[cj416]

There is another thread about the whole friends adoption thing.
I just have to keep saying, it is only a TV show, it is a comedy and it is not meant to educate. The whole show is non-realistic. Look at the fact that Ross has 2 children and one is only seen once every few episodes and the other has not been seen in a couple of years. I think it is being taken too seriously. It is for entertainment and for that only.
They have to do everything fast in order to get it done by the end of the season, since this is the last season......

[maggie_va]

I agree that its only a sitcom but millions of Americans are watching and this maybe their only view into the adoption process:

*they need to stop using the phrase "give away the baby" and "give us her baby". They used those at least 10 times in the first 10 minutes of the show.

*Chandler begging the birthmother was just pathetic. What kind of representation of adoptive parents is that? Further, how would a birthmother feel if some person they never met just starting begging them to be able to parent their child?

I think they should drop the storyline and just have Moncia discover she is pregnant.

- Maggie

[dl]

Agree with melon161, cj416 and others who have said "It's only a TV show" "It's not reality TV - it's a sitcom" "Come on - lighten up"

There are many things on TV that I start to watch and then HATE or find OFFENSIVE. What I find that works great in this situation is to change the channel!

melon161 "I'd just like to ask if you've ever seen Will and Grace? Do you honestly think that is a true representation of Gay and Lesbian couples all over the world? "

Good point. No, not representative of any gay people I know ~ but they find it hysterical ~ as do I and countless others!

[Brat]

Originally posted by maggie_va
I think they should drop the storyline and just have Moncia discover she is pregnant.

- Maggie

No offense intended, but I don't think that would dispel any misconceptions about adoption. That presents pregnancy as the preferred, fairy tale happy ending to the series, rather than providing opportunity for Monica and Chandler to show that adoption is not a last resort, but a wonderful way to start a family.

A few months ago, I was a little "late" and, honestly, mixed in with every other emotion was disappointment that our agency would likely, and probably understandably, insist that we put off adoption. It blows some of my friends and families minds that we aren't miserable about adopting. One of the things I appreciate about how Monica and Chandler are being portrayed is the joy they express in being on this path. I cringed at the whole lying to the bmom thing with everyone else, but I'm keeping an open mind to where they go with this. If you think about it--how many people learned how wrong that is by how Chandler chastised Monica?

[cj416]

I have to 2nd Brat..
It is a comedy and they are trying to put humor in a serious situation. I believe that by making Chandler do right they did a good thing..
As I have said on this board before, it is not televisions job to educate people on adoption, it is the people who are part of adoptions job to educate. I sure wouldn't depend on Friends to let my family and friends know what we are going through!I tell them myself....

[mom2alex]

Ugh, I really hope they don't have Monica end up pregnant on the show....talk about myths and miconceptions. How many of us have heard these comments before.

"You know you'll get pregnant as soon as you adopt."

"I have a friend who had a friend that got pregnant right after they adopted."

Like we really need a tv show adding to THAT misconception! Do they really think adoption is a cure for a medical condition? And who says we want to get pregnant in the first place anyways. I vote a big NO WAY on Monica becoming pregnant.

Sorry to get offtrack.

[melon161]

mom2alex, I'm totally with you, I've heard that so many times that I could just spit. It's the most annoying statement ever. I hope they don't make her end up pregnant.

Way to go,

Stacy

[Cricket8351]

Not sure I have anything unique to add here but I do have to say that if I was the pbmom in the episode, when I discovered they had lied I would have walked out the door and never stopped.

Chandler's speech or pleading would not have swayed me one bit. I would not want to ever have anything to do with them again. I can't imagine why that young woman would want to place her baby with them...liars? Deceivers? Cheaters?


I totally and completely agree that it is just a TV show but it is fun to discuss the episode with you all. I personally would have rather seen the pbmom continue out the door unpersuaded by Chandler's exhortation. I think that would have been more realistic....sad...yes of course.

I remember discussing theories one time in the past as to whether TV imitates Life or Life imitates TV....very interesting topic.

T

[ddhuab]

Who knows? Maybe the producers will try to be even more sensational and have their chosen pbmom change her mind once the baby is born... heartwrenching AND the day (or season finale) could be saved when they are matched with another woman who just gave birth or something. That will probably really scare some couples who are thinking of adopting.

I do find a lot of people I have been telling about some of teh frustrating and interesting adoption issues are actually more interested and sympathetic because they are sort of familiar with the process because of the Friends storyline.

D.

[MamaJem]

I guess I saw it a bit differently. I saw Monica's desperation. They didn't walk in lying, they went with the story that the pbmom was giving. I saw her get swept away with it. I just wish that she would have been the one to go talk to the pbmom instead of Chandler. I think that it was her place to fess up to getting carried away into a lie. I think if she would have spoke up and admitted to being wrong, the pbmom would have seen them as real. The other piece of reality would have been for pbmom to go away and think about it. I think its ridiculous to believe that she would have changed her mind that quickly.

As far as the terminology used, it showed to me that so many agencies aren't training the aparents very well. There are so many aparents out there that aren't willing to be educated, they just want someone to "give them a baby".

Then we go back to what has been said so many times, its a sitcom, entertainment, just a show.

Mom2alex, I'm with you. I hope they don't go there. I certainly have proved those people wrong...still not pregnant.