Monday, November 03, 2008

"Uomini e Donne" (Men & Women)...can someone please explain this show to me?

It seems to be on all the time. The host (she is also the host of the Italian version of American Idol and used to host another popular show, C'e Un Poste Per Te) has the deepest voice I have ever heard on a woman. Is she trying to help couples reconcile? Is it a dating show?

Who are the other people on stage? Friends of the couple or ex's? How/where do they find these couples?

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

I use to watch this show when l was in italy. I may be wrong but my understanding is that it is a dating show. The panel is made up of the guy who has/ will date these women, and the guy's family/ friends kind of like an interview panel.

What made me laugh was in the first few seconds of this clip there is a very opinionated lady getting into the hosts face. That lady was there doing the same thing when l watched the show about two years ago:)

BTW, where were all these men when l was in italy???

Cleopantha

Michellanea said...

I absolutely HATE this show and avoid it like the plague. But I'm not a Maria De Felippi fan. She's called the "Oprah of Italy" but Oprah she is not. Please. The idea, I believe, is for one person (man or woman) to sit on the throne and be courted by members of the opposite sex by going out on dates, etc. This is where the slang term "tronista" (he/she who sits on Maria De Felippi's throne on this stupid show) came from. The most famous tronista was this guy Costantino (http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Costantino_Vitagliano) who for a while was EVERYWHERE. He's a total slimeball with no talent whatsoever. Anyway, getting off course. The people who participate are total cheeseballs and I believe many of them are rejects from other shows. Like the women seem to all be wannabe "showgirls." Gross. This is the perfect example of a show where people just yap, yap, yap and stand up and say "Ma secondo me..." and go on and on with their uninteresting opinions. I've got a weakness for trash TV but this is so staged and scripted, it makes The Hills look like high art.

Michellanea said...

I just watched the video you posted. See what I mean? Who CARES what these boring people in the audience have to say? So typical of Italian shows and what a waste of air time. And we pay taxes to have such fantastic TV programming!

Anonymous said...

I totally agree with michellanea. Italian television is the worst. Besides being unentertaining, it also tends to be totally objectifying of women. I dont even know who can watch this show---people just argue the entire time. Two years ago I got sucked into a reality show (whose name I cannnot even remember now) where 6 30-something guys and there mothers went to live in a house with about twenty 18-23 year old girls. The mothers had to chose to the perfect wives for their sons. The winning couple was a 19 year old girl an a 33 year old guy who hardly knew each other, and in the finale she comes out wearing a big white wedding dress.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

cleopantha - I'm not sure if you would really want to date the guys who are on the show now. ha

michellanea - Was Maria already famous before she married such a well known/powerful man? I've seen a few of her shows. She is not Oprah. I can't believe there is slang from this show. I wondered about the "contestants". Not surprised they are wanna be "stars". sigh. The only Italian reality show I watch is Italia's Next Top Model. I actually prefer it instead of the original. Tyra gets on my nerves.

nancy - there was a show like that in the States "who wants to marry my dad" then another show where a rich guy would pick some woman to marry him. I'm blanking on the name but i remember there was a huge out cry about it because the guy totally lied about his background. I really don't understand why people go on shows like this.

Petulia said...

I think you have just experienced the worse of Italian TV. I think if you want to see some quality tv you have to switch to La7 or Rai3.
Good luck

Jessica said...

Oh man, my Neapolitan roommate used to watch this show every day! It's like the Italian equivalent of Jerry Springer (without the midgets). Honestly, I don't think there is a point except to give coatti a place to fight on national television. Seriously, if you want to see waxed eyebrows and spray tans on grown men, look no further.

Anonymous said...

This show hasn't made it's way to RAI International or Telelatino in Canada yet (at least not that I'm aware of). When I watch Italian programs I can't help but notice how BEAUTIFUL the audience is all.the.time!!

erin said...

HA! I always wondered about this show too. We always saw it on, but I never could grasp exactly what was happening. People would get so mad and walk of stage a lot. You're so right about the host's voice though...kind of freaks me out.

Leanne was in Italy now in Australia said...

This show is so stupid. It is a ridiculous show where people who think they are good looking try and meet the person of their dreams...Really if you watch the very first one the guys or girls can chose, or reject people based on their looks alone!

I knew a guys whos aim in life was to be on Uomini e Donne...seriously that was what he wanted to 'be' when he was 'grown up.'

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

petulia - it is pretty bad. At least on Wheel of Fortune I can learn some vocab. :)

jessica - ha! I've learned another slang word "coatti". I had to look it up. I don't like it when men have overly waxed brows or chests. Yuck.

lulu - I've notice that too!

erin - That's say a lot since you are fluent. ha. I agree people on this show are very dramatic.

leanne - no! why would he want to be on the show? To become famous?

Unknown said...

nyc, stay as far away from MdF as you can!!
She's evil!! ;-)

Diana Strinati Baur said...

The only Italian television I can bear to watch is Beautiful (the Bold and the Beautiful). I have been watching it since Y&R spun it off and Brook-a and Ridge-a arenow my daily Italian lesson. I put on the teletext and look at the verb structures. Seriously. I mean, I know the story line, right?

Ragazza, I hate that show. It's so stupid. I almost hate it more than Sunday morning Rai Due show with the lady with the monstrous boobs and CFM red heels, discussing serious dental issues with the short ugly periodontist.

WineGrrl said...

I never watched TV when I was in Italy...now I see I did not miss much.

Jessica said...

Glad to be of service with a new word! Now that you know it, you'll magically start to see coatti all over the place in Rome.

Anonymous said...

Uh NYC/Caribbean Ragazza, lm thinking you are right... I didn't take the show too seriously it was more like comic relief:)

Cleopantha

Megan in Liguria said...

This show kind of freaks me out (as does Maria and her uber-masco voice!). And since when are the guys "prettier" than the girls?!

Ok, there is some redemption in Italian TV. Any out there watch "Il Commissario Montalbano"? It's fantastic and could kick some TV-ass on both sides of the pond!

Tracie P. said...

michellanea--constantine is so gross!

nyc--ok, let me explain. i did watch a few series of this way back when. it is a dating show (i'm just repeating everyone else) that DRAGS OUT for months. there are a bunch of cheesily dressed italians, and they fight to be chosen by one unworthy tronista. sound familiar? the peanut gallery has had the same 5 blondes for YEARS. the gesticulating one to maria's right LOVES to hear herself talk.

maria dF is EVERYwhere. her voice is, in fact scary. have you ever seen amici? OMG it's the most boring show ever invented and italians LOVE IT.

you'll always have your law and order dubbed in italiano, though. at least...

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

enrico - thanks for the warning. :)

diana - I heard the guy who plays Ridge (gotta love that name!) is a huge star here. My mom is a big BOLD fan. I used to watch it when it first aired. Great, cheesy fun. Luckily I have missed the morning show you speak of. Sounds scary.

winegrrl - no you didn't. I'm glad I have cable.

jessica - Via del Corso on a Saturday seems to be the place where they all hang out.

cleopantha - ha.

megan - I have heard good things about the show but haven't seen it yet. Maria's voice is a trip. Does she smoke ten packs a day or something?

tracie b- I looked at the link Michellanea provided. I have NO words!

I saw one episode of Amici. zzzzzz. I can't believe people go to the Amici "concerts."

Anonymous said...

Wow so Maria is ACTUALLY a Woman. I have to say I was honestly thinking it was a Man in drag. Yeah I find this show kinda weird...great if you like fighting I guess

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

anon - yes it's true. She's a woman. thanks for stopping by.