My Big Fat Favorite Trainwreck

I have a new love in terms of reality television. At least until the start of the new season of Toddlers and Tiaras, that is. Have any of you see My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding? You need to, pronto, because it is possibly the most giddily ridiculous thing I've ever seen. Even more ridiculous than my my favorite episode of Outrageous Kid Parties and Lady Gaga's meat dress combined. For reals.

Now, unfortunately, I didn't take notes, so this won't be like a true recap, but I'm going to give you the run-down and the basics of what's been shown so far. MBFGW is a UK show highlighting the awesomeness of Romani gypsies and Irish Travellers. The basics: they're devout Catholics, which surprised the bajeezus out of me, considering their reputation for shenanigans and some other things I'll get to. But basically, the big moments in their lives are Chistenings, First Communions, and weddings. I mean, they go alllll out for this stuff. Second: it's a man's world. The women are expected to be housewives and travel at the whim of their husbands. Third: they really are fairly nomadic, yet they sometimes settle for years. However, even when settled, their homes are mobile. And get this: they don't believe in having toilet facilities in their homes. So they live in pottiless trailers. Lastly: because of their religious convictions, they don't believe in pre-marital boot-knocking, and they tend to marry young. Young as in, one girl was 20 and was "relatively old" to be getting married.

So how are these gypsies any more interesting than your average semi-homeless God fearing people? I present you with photographic evidence.

This first wedding dress actually has LED lights and motorized butterflies in it and weighed about 70 pounds. The dress maker was so worried about it catching on fire that she carried around a fire extinguisher for good measure. Thankfully it wasn't needed.



These next two one make a Pnina Tornai dress look semi tame. And this wasn't the half of it. In one episode, the bridesmaids literally walked down the aisle in what appeared to be costumes from an adult store, complete with corsets and thigh-high stockings. Adult women and little girls alike are frequently seen dancing very provocatively in revealing clothes, a term which I'm using very loosely. Which is ironic, since everything is skin-tight, cropped and see-through. And this attire isn't seen only at the events - it's all the time. The little girls told the camera in one episode that they learned their moves from hip hop on the telly. Awesome. It's basically like Toddlers and Tiaras on crack.

And speaking of kiddos, here's a First Communion Gown. The poor kid couldn't even walk in it.

I'm totally baffled by the contradiction between good wholesome values on paper and the reality of a society of hooker impersonators drowning in taffeta. Each episode is more ridiculous and over-the-top than the last. Seventy pound gowns, snow owl ring bearers, party buses, Cinderella carriages. Parties that last three days. It's all just... insane. And I, of course, am totally in reality TV trainwreck heaven.