Tuesday's episode of Secret Lives of Women - a rare chance for positive media

[Mark Davis]

Hi All:

This Tuesday night at 10:00 Central WeTV will be airing the new segment of Secret Lives of Women on the topic "Mail Order Brides". 

The show follows the stories of four women (one of which is my wife, Anna). You can see all three trailers on our YouTube page: http://www.youtube.com/iDatingforMen

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The unique part is that this is a women's cable network.  Here's what they say about themselves: "Available in nearly 74 million homes, WE TV's programming offers viewers compelling perspectives on women`s lives ranging from the ordinary to the extraordinary, presented in a non-judgmental voice."

This is a refreshingly unbiased documentary-style show that should present international relationships as they are - men and women from different countries meet and fall in love.  I haven't seen the final cut, but I'm hopeful that this is going to be a huge support for all of us.  Let's keep our fingers crossed.

This is my first post as a "commercial" member - so I opted to use the "Introductions" section.  I had no intentions on being in this industry three years ago.  I'd dated a lot in Latin America on my own or with buddies, but I found myself frustrated when I deeply fell in love with a girl who could not leave Brazil.  I went the tour route and met my wife. That would have been our happily-ever-after, but my buddies encouraged me to write a book - so I did.  It's a paperback on Amazon.com and our site.

Now our mission is to reach men who have never considered dating overseas; and create awareness.  We are kicking off the website, book and first educational course with this TV episode. 

Please understand; we are not looking to steal anybody's business (if you're a fellow commercial member).  We want to reach out to new audiences in a fresh way that will benefit all of us.

We wish success to all in the pursuit of your dream lives - and support anyone who wants to seriously consider finding their spouse in another country.

Mark and Anna Davis
and Lawrence Jackson
(888) 899-8600
Mark@ID4M.com
http://www.InternationalDatingForMen.com

[Law]

Ha ha, cool.

[SMS60]

The unique part is that this is a women's cable network.  Here's what they say about themselves: "Available in nearly 74 million homes, WE TV's programming offers viewers compelling perspectives on women`s lives ranging from the ordinary to the extraordinary, presented in a non-judgmental voice."

This is a refreshingly unbiased documentary-style show that should present international relationships as they are - men and women from different countries meet and fall in love.  I haven't seen the final cut, but I'm hopeful that this is going to be a huge support for all of us.  Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Hey thats cool!!

I have been involved with some "human interest" type stories in the past ( not international dating or marriage). What I can say is whatever the subject might be they always seem to take "jabs" at a way of life or story. The media always wants to put some negative spin on some human interest stories. Depends on the person in charge or doing the editing.

The title is already an injustice.

But hopefully they will do the story in a very positive way. Yes, lets do keep our fingers crossed.

But again neat stuff. Good luck.

[Faux Pas]

Ha ha, cool.

Hey Law! Good to see you back posting again 

[Lily]

Mark, I like your videos. They are very professionally made and leave a good impression!

Especially I'd like to compliment on Anna's beauty.  I couldn't resist of watching through her photographs on the page that you have previously provided.

[Mark Davis]

The title is already an injustice.

But hopefully they will do the story in a very positive way. Yes, lets do keep our fingers crossed.

I'm so glad you said that.  It was SO interesting to us to be interviewed by these people.  They used the term "Mail Order Bride" before they did any research.    The last questions in our interviews were just that, "What does that term mean to us?" 

My wife said she'd never heard it before and didn't see any relevance.  I was a little more playful, "I'm not sure how that would work.  Could I get on the web and order a new sweater, an iPod and a 5'6" blonde - and still get the free shipping?"  I think the term Mail Order Bride will seem irrelevant to the path after seeing this episode.

The only other hint about the final production is in the bios of the two Ukrainian girls.  It says they didn't find what they were looking for, but would be willing to try again.  I'm sure they'll try to make something out of why they didn't find what they were looking for - just to create some drama.  I can't wait to see!

Especially I'd like to compliment on Anna's beauty.  I couldn't resist of watching through her photographs on the page that you have previously provided.

Thanks for the compliments.  I'll pass them along to her, but I don't remember the page that had her photos? Was it the Picasaweb album?

Mark

[Lily]

Mark, it probably was, I don't remember the name now.

[Law]

Thanks Faux Pas. It'll be interesting to see what turns up from this show. I wonder if there's a way to view comments or reactions- like youTube's commenting system.

[Mark Davis]

This could get interesting. 

We just saw a commercial on TV and the commentator said, "For some girls, this is their ticket out." 

My wife and I both got a little nervous after hearing that line, but I know that doesn't fit our story or John and Tanya's story.  I just don't know what the girls in Odessa told them.  We'll find out soon enough I suppose.

mark

[Faux Pas]

Thanks Faux Pas. It'll be interesting to see what turns up from this show. I wonder if there's a way to view comments or reactions- like youTube's commenting system.

Law, not that I know of unless it is online somewhere. I've seen that particular program on We a number of times. Never heard them mention any place for comments.

Mark, is there such a place that you know of or they mentioned to you? BTW, congrats on the expose'. I'll be watching it with interest

[groovlstk]

This could get interesting. 

We just saw a commercial on TV and the commentator said, "For some girls, this is their ticket out." 

My wife and I both got a little nervous after hearing that line, but I know that doesn't fit our story or John and Tanya's story.  I just don't know what the girls in Odessa told them.  We'll find out soon enough I suppose.

mark

Good luck on this, Mark.

I'd caution anyone to be careful in dealing w/journalists. Often feature stories like this are pitched to managing editors with a predetermined outcome even before a reporter does anything more than cursory research.

[Law]

Mmmm, I was actually at the guided tour that this crew shot at. EVERY journalist has an agenda. We'll all see what theirs was in a few short hours.

[Faux Pas]

Mmmm, I was actually at the guided tour that this crew shot at. EVERY journalist has an agenda. We'll all see what theirs was in a few short hours.

Kewl! So we actually have two separate brushes with greatness here on the forum all in the same show

[groovlstk]

Mmmm, I was actually at the guided tour that this crew shot at. EVERY journalist has an agenda. We'll all see what theirs was in a few short hours.

A good journalist will make sure that both sides of an issue are represented and will adjust the focus of their story based on the material they mine during the interview/research phase. When it comes to entertainment or lifestyle segments like this, these considerations are out the window.

If a good journalist worked on story like this, they would provide segments and commentary by happily married couples in addition to lurid stories about gold diggers and controlling men. At the end of the segment, a reasonable person should understand that while MOB stereotypes exist, every couple deserves to be judged on their own merits.

I have yet to see a TV feature on this that was done with these standards in mind, and that's because to the vast majority of TV audiences, this subject simply isn't serious enough to merit much beyond lurid stories and sexy women.

[boaterguy]

Thought I would let everyone know, I checked and it is playing a 10PM ET here in the Southeast!

[boaterguy]

My Impression? Looks like a paid advertisement for foreign affair. To the OP... Hmmmm lets see after 5 years or so.

This may not be the place...but as to age gap marriages, How selfish is it to marry someone so much younger than you knowing the odds are 90+% you will be leaving her a widow in the middle of her adult life?

[pitbull]

My Impression? Looks like a paid advertisement for foreign affair. To the OP... Hmmmm lets see after 5 years or so.

This may not be the place...but as to age gap marriages, How selfish is it to marry someone so much younger than you knowing the odds are 90+% you will be leaving her a widow in the middle of her adult life?

Do they say on the show how old Mark Davis is? His beautiful wife is 20 I believe...

[Law]

My Impression? Looks like a paid advertisement for foreign affair. To the OP... Hmmmm lets see after 5 years or so.

This may not be the place...but as to age gap marriages, How selfish is it to marry someone so much younger than you knowing the odds are 90+% you will be leaving her a widow in the middle of her adult life?

I haven't seen the show yet, but I'm looking forward to checking it out. A paid ad to AFA? haha, no doubt there was some of that since they let the camera crew crash their party.

Re: Age diff- I've got mixed feelings about large age difference. On one hand I think that if two people are in love then let them be. On the other hand, while I think it would be AWESOME to have a gal who was 15-20 years my junior I'd hate the idea of her nursing me in my sunset years only to live 10 to 20 years of her most difficult years without me.  But it's not like both of us are going to breath our last breath at the same time either no matter how close in age we are...

.... I think it comes down to what people want.

[GQBlues]

If a good journalist worked on story like this, they would provide segments and commentary by happily married couples in addition to lurid stories about gold diggers and controlling men. At the end of the segment, a reasonable person should understand that while MOB stereotypes exist, every couple deserves to be judged on their own merits.

I have yet to see a TV feature on this that was done with these standards in mind, and that's because to the vast majority of TV audiences, this subject simply isn't serious enough to merit much beyond lurid stories and sexy women.

Actually there was one I saw just recently groov. It was made by NatGeo. Maybe it's just me but there's been quite a few of these features (mail order bride) popping out of the cable channels lately.

I saw the show. Nicely done though it looks more like a really nice spin for John's company. Too bad they had to block-out the faces of the men who attended the socials    Seem rather silly considering they didn't block-out any of the women's faces.

Oh well, I suppose this was good for AFA. John was nice enough to me and my wife when we met him and Tanya.

[Law]

Ah, I saw these on Hulu, but they're just the teasers...
http://www.hulu.com/search?query=secret+women+mail+orddr+brides&st=0

(nevermind...)

[Mark Davis]

WOW!  Or should I say, WHEW!  You can imaging what it was like sitting on our living room couch with my wife and son - watching together - and wondering what this experience would be like. 

As a quick matter of personal opinion - I'm just delighted that they gave the women a true non-judgmental voice.  The good and bad was spoken with clarity - but all in the light of their individual life experiences and perspectives.  This has never been done before that I'm aware of. 

Now, perhaps a true non-judgmental dialog can begin through the greater media and population at large.

I just discovered that the episode IS FOR SALE RIGHT NOW on iTunes.  It's only $1.99 to download.

Personally, I think our industry and movement needed this - and it was the women who got it done.

Mark & Anna
www.ID4M.com

[CariocaUS]

I caught the show and it made me want to look into what these Russian women were all about. I am not sure if I am ready to enter into a relationship or online dating or anything but I will stay on here to learn more. Thanks for posting.