Despite having been pulled off the airwaves after only three episodes, last spring's Playing It Straight series has continued to remain of interest among its small (but devoted) group of viewers -- so much so that Fox has apparently grown so tired of viewer questions about the program's ending that it's finally gotten around to posting episode synopses of the remaining unaired episodes at Fox.com
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Playing It Straight followed single gal Jackie, a college student form Appleton, Wisconsin, as she embarked on a dating adventure at Sizzling Saddles Ranch in Elko, Nevada. Jackie thought she was on a typical dating show, until it was revealed that some of the guys were gay.
The program that challenged America to "test your gaydar" had a unique twist but the rules were simple: to win, Jackie had to pick a straight guy as the last man standing in order for the couple to split the cash prize. However, if a gay guy fooled his way to the finish line, he would leave $1 million richer -- and Jackie would leave empty-handed.
In the final unbroadcast episode, three men were remaining at the ranch: Banks, Chris and Sharif. After spending a last date with each, Jackie chose Banks, saying she truly felt a romantic connection to him. Since Banks was, indeed, straight, both he and Jackie were awarded $500,000 each.
More remarkably, according to Fox, Jackie and Banks are still together nearly a year later and apparently one of reality TV's rare "still together" couples. Leave it to poor television ratings to deprive viewers from witnessing the development of one of reality TV's scarce lasting romantic relationships!
According Fox, the nine gay men were:
• Alex - a law student from Washington, DC.
• Bill - a event promoter from Valley Glen, CA.
• Bradley - a bartender from Pflugerville, PA.
• Chad - a corporate communications from Austin, TX.
• Chris - a retired entrepreneur from Atlanta, GA.
• Eddie - a school teacher from Miami, FL.
• John - a bartender from Atlanta, GA.
• Lee - a financial consultant from N. Huntington, PA.
• Luciano - a personal trainer from Miami Beach, FL.
Those results match with what the Gawker website had reported back in March, namely that of the program's then ten remaining men, Brad, Bill, Chad, Lee, and Luciano were all gay. Also apparently correct was their report that Sharif had been heard commenting that he'd made it "almost all the way."
The five straight men were:
• Banks - a software consultant from San Diego, CA.
• Gust - a real estate agent from Chicago, IL.
• Louis - a brokerage firm manager from Forth Worth, TX.
• Ryan - a waiter from Santa Monica, CA.
• Sharif - a musician from Arlington, VA.
According to a Fox representative, similar information on Forever Eden's conclusion should be released soon.
Jeremy Mills and Ciara Byrne were executive producers of Playing It Straight, which was a Lion Television production.
