ABC pulls ‘Neighborhood’ series after protests

By Cynthia Littleton

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Under pressure from abroad coalition of advocacy groups ranging from the Gay andLesbian Alliance Against Defamation to the conservative FamilyResearch Council, ABC has decided to shelve its six-episodereality series “Welcome to the Neighborhood,” which had beenscheduled to debut July 10.

“Neighborhood” was designed as a provocative look atattitudes in America’s heartland by having white residents of asuburban cul-de-sac near Austin choose their new neighbors froma group of seven families from disparate backgrounds. Thecontestant families range from a gay couple with an adopted sonto large families of Asian, black and Hispanic descent to awhite pagan family that “worships several gods,” according topromotional materials for the show.

The contestants were vying to win a 3,300-square-foot,four-bedroom home on the cul-de-sac.

In a statement issued late Wednesday, ABC said it opted toyank the show out of concern that the first few episodes wouldleave viewers with the skewed impression that the threecul-de-sac families selected to choose their new neighbors wereutterly intolerant of outsiders.

“Our intention with ‘Welcome to the Neighborhood’ was toshow the transformative process that takes place when peopleare forced to confront preconceived notions of what makes agood neighbor, and we believe the series delivers exactlythat,” the statement said. “However, the fact that true changeonly happens over time made the episodic nature of this serieschallenging, and given the sensitivity of the subject matter inearly episodes, we have decided not to air the series at thistime.”

GLAAD was among the first organizations to raise concernslast month about the show and its depiction of the gay couple,identified by GLAAD as Steven and John Wright, and theiradopted son, who is black. One of the families selected tochoose the neighbors was described by the show as “devotedChristians” who sought “new neighbors with a similar focus anddirection in their lives.” The Family Research Council objectedto the portrayal of the Christian family.

In a statement Wednesday, GLAAD entertainment mediadirector Damon Romine said the gay and lesbian advocacy grouphad “mixed feelings” about ABC’s decision to table”Neighborhood.”

“The producers’ stated intentions for the show areadmirable. But an effort to promote tolerance that requires therejection of five families in order to transform the attitudesof the homeowners seems unnecessarily cruel and insensitive,given the circumstances families like these encounter in reallife,” Romine said. “We hope ABC finds another approach toadvance the cause of understanding that doesn’t send mixedmessages by using exclusion to make a point about inclusion.”

“Neighborhood” was produced by MGM’s now-defunct TVdivision, New Screen Concepts and executive producers TonyMarsh and Jay Blumenfield. A rep for New Screen Conceptsdeclined comment while reps for Marsh and Blumenfield did notreturn calls.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter