# MARRIED BY AMERICA??? The institution of marriage is dead! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 3, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750 "2003-03-03T14:28:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/1 "2003-03-03T14:28:52Z")
I cannot fucking believe this is real. FOX has sunk to a new low. How is this even legal??? This may have been done before, but for those who haven’t heard: FOX’s new show, _Married by America_, will have male and female ‘contestants’ who will marry each other, as voted on by the idiot members of the viewing public who would actually tune in to this crap. Marriage is now, officailly, a hollow sham. Killed by FOX. They don’t even meet before they are voted on. [I can’t fucking believe it!!!](http://extratv.warnerbros.com/dailynews/extra/02_03/02_28c.html) ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/2 "2003-03-03T14:34:30Z")
Well, there goes the arguement that allowing homosexuals to marry will devalue the institution of marriage. Damn it, now I have to give up that cherished notion. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/3 "2003-03-03T14:35:03Z")
I’d say it would be legal. > [@](#): > > “In different parts of the world, in Japan and India, people get together in marriages. They’ve been put together by their family and friends and it actually turns out that they’re happy.” And this is different from arranged marriages – how?? Why not turn love and romance and happy-ever-after into a ratings commodity? They’ve done it to just about everything else, haven’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/4 "2003-03-03T14:35:12Z")
What’s worse is, UPN is going up against it with “Killed by America” in which viewers will vote on which one of twelve people is to be stoned to death by the others! ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/5 "2003-03-03T14:39:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Legomancer \* > \*\*What’s worse is, UPN is going up against it with “Killed by America” in which viewers will vote on which one of twelve people is to be stoned to death by the others! \*\* Hey, I’d watch that one! ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/6 "2003-03-03T14:41:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ice Wolf \* > \*\* And this is different from arranged marriages – how?? > > \*\* Because it’s done for the entertainment of the idiot masses. Decided by people who have no care for or no ties to the betrothed, and may want to fuck them up just to see what happens. ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/7 "2003-03-03T14:43:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dangerosa \* > \*\*Well, there goes the arguement that allowing homosexuals to marry will devalue the institution of marriage. You stole my comment. That is one sacred institution. Or perhaps, since we can’t get married and destroy the institution directly, it’s really 'Mos who are making all these shows, starting with _Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire_, in an effort to undermine the whole thing covertly. ---
**Author:** ![booka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e0b2c6/32.png) [@booka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booka)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/8 "2003-03-03T14:50:40Z")
Gutter networks. They are a disease. Thank God for DVDs and NetFlix. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/9 "2003-03-03T14:57:03Z")
_Divorced by America_, I imagine. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/10 "2003-03-03T15:20:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > \*\*Because it’s done for the entertainment of the idiot masses. Decided by people who have no care for or no ties to the betrothed, and may want to fuck them up just to see what happens. \*\* It’s _still_ a marriage by arrangement. In this case, by the arrangement of the advertising dollar. My comment was in reference to legality, BTW. Sorry for the vagueness. ---
**Author:** ![Darwins\_Finch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darwins_finch/32/20304_2.png) [@Darwins\_Finch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darwins_Finch)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/11 "2003-03-03T18:09:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Legomancer \* > \*\*What’s worse is, UPN is going up against it with “Killed by America” in which viewers will vote on which one of twelve people is to be stoned to death by the others! \*\* I vote for the Fox executive(s)! ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/12 "2003-03-03T18:52:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by spooje \* > \*\* the idiot members of the viewing public \*\* you seem rather informed about the show… For thought: Art is that which causes us to view the world differently, it both challenges our thinking and affirms it. The very fact that people are challenged emotionally by it makes the show and Avant Garde piece of art. As a student of human behavior, I find it fascinating that people do these things. Moreover, I think that watching the relationship progress given the circumstances will prove to be an interesting study on the effects of publicity, and boneheadedness in arranged marriage. Foxnetwork Foxnetwork make me a match find me a find catch me a catch… ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/13 "2003-03-03T19:42:41Z")
Well, then, abortion is art since it challenges people emotionally. so now i can say pro-lifers are pro-censorship also! ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/14 "2003-03-03T19:52:01Z")
From the drudge report: [This memo](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/marriedby1.html) makes the 8 weeks the contestants will spend there looking like prison time. No computers, phones, cell phones are allowed. They must be escorted at all times when they leave the hotel rooms they are sequestered to. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/15 "2003-03-03T20:07:32Z")
Somewhere at Fox Studios there is a little room where they keep a guy stoked on crack, cheap beer and internet porn. He’s the one that keeps coming up with these ideas. Hey if you’ve got a better theory… ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/16 "2003-03-03T20:11:18Z")
I saw the promos for this show last night during The Simpsons. I could only wonder: Will Fox have a “lifetime celibacy” option? ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/17 "2003-03-03T20:11:47Z")
Well, there you go. It’s art. ---
**Author:** ![greck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ab992/32.png) [@greck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/greck)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/18 "2003-03-03T20:19:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tars Tarkas \* > \*\*Well, then, abortion is art since it challenges people emotionally. so now i can say pro-lifers are pro-censorship also! \*\* THEY ARE! ok, maybe i wasn’t complete in my definition of art, but I’ll say the show’s more avant garde than impressionism! (flag on the play) “that’s 10 yards for the repeated use of a pretentious french term” ---
**Author:** ![swingchick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@swingchick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swingchick)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/19 "2003-03-03T20:42:42Z")
This whole idea makes me sick. ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2003, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750/20 "2003-03-03T21:06:07Z")
I’ve always wondered why more gay men and women don’t get married for the hell of it, or just for the tax benefits. Just get a rock-solid pre-nup and flaunt the system. I seem to recall Clive Barker and a lesbian commentator (don’t remember who) joking about doing this on Politically Incorrect a few years ago. Is there any kind of residency requirement or ‘marriage test’? For that matter, would (or could) a gay man and woman who were roommates end up as common-law at some point? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/married-by-america-the-institution-of-marriage-is-dead/158750.md?page=2)