Now that we know all about celebs' personal lives, let's dig up their ancestors

ava0775 Thu, Mar 13, 2008 at 08:52 PM EST

The Canadian version was fascinating and often poignant. We made a point to sit down as a family to watch this each week.

misty Wed, Mar 12, 2008 at 04:59 AM EST

What a completely stupid post. Has Gary Susman even seen Who Do You Think You Are before writing this stupid nonsense? The BBC programme isn't at all about "dishing the dirt" or finding skeletons in the closet. It is a lot more interesting and well-thought out than that and Pamela has left a very good comment explaining a little more about the series. Before passing judgement I suggest that the writer of this blog and the commenters actually watch the original programme.

BOTR Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 04:55 PM EST

No wonder NBC is in dire straits with all these reality shows that they keep putting on. When this show comes on, you know that the celebs that would be put "on the spot by revealing dish from their family trees" would be C and D-listers like most reality shows in the US that involves celebrities.

Snarf Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 04:43 PM EST

Nor would I want to.

Kami Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 04:42 PM EST

I think that it could be interesting. It is very much like PBS's African American Lives which was fascinating. They need to make the program a historical/ documentary type show and not some tabloid/ Access Hollywood thing and then it will be ok.

Kami Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 04:42 PM EST

I think that it could be interesting. It is very much like PBS's African American Lives which was fascinating. They need to make the program a historical/ documentary type show and not some tabloid/ Access Hollywood thing and then it will be ok.

vw Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 03:40 PM EST

I would be very interested in this show just because it's right up my alley of interest anyway. I really liked the PBS version and I'd love someone to do all that work and hand me the finished version!Especially if they found someone scandelous or involved in an important part of history. Of course I would care more about certain celebrities over others.

Pamela Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 02:19 PM EST

"Who Do You Think You Are", if the US producers follow the BBC's approach, is a fascinating program that uses the genealogy of a celebrity to highlight various aspects of social history. Anyone who has seen Stephen Fry's episode of the UK version will agree that it not only brings us the lives of "stars" in an interesting way but can be poignant and very moving.

The UK show has been responsible for a huge surge in interest in family history and genealogy there. I wouldn't be surprised if it had the same effect in the US.

josher Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 12:59 PM EST

The BBC version is great. True, you sometimes find out about a scandalous ancestor, but mostly it's just facinating so see who the person's ancestors were whehter it's a farmer or a politician or anyone else.

Heather Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 12:28 PM EST

Actually, it sounds interesting. Believe me, you'd be surprised what can be dug up in your family's history. There's a strong chance that my grandmother's line leads back to a pirate. A pirate! Come on! A pirate!

daisyj Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 12:10 PM EST

I don't think there's that much wrong with it, as long as they stick with the long-dead and don't go digging up dirt on some poor sap who just happens to be Matt Damon's third cousin. The celebrity hook is kind of annoying (couldn't they do this with just about anybody?) but who knows, it could be an interesting way to learn some history.

Nose Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 12:08 PM EST

We had this show in Canada too, and it was interesting. I mean, you'd have to have some sort of interest in the star being profiled, but I found it really intruguing to see them travel back to their ancestors' homes and unravel the mysteries of their families.

ToStephanie T Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 12:07 PM EST

The difference is that they are to find dirt on the acestors. Say, for example, we didn't know about Sally Hemmings and Thomas Jefferson. Don't you think this show would slobber over this tibet: "FOUND FATHER GOT IT ON WITH SLAVE!!!"

Katie Kruger Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 11:59 AM EST

What makes this any different than that special they have on PBS every once and again where the trace the ancestry of famous African-American? Is this different because we'll be learning about white people?

Katie Kruger Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 11:59 AM EST

What makes this any different than that special they have on PBS every once and again where the trace the ancestry of famous African-American?

Stephanie T. Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 11:56 AM EST

This show sounds a bit too esoteric. We already know that two actors Tom Hanks and Reese Witherspoon are related to famous Americans: Mary Todd Lincoln, and The Reverend John Witherspoon. My grandmother was somehow related to the most famous actor of the Yiddish theater, Jacob Adler. Still, I can't see this show being a hit.