FOX is shaping up to have quite a Spring 2004 lineup. Leaving no doubt that they are equal-opportunity offenders, having already gone after the fat and soon the little, FOX has now announced plans to complete their trifecta and go after the gay with its own twisted backwards take on Bravo's previous Boy Meets Boy reality show. And to add insult to injury, they're going to be doing it on Friday nights -- the reality TV kiss of death.
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One beautiful single woman. 14 sexy bachelors. A million-dollar prize. Think you know where this is going? Think again … things won't be exactly as they appear when FOX puts their young lady and the viewing audience to the test to determine which guys are straight and which guys might be just Playing It Straight, the network's new reality series premiering Friday, March 12 (8-9 PM ET/PT).
This one-hour unscripted series may have a twist, but the rules are simple: if a straight guy is the last man standing, the couple splits the money. However, if a gay guy fools his way to the finish line, he leaves one million dollars richer. With serious cash up for grabs, first impressions have never been more important.
Hosted by Daphne Brogdon (The X Show), the series follows single gal Jackie, a college student from Appleton, Wisconsin, as she embarks on a dating adventure at the Sizzling Saddles Ranch in Elko, Nevada. Jackie has traded in her book bag and No. 2 pencils for a cowboy hat and lasso with the hope of roping in the man of her dreams. But this cowgirl must determine which side of the saddle these guys ride on.
Jackie's suitors are 14 men – some looking for love, some on a quest for money, and all trying to guess who is Playing It Straight. These stallions vie for Jackie's affections by participating in group activities and one-on-one dates that will simultaneously tempt her heart and test her "gaydar."
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Some will come out with nothing, some will come out of the closet, but only one will come out victorious. As for Jackie, she will either leave with love, money or her "gaydar" in need of serious repair.
"This show turned out terrifically," Mike Darnell, FOX's head of reality development told Variety. "It's intense and emotional and funny all at the same time. It sort of breaks stereotypes, which I like." "The straight men are playing it normal and the gay men went through some training," he said. "Some really fool you. It's emotionally draining for the star."
Jeremy Mills and Ciara Byrne are executive producers of Playing It Straight, which is a Lion Television production.