Last week we reported on how, despite FOX's announcement of an October 20 premiere date, FOX has been taking a "mysterious" approach to the remainder of the promotion of the next edition of its Joe Millionaire series. First, over the summer, the network refused to reveal any additional details beyond the fact that butler Paul Hogan would be returning. Then, the network refused to comment when reports emerged that the new edition of the program would feature women from overseas. And most recently, FOX geared a significant promotion around this past Friday's unveiling of the program's next stars via a "sneak peak" trailer that aired during the network's Boston Public season premiere.
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There was one problem with the trailer however -- while it showed footage of the new Joe Millionaire, the network still failed to disclose who he was, where he was from, or any other details of his background other than he was "riding out of Texas." But if a new Reality TV World tip is correct, FOX's secret might finally be out.
Yesterday, Reality TV World received a tip from Reality TV World message board member "Texgal23" that David Smith, a bareback rodeo rider and college student from Texas, is the individual appearing in the promotional trailer. According to the tip, Smith, a 1997 graduate and high school quarterback of Midland Lee High School, dropped out of McMurry University in Abilene, Texas to pursue rodeo. From 2001-03, he attended Wharton County Junior College as part of its rodeo team, and he was also chosen as "rookie of the year" on the Cowboy's Professional Rodeo Association (C.P.R.A.) circuit in 2000. His earnings as a professional rodeo rider are insignificant -- which makes him a good choice to follow impoverished underwear model Evan Marriott as a faux millionaire.
Although it is not possible at this time to confirm Texgal23's suspicions, a comparision of a 2001 photo of David Smith to FOX's "Joe Millionaire 2" preview reveals definite similarities. As we receive more information, we will update this story.
As viewers who viewed the trailer are already aware, the rest of the trailer confirmed a previous report that women from overseas would be the contestants this time ... since virtually every woman in America is now familiar with the show's gimmick of misleading the female contestants with a penniless imposter pretending to be wealthy. The full title of this edition is The Next Joe Millionaire: An International Affair, and the national flags featured in the trailer range across the world from Japan to Germany.
We have tried hard to be sympathetic to the idea of importing foreign women for the sole purpose of deceiving them on a reality TV show, but we admit that we're having a tough time being comfortable with it. It seems to us that there are plenty of Americans begging to be humiliated on reality TV, so why do we need to humiliate our allies? We can but hope that the show is filled with women from unfriendly countries ... such as, say, France.