| Series on polygamy elicits worry in Utah | |
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News | |
When the HBO series "Big Love" premieres tonight, "John Brown" (not his real name) will be watching — with his five wives. In fact, many polygamist families who spoke to the Deseret Morning News said they were ordering the premium pay cable channel just so they could see how their lifestyle is portrayed. The HBO series stars Bill Paxton as a polygamist who juggles time spent with his three wives — played by Jeanne Tripplehorn, Chloe Sevigny and Ginnifer Goodwin — and their seven children in Sandy, Utah. The Tom Hanks-produced show has already generated a lot of talk and headlines for its controversial subject matter and its portrayal of a subject Utah just can't seem to distance itself from. "I haven't even watched any other HBO (show)," Brown said. "What I am sure that it will do is bring polygamy into the national attention." Brown and several of his wives agreed to speak to the Deseret Morning News on condition of anonymity, out of fear of criminal prosecution for bigamy. One of his wives, "Jessie," hopes the show provides an honest portrayal of plural marriage without stereotyping. "What offends, is when the religion is made fun of. I think it will be hard for me to watch, because they are going to show bedroom scenes, and I don't want that to be made light of," she said, referring to HBO's reputation for steamy sex scenes. Once again, Utah's history is placed on full display for the world to see, but state tourism director Leigh von der Esch isn't concerned. " 'Big Love' is to Utah like what 'The Sopranos' is to New Jersey," she said. "Does 'The Sopranos' portray all of New Jersey as just a bunch of mobsters?" Utah tourism officials have just undertaken an image study as part of their new branding campaign, and von der Esch said polygamy is expected to inevitably come up in people's perceptions of the state. "I'm sure there will be curiosity, certainly there will be," von der Esch said of "Big Love." "But the LDS Church may be the one that receives the questions." The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is certainly concerned about how "Big Love" will affect its image. "Obviously, we don't like the program," church spokesman Mike Otterson said. "There's nothing about the program to like if you're an active Latter-day Saint." Polygamy was officially discontinued by the LDS Church in 1890, and church members who practice it are excommunicated. Otterson said the church remains concerned viewers will not be able to distinguish between the polygamists on television and the mainstream LDS Church. "That's the danger. We worry about it reinforcing stereotypes," he said. "Whether it will have a difference, it's impossible to tell. Only time will tell that. This whole thing may flop." HBO has placed a disclaimer on the first episode of "Big Love," stating the LDS Church's position. The show's creators say they have taken pains to separate Latter-day Saints from polygamists. "People do have this misconception. There is a blurring of Mormons and polygamy in the same breath," producer Mark V. Olsen told the Deseret Morning News in January. "I want (viewers) to get it. That is important to us." Otterson said the disclaimer does not go far enough. "It's actually rather inadequate, and we've told HBO that we think it's inadequate, because it's only going to be after the first episode," he said. Church officials said HBO told them there was no need to repeat the disclaimer after every episode, because they felt the characters in "Big Love" were developed enough that viewers could make a distinction. The LDS Church recently sent out an informational letter to stake leaders and mission presidents in the United States and Canada about a proper response if asked about "Big Love." Some local ward leaders read the letter aloud across the pulpit last Sunday. Otterson said they are not anxious to help the program's success by talking about it, either. "When you get a program like this which blurs the distinction by mentioning Mormons and polygamists and Salt Lake City and mixes all that up in the same script," he said. "It can tend to reinforce the old stereotypes and tend to undo the progress that's being made." Anti-polygamy activists have big concerns about "Big Love." Tapestry Against Polygamy director Vicky Prunty said she has seen advance scripts for the series. While there is some element of truth to the portrayal, the former polygamous wife said it was not the polygamy she deals with while helping people flee abuse and violence. "I think Hollywood — their job is not to be socially responsible," Prunty said. "They're catering to 18-to-35-year-olds. They're wanting sex, sex, sex and this is going to cater to that Y chromosome." Von der Esch hopes the show does not gloss over the serious problems facing Utah with polygamy. "It may be entertaining for some. Others, it's not," she said, adding that she has helped Tapestry Against Polygamy get its message about the abuses in polygamy out to the world. E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com | |
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deseretnews.com Originally published Sunday, March 12, 2006 | |
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