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February 26, 2007: Hamilton/Lowe
This is the second episode in a row in which we’ve had some kind of meat-related contention between the families. Tonight’s meat of choice was deer. And I never thought I’d have to put these words down, but a main issue of the episode was deer urine.
While initially I was kind of grossed out/weirded out by a family that together bottled deer pee, I have to say I enjoyed them more than the Hamiltons, the family of pampered princesses. I would never bottle deer pee or eat deer meat, but everybody’s different. And if it were a choice between bottling deer pee and spending an hour shopping with Chastity Hamilton, I don’t know what I’d choose. But I’d probably go with bottling deer pee, as long as I could have nose plugs and cocktails while doing it.
Chastity Hamilton was more than just a typical sassy 14-year-old. She called her dad Tim; it always surprises me to hear children call their parents by their first name. She racked up $200 cell phone bills, was taken on shopping sprees and didn’t have to work for anything. She had no chores, she didn’t offer to help her father when she saw him doing the cleaning and she and her mom made the father do everything — even chauffer them to the mall and carry their bags. Tim seemed happy with it, and maybe he was. He kept saying that he wanted to do things for them because he could, and he liked providing for them and making them happy. But what about his wife going over everything he cleaned because it didn’t suit her? She was a neat freak with high expectations. She thought she was a princess. I’ll say it again: She thought she was a princess. She called the bed she and her daughter shared a “princess bed.” Her husband, because he snored, got booted to his teenage daughter’s room. And, of course, their dog’s name was Princess. They had parties where they made little girls into princesses. (I’m guessing the little girls were from the neighborhood, but where did they come from?) She, a grown woman, wore tiaras and feather boas. Did nobody around her see something a tiny bit crazy about that?
I just didn’t get her at all, and I think I’d have to walk away if I had to spend time with her. I suppose Tim was happy with her, because they’re still married and he cares for them, but she didn’t let him go on his golfing trips because he had “things to do.” He seemed like a sweet man. He took care of them really well. And when Chastity was being a brat, refusing to do the tiny amount of cleaning, and Anita left the house in tears, he stood up to her and told her to just try it. I mean, God forbid she just try to do something for her father. I loved when he told her not to think out loud, to keep it to herself and just try it. It wasn’t exactly throwing down the law, but at least he raised his voice and made Chastity do something. I can see how Angie Hamilton would get upset at the table meeting, because Anita Lowe was explaining how disrespectful Chastity was; Angie’s maternal instinct just kicked in.
But to permit your child to be “sassy”? Everything Chastity did, she did with a biting attitude. I know she’s a teenager and they generally have attitudes and snap and are brats, but Chastity was something else. She didn’t realize how good she had it. And that scene where Anita Lowe took her to the thrift shop — Chastity wasn’t just sassy, she was completely disrespectful and was muttering nonsense. How 'bout when Chastity explained to Anita that she liked that her friends wore clothes with labels because it meant they had personalities? Her mom taught her that. That was gross. When Chastity said that the thrift shop was the worst place in the world, I wanted to pack her up and send her off to the desert without anything and see if she came home still thinking that the thrift shop was the worst place to be. I know she was exaggerating on purpose, but it still bothered me. There’s more to people than their clothes and makeup and tiaras, which Brandie Lowe understood.
Brandie Lowe was the opposite of Chastity Hamilton. Brandie was a hardworking sweetheart who wanted more time with her family outside of the deer-pee business. At least the Hamiltons were decent to each other — except for the way Anita Lowe felt she had to take care of her husband like he was a child. Why did she feel like she had to lay out his clothes for him, start his car and warm up his coffee? She woke up at 2:30 in the morning to do all these things for her husband, and then she had to keep up the deer-pee business in addition to that. All because Rick Lowe wanted the deer-pee business.
I’m glad that both Rick Lowe and Angie Hamilton realized at the end how much their spouses did for them, and that they should start pitching in.
And I’m really glad that they built an outdoor shed for the deer-pee bottling. That seemed healthier than having it in the house. I loved when Brandie Lowe was all emotional because of her makeover. She felt special, and that was a great moment. That made me teary.
Now, if only Brandie Lowe and Chastity Hamilton could hang out and learn from each other, I bet Brandie would be able to teach her a few things.
The best moment, for me, was in the beginning when Rick Lowe was talking about if he had to choose between married life and raising whitetails. Then it showed him looking longingly at the deer while sappy music played…. That was genius. I wonder if he would pick the deer over his wife. Hmm.
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Feb 26, 2007 9:54 PM
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I agree with pretty much all of your comments, but unfortunately, I don't know if Chastity would learn or if [gulp] Brandie would.  Now that would be sad!
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Feb 26, 2007 10:52 PM
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Yep, you're right on. This one was no-brainer. I wonder how Chastity's friends will treat her at school today knowing how much of a brat she is. Are you allowed to say "frickin'" all the time when you're 14?
As for the princess parties, I think that might be Brandie's side business or something. But I really don't know for sure...just guessing. It seemed weird.
Their family dynamic is the reason folks should sometimes have 2 kids--just to even things out a little. No child should think they're the center of anyone's universe.
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Feb 27, 2007 10:35 AM
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I couldn't believe Anita didn't let Chastity know how rude she was in that thrift store. (and by that I mean actually use the word rude!) Up until then I kept saying "well she's a teenager," but at that point I was ready to take her to a homeless shelter or someplace where she could learn to appreciate what she has. What a brat!
She was a trooper about the deer pee thou - she wasn't even wearing gloves!
Great idea to build a shed for the deer pee. Can't believe they actually resisted that idea, and didn't think of it before. It seems like a nobrainer.
And did you see the size of their house? I thought it was funny that Anita thought where she was going was rich, but I thought their house looked like a mcmansion.
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Feb 28, 2007 4:30 PM
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Am I the only one that noticed the old man Tim's hand placed on the child's very inner thigh very near the privates?
What about every time he tried to hug her and she would grimmace and turn away. The only time she let him comfort her was when she was in the bathroom upset over the cell phone being taken away.
Also, what about the comment he made "You know, you're the one" as he was trying to hug on her.
It must be pretty easy for him since he sleeps in her bedroom. I would be so surprised if this is his biological daughter. I hope someone out there does a replay and slow motion. I feel for this child--I think there could be WAY more going on with her than this surface/spoiled brat stuff.
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Mar 2, 2007 3:46 AM
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 omg does anyone know if this show will air again?
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Mar 26, 2007 12:31 AM
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There was one scene where Tim gives Chastity a kiss in the kitchen and she totally freaks out, going "blech!" and shaking her head, swiping at her face and hair. Later when the new rules are being read to Chastity and Tim on the couch Tim has his hand WAY up Chastity's inner thigh - really, really gross. And he sleeps in her bed? Why does he slave away for his princesses, really? Because he wants to molest his stepdaughter and get away with it.
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Sep 5, 2007 2:48 PM
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