Jerry O’Connell knows that the first title for his talk show wasn’t inclusive

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Last month, it was announced that Bravo stan Jerry O’Connell was getting his own talk show on the network, Real Men Watch Bravo. According to a press release the show will “offer unprecedented access to the male point of view pertaining to all things Bravo and entertainment.”

After the title of the show was revealed, the backlash started, with critics saying the show’s title was not inclusionary. The 44-year-old actor told PEOPLE that he felt the criticism was “justified,” adding:

“You know, we were trying to make a joke, a play on the words Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, New York, so it was called the aforementioned title.”

“And it doesn’t sound very inclusionary that title,” he continued. “You know, we all have Twitter accounts — and we heard everyone’s voices.”

[Via PEOPLE]

The show has been renamed and is now called Bravo’s Play by Play. Jerry says the title was changed “immediately,” and admitted, “We are inclusionary ‘AF.’ And we want people to know that.”

Despite the name change, the format for the late night talk show is still the same, with a bunch of dudes talking about the Real Housewives and such. Inclusionary or not, are you going to give the show a shot?

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42 Responses to “Jerry O’Connell knows that the first title for his talk show wasn’t inclusive”

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  1. Birdie says:

    People get worked up over everything.

  2. Runcmc says:

    They show that they listen to their viewers and are adaptable to change so… I don’t see a reason to NOT watch! The first title just sounds like they failed at being funny, which isn’t the end of the world.

  3. Clare says:

    That they needed twitter to tell them that title was problematic, is bizarre to me. Surely Bravo is run by a team of experienced professionals who should already know this would be a problem? Or, you know, anyone over the age of 16 that doesn’t live under a rock? Weird.

    • Esmom says:

      Lol, good point.

    • Mo' Comments Mo' Problems says:

      Sounds like any office outside TV Land: an experienced person may have advised or brought it up, but got shot down because someone at a higher level (with an archaic mind) thinks otherwise.

  4. Elle says:

    Can you please articulate what, exactly, makes this series of only four words not inclusive (which has a barely serious definition as it is already)? All you’ve done is speak for a whole people and assert that we should all find it troubling. There’s barely enough verbiage here to call this article.

    • manda says:

      I think people were upset about the “Real Men” part of the title, seems pretty obvious but maybe I’m wrong? I would think that this might put some people off, the implication that only “real” mean matter for that purpose. I mean, whatever, it doesn’t offend me, but I can see people thinking it’s slightly effed up

    • Esmom says:

      Um isn’t it “men?”

    • Neelyo says:

      In the context of how the show was advertised, Real Men were straight men. Bravo already has a large male audience who watches their shows but they are primarily gay men. This show is for the straight, i.e. real men.

      It’s an old stereotype and phrase that’s been used a lot.

      • Esmom says:

        Ah, got it. I guess I’ve never thought about the makeup of Bravo’s audience. That makes sense and it was indeed a pretty sh^tty name then. Thanks.

      • tealily says:

        Doesn’t the change then imply that gay men aren’t “real” men? This whole thing is so stupid.

      • That makes perfect sense, Neelyo. That was my first thought, just what is a “real man?”

    • Clare says:

      To me, the troubling part of the title is the perpetuation of the toxic idea of ‘real’ men and that the implication (intentional or otherwise) that some men aren’t enough in themselves to be considered ‘real men’.

  5. Nija says:

    Ohmygod, not every show needs to be for everyone. This was just dumb, if the show is about men talking about bravo the name can be men watch bravo.
    Or should we rename all the housewives shows too? why do people care ?? Only in the US i guess.

  6. Who ARE these people? says:

    Inclusionary is not a word. The host must have meant inclusive.

  7. Lucy2 says:

    I have zero interest in the housewives series, so I certainly will not be watching a show discussing them. But glad they actually listened to the feedback and made an appropriate change.

  8. manda says:

    I have always thought he was so cute!

    I get the attempt to make a joke and that it failed. I get that sometimes when you are too close to something, you might not be able to see it’s sort of awful until you step away or hear what others think. I doubt I’ll check this out but not for any hater reason. I just think we have a glut of shows like this and I just don’t care about the Bravo shows, or the E! shows, or any of the random reality shows out there, like, at all. (Although, I think Project Runway is returning to Bravo! For that, I will tune in. I love Tim Gunn!!!) Instead, I watch every mystery show on netflix

    • Esmom says:

      Same. I’d tune in for Project Runway, too! I wonder why it’s switching back.

      As for mystery shows, anything good to recommend? I watched about 3/4 of the series Safe and then just lost interest. I think I’m in the minority but I’m just not a fan of Michael C Hall.

      • manda says:

        Yes, it def has something to do with the Weinstein thing. I know Project Runway is but a shadow of its former glory, but I still just love it.

        Mystery shows/cop dramas: If you like grit/edge/creepy criminals, then check out Luther. Broadchurch is also pretty good that, and Marcella. If you like things more like, one episode per story, check out Midsomer Murders, Father Brown, or Death in Paradise. I am currently really enjoying Miss Fisher mysteries. The guy that created that Safe show (which I have not checked out) has another netflix show called The Five, which I thought was really good. Retribution was pretty good too.

      • Anners says:

        @Esmom I cosign the shows Mandy suggested and give you Peaky Blinders (not mystery really, but so so good!), Fargo, and Scott & Bailey (2 strong female detectives). I also quite liked Happy Valley (I love British telly). Anyone have any other good tv ideas? I just rewatched Brooklyn Nine Nine for the umpteenth time and need a new binge 🙂

      • Esmom says:

        Thanks, manda and Anners. I don’t watch much TV, clearly, since I haven’t seen any of the ones you’ve recommended except for part of Fargo.

        As for my own recs, The Leftovers was one of my favorites in recent memory. And I love Better Call Saul. For a more mindless binge, I liked Bloodline on Netflix. Such a great cast.

    • Naomi11 says:

      I think PR is returning to Bravo, b/c , if I’m not mistaken, that a-hole Harvey Weinstein owns Lifetime. Something along those lines.

      • lobstah says:

        I think Harvey’s company bought PR and started a bidding war, and lifetime beat out bravo for the rights…?

  9. Naomi11 says:

    Why on earth is he getting a show? WTF?

  10. Neelyo says:

    I’m disappointed in all of the ‘get over it’ comments. if the show had a title that was coded in such a way to offend women or another group of minorities I think some of you would be much more upset.

    I’ve heard for most of my life that I’m not a ‘real man’ because of my sexuality. I don’t give a shit about some stupid Bravo show but I understand why it’s wrong and I’m sad that more people here don’t get that.

    • Anners says:

      I hear you Neelyo – it wouldn’t have been so offensive if they had some openly gay men on the panel (I think they were trying to go for “real – ie non toxic – men can be in touch with their feelings “, but instead it came across as gay, trans, or bi men are not real men, perpetuating toxic masculinity norms).

      Hopefully we’re getting better at listening to people when they say that the language chosen is hurtful. I’m glad they listened and changed it.

    • Mo' Comments Mo' Problems says:

      Neelyo–thank you for being open enough to share your disappointment–it’s way better than how I would word it about being coded.

  11. Nacho_friend says:

    He needs a talk show but with more content than this sounds. Daytime or late night mainstream!!! I loved the week he took over the Wendy Williams show hahaha

  12. DesertReal says:

    People are ridiculous.
    People didn’t get up in arms over Real Women Have Curves in 2002. It didn’t get lambasted for not being inclusive towards the thinner crowd. Skinny people weren’t up in arms over the implication that somehow they weren’t “real” for not being “curvy.”
    Play by Play had a stupid title, it still does have a stupid title (a play on sports instead of the Real Housewives franchise) and its likely going to be a silly show.
    That being said, my husband and I love Atlanta, and Potomac (and NY and Dallas are pretty entertaining too) so I’ll probably check it out while I work out lol

    • eto says:

      They did get up in arms about it and skinny people still go after that type of wording (rightfully so) but try to imagine…just for a second, that the culture that existed 16 years ago in 2002 is possibly different than that of today Aug. 9, 2018. Can you believe?

      • DesertReal says:

        I was all over AIM, MySpace, early blogs, news, and everything in between when I was 17 (back in 2002). Has the social climate changed since then? Yes.
        Do I have any recollection of what your talking about? No.
        Hard to imagine, right?
        Harder still to think about not having a knee-jerk reaction to every single thing that comes across our line of sight.
        Unbelivable.

  13. Tallia says:

    I didn’t see a problem with the original title. You keep the title and then make sure that EVERY man is represented (straight, gay, trans, bi, cis, etc.) because, well…those are REAL men in my mind.

    • Bella says:

      Forget It. It is too effing frustrating trying to post something to this site! I’ll go somewhere that actually seems to appreciate having community members.

  14. Nicole says:

    I guess I’m too blase about this whole thing. Let the man live. Dudes watch bad reality TV. Good for them.

  15. Ravine says:

    The first title was cringey. Anything related to “real men” or “man cards” or “man caves” is embarrassing, I find. It makes men sound like boys playing in a clubhouse, and it’s just tired at this point. “Bravo Play by Play” is WAY better.