In the early 2000s, before CBS and TLC bore the brunt of our deserved mockery, it was en vogue to hate on Fox. God, how naive we were. The populist complaint was that the network’s reality shows were the beginning of the end (of culture), which, well, looking back, there certainly was a lot of absolute crap: Forever Eden, Joe Millionaire, My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiance, Luis Guzmán’s face, The Simple Life, and on and on. But with no due respect to Paris Hilton, the worst of the bunch was The Swan. A refresher, if you’ve drank the memory away:
The Swan is a 2004 American reality television program broadcast on Fox in which women who were judged to be “ugly” were given “extreme makeovers” that included several forms of plastic surgery. The title of the series refers to the fairy tale The Ugly Duckling, in which a homely bird matures into a swan.
Each contestant was assigned a panel of specialists — a coach, therapist, trainer, cosmetic surgeons and a dentist — who together designed a program of total transformation. The contestants’ work ethic, growth and achievement was monitored during a three-month process. Each week, two women were featured, and at the episode’s conclusion, one went home while another was selected to move to compete in the Swan pageant at the end of the season for a chance to be deemed The Swan. (Via)
So, naturally, now that Fox is a respectable network with very good comedies, they’re bringing The Swan back.
The broadcaster is reviving its infamous plastic surgery makeover series for a celebrity version that will serve as primetime special…By re-vamping the show as a celebrity special, Fox will add some star wattage while reducing potential controversy about the format (judging the appearance of celebrities who get plastic surgery, after all, happens in the media every day).
Here’s the official logline for the two-hour special: “Celebrity Swan will feature female celebrities and will offer these popular women the incredible opportunity to undergo physical, psychological and career changes as cameras follow them through the transformative process. This opportunity will allow these women to come back better than ever, have a second chance at personal and career redemption and re-introduce themselves to their supportive fans in a whole new way.” (Via)
I take back what I said: I am SO on-board with this. Normal people getting plastic surgery, kind of sad; celebrities, or “celebrities,” doing the same, hilarious. Hoping to return to TV, Dewey from Malcolm in the Middle is trying on wigs as we speak.
(Via EW)
