siuDE.com

Media Credit: Emily Sunblade Carl Mitchell, a 69 year old resident of Carbondale, hauls a ballot box into Grinnell Hall Monday afternoon. The basment of Grinnell, in the 23rd voting precinct, will be open from 6 A.M. to 7P.M. today for the Illinois Primary vote.

"My Fair Brady Maybe Baby?"

2.5 out of 5 stars

The show is sometimes too voyeuristic for its own good, showing personal arguments and decisions that should be left to the married couple. One has to wonder if having newlywed conflicts and fights in front of camera crews and the nation is healthy for a relationship.

And on that token, one has to ponder if Curry and Knight's relationship is anything without the cameras.

There's something so charming about celebrity trash television.

It's the car accident you slow down for as you drive past just to see the extent of injuries.

It's watching a fight begin in front of you, and though you know you should go get help or attempt to break it up, you're just waiting to see who lands the first punch.

It's "My Fair Brady Maybe Baby?" that is a made-for-TV romance that allows home audiences a peephole into the tumultuous marriage of former "The Brady Bunch" star Christopher Knight and his wife, "America's Next Top Model" cycle one winner, Adrianne Curry.

Audiences have had the chance to see this relationship bloom, from its fledgling stages when the two participated in VH1's "The Surreal Life" to two previous seasons of "My Fair Brady." In the first season, Curry seemingly pressured Knight into proposing marriage to her, while in the second the two fought and cried until they made it to the altar.

This season, Curry and Knight are struggling to make their marriage work and toying with the idea of having a baby. While Knight's biological clock is ticking (at 49 years old, he is 25 years older than his wife), Curry is concerned with having a stable marriage and getting breast implants, not conceiving.

This season has already seen a battle of wills when Curry participated in a nude shoot with one of her female friends to give to Knight for his birthday. Unbeknownst to Curry, Knight found the photos to be disturbing and began questioning her sexuality, uncomfortable with the idea of his wife's bisexuality.

Whether it's hearing Curry scream through sobs "I am not a lesbian" at her husband or watching Knight struggle with past baggage, the show has gotten too formulaic and trashy for its own good.

An episode of "My Fair Brady" consists of three things: A build up to a fight over something trivial, the fight over something trivial and the teary apologies after said fight.

The show is sometimes too voyeuristic for its own good, showing personal arguments and decisions that should be left to the married couple. One has to wonder if having newlywed conflicts and fights in front of camera crews and the nation is healthy for a relationship.

And on that token, one has to ponder if Curry and Knight's relationship is anything without the cameras.

While trash television and celebrity reality shows seem to be the new fad in TV, this show appears to have already run its course. It isn't a horrible show, as sometimes the two seem to genuinely be concentrating on their lives together - but for the most part it is just a turn-your-brain-off-and-be-happy-this-isn't-your-life program.

It has become too personal and invasive to be anything but an unscripted sitcom.

Maybe it's time for "Maybe Baby?" to take a break and let Curry and Knight concentrate on their marriage and not ratings.

Alicia Wade can be reached at 536-3311 ext. 275 or awade@siude.com.

Article Tools