anyone who refers a family that makes the show may receive a referral fee.
To apply, go to wifeswapcasting.com or email castingbyholland@gmail.com. Weathers says to disregard the notice on the website that says applicants must live in the Atlanta area, as the search has expanded to all of Georgia. She says applicants will have “priority consideration” if they mention her name on the application.
Contact Lisa Denton at ldenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6281.