It took the San Francisco Chronicle 18 days
Only 18 days later I am delighted to report that Stephen Fowler made it into a San Francisco newspaper:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/17/DDTL15T2OH.DTL&tsp=1
The article mentions the "viewing party" at the Fowler residence and that his friends were *supportive* whatever that means. Enjoy this pro-Fowler article by the San Francisco Comical.
I love their rotating headlines on the front page: Everyone loathes 'Swap' hubby, Swap Hubby Scorned and Hated Husband
ABC's recap is a very interesting read, especially the interview with Renee: http://abc.go.com/primetime/wifeswap/index?pn=recap#t=129325
And here is the rebuttal:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/2009/02/21/sf-chronicle-sanitizes-stephen-fowler-hateful-elitism-wife-swap
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/02/17/DDTL15T2OH.DTL&tsp=1
The article mentions the "viewing party" at the Fowler residence and that his friends were *supportive* whatever that means. Enjoy this pro-Fowler article by the San Francisco Comical.
I love their rotating headlines on the front page: Everyone loathes 'Swap' hubby, Swap Hubby Scorned and Hated Husband
ABC's recap is a very interesting read, especially the interview with Renee: http://abc.go.com/primetime/wifeswap/index?pn=recap#t=129325
And here is the rebuttal:
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/p-j-gladnick/2009/02/21/sf-chronicle-sanitizes-stephen-fowler-hateful-elitism-wife-swap
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. If the comments attributed to Mr. Fowler are accurate, I am not surprised. Many, if not most, people around here think exactly like Mr. Fowler and make the same comments among friends. San Francisco residents are elitist, close-minded individuals whose views are accurately reflected by Mr. Fowler's comments.
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There's a difference between being snobbish and being sociopathically abusive.
There's a difference between making elitist comments among friends and ramming them down some poor woman's throat the way he did.
There's a difference between being a snob and spitting in the faces of the military that keeps him safe to sleep at night - though I'm sure he'd like better protection at his hjome right about now.
Those differences are the reason that people are still hostile towards this elitist, abusive jerk. He needs to learn the difference, and learn it quick. If he thinks everybody is going to forget about him, he's sorely mistaken. Most will, but a few won't shrug his insults off so easily.
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Well, one of the things our military fights and sacrififes to protect is our Freedom of Speech. Trying to ruin somebody's life because of something they said is kind of saying that basic freedom that the soldiers are fighting for isn't very important.
Plus, this show was contrived and edited for this very effect. Here's an example: If you watch that show, you'll be under the impression that the Longs live way out in the middle of Missouri, out in the sticks where there are 55 people and little else. In reality, the Longs live less than five miles from Kansas City, right next door to the Ameristar Casino. You can probably see the KC skyline from their house. KC is a very big city, not as big as NY or SF, mind you, but it's a major metropolis, and the average person here is not the stereotypical redneck that the Longs were portrayed to be, just like the average San Franciscan is not the stereotypical elitist like the Fowlers were portrayed as.
Something else I realized when re-watching the show, Gayla Long criticized the Fowler's worldview almost every time she spoke to Fowler on the show. She's sitting in the kitchen eating some food, Fowler comes in, and she asks him why they have to work out in the morning. Couldn't they do it some other time? Fowler says little and walks out, and she says, "I think Stephen's very disrespectful. I'm just trying to have small talk, and he pretty much blew me off." She wasn't making small talk at all, she was criticizing the way he raises his children, for the umpteenth time. Look at the way Mr. Long treated Renee. Giving her grief about the laundry, making faces at her, being hostile, when she was genuinely trying to help that family, and she did.
The Longs got a lot out of the swap. In addition to the $50,000, they've started becoming more educated and cultured and are eating healthier, which is worth a lot more than $50,000.
This mentality of "Let's destroy Stephen Fowler" is really unwarranted given that fact.
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For the record, Kansas City is a medium sized metropolitan city with a population of almost 2 million in almost 8000 square miles. The city of San Francisco has a population of about 800,000 in just over 46 square miles. Comparing just the cities Kansas City is considerably bigger than San Francisco.
If you factor in the greater San Francisco bay area (population about 3,000,000 or so) I would say Kansas City and the San Francisco Bay Area are comparable in size.
As a resident of San Francisco who has only just heard about this story I have to say i'm embarrassed by the poor image of my city that Stephen Fowler has helped perpetuate. And i'm sorry to hear that many people think that this behavior is typical of the residents of my town.
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Agreed.
City size is no excuse for narrow-minded. it does not matter if you live in Kansas or SF.
narrow-minded people wreck it for everyone.
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There is a big difference between "criticizing" the time of day someone works out or does laundry and repeatedly tearing down everything about them including; a) the way they talk, b) the way they look, c) they level of education they have, d) where they live, e) anything else they can latch onto that has nothing to do with the inherent qualities of that person or the content of their character. He was not trying to enlighten her to a better way of living; he was trying to make himself look superior. In doing so he clearly demonstrated that he in fact is the lower of the two on the larger scale of humanity. No one here is destroying this man, he did that quite well himself by displaying his enormous ego and extremely antisocial behavior for anyone with a television or computer to view. That he didn't realize he would suffer for his behavior is further testament to his lack of understanding of what acceptable behavior looks like. I work in SF and have family in Kansas City. I can tell you none of the stereotypes broadly discussed here are universal truths in either place. I can agree with Leigh Ann on one point and that is that stereotypes are unfair and untrue.
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Leigh Ann,
If you watched the show carefully, you would have noticed that the Fowler family gets up at 3:30 am to work out. Any normal person would question the necessity of this. She was there to get the family to make some changes, and I never once heard her criticize the children, but instead, question the way they were being reared (like she was supposed to, since she was on the show). And Gayla's husband, while unhappy about the laundry, never gave Rene grief about it. He told the cameras, not her.
If you think that the Longs got so much out of the swap, consider how you would feel being bullied and harrassed constantly for a week or two, and humiliated publicly on television? Is that worth whatever positive they got out of it?
Why do you patronage this site, if you feel it is so horrible? To tell everyone else what to do?
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Nope. I patronize this site to carry the banner of my country and my religion. My country stands for freedom of speech, and my religion stands for forgiveness. If anybody told me two weeks that I'd be on the internet calling for the forgiveness of Stephen Fowler, I would not have believed it. I spoke out against the man on the ABC boards the night of the show, and then pretty much forgot about it until I saw it on the front page of Yahoo.
And, yes, I'm pretty sure the abuse that Gayla Long suffered was worth it in the long run. There's a better chance now that the members of that family won't die prematurely from their fast-food-only diet, and their lives have been improved by having their eyes opened to education and culture. Definitely worth it.
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Name one episode where the husband verbally abused the visiting wife. I don't mean criticize or get upset. I mean deliver an unrelenting torrent of personal attacks on appearance, social status, education, geographical location, grammar, vocabulary, income level and all of the other so-called shortcomings Stephen Fowler perceived. If this had been a person with poor self esteem it would have destroyed them. No one on any message board or blog could do a fraction of the damage to Mr. Fowler than he did to himself by just showing what kind of person he is to anyone caring to watch. You defend him and decry people's outrage as if he were somehow marginally acceptable. If he and his family don't want to hear the critics they can simply avoid the websites. People that harrass the family by going by their house or trying to contact him are simply wrong and do not represent the vast majority of people that want to talk about how elitism, snobbery and egotism can manifest in our society. I think it is a good thing to call it what it is and I am impressed by the outrage. It gives me hope for our jaded society. The fringe that want to personally harrass the family really have nothing to do with that discussion and have problems of their own.
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Lynne, we actually AGREE on something. Bravo! I agree with you on this!
I still HATE SF though. However, my dentist is still there, and he's the best - FYI, Dr. George Markle at..450 Sutter. We still see him. My hometown dentist just doesn't compare!
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Mrs. E,
I am sure we agree on many things. I have stars in my eyes for SF and probably always will. The stars block out the ugliness and I seek out the people that make me feel good and I pretty much ignore the rest. There's plenty of places I would never live either and some might be places you love. I've lived in 7 states and very briefly (18 months) in Italy--albeit all as a child and I still like SF best and will always consider it home.
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Children's Protective Services should investigate these idiot parents for child abuse. In fact, I am going to call CPS right now. what is the guys home address so that my complaint will have merit?
Jerry
Pensacola, FL
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He's not hard to find. Just google him.
Better yet, when you turn him in, direct them to the episode of the show. They might pooh-pooh it, but law requires an investigation of every report. If his treatment of those children on the show is how they really get treated in real life, CPS will intervene. They don't just remove children from homes. Most often, they appoint caseworker and a guardian ad litem. Probably the best thing that ever happened to them. They need an advocate that has only their well-being in mind.
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Renee, sorry I mean Leigh Ann, it is very interesting how you focus on the annoying personality traits (which are typical for wife swap) of the Long family, while you are completely ignoring Stephen's abusive behavior. You even covered your head while your hubby was speaking during the final talk. Sorry, I meant Renee's husband.
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Dude, you're wasting your breath. Renee is just as bad as Stephen is. She buys into his bullsh*t and thinks, like he does, that her sh*t doesn't stink. She cares only for herself and has no intention whatsoever of doing a single thing to improve her children's lives. She might have been embarassed at the meeting, but she's done NOTHING since then to show that she's learned a single thing about what sort of a monster he is. She's a lost cause and, sadly, so are those little hostages they call children.
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Sure, he's got the freedom to be a sociopathic Smuck. That's what freedom is all about. We also have the freedom to call him on it. If he can't handle that, he needs to keep his fetid gob shut in the first place.
There's a difference between challenging the other family's lifestyle (which is the point of the show) and being abusive (which Fowler was). If you can't grasp that difference, I have to wonder if you're one of the Fowlers in here under a fake name.
If the Longs have benefitted from the show, bravo. That's the point of the show. The Fowlers clearly haven't, since they've learned nothing and done absolutely nothing to improve their lives or the lives of the children. Given THAT fact, the Fowlers deserve every bit of backlash they're getting.
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"fetid gob"...I like it and just might find a use for that phrase in the future!
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"fetid gob" ...now that's just good writing. Kudos.
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Biding
Can you please explain to me why my friend in SF with same name "deserves" the same "backlash?" He's also being harassed by self-righteous folks like you. By turning up the hate you are hurting innocent people and behaving just like the swapper. See my earlier comment about this.
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Your friend in SF with a similar name doesn't deserve the abuse. I've already said so on another thread.
The only person I have a problem with is Stephen Fowler himself. Maybe his wife, for refusing to shelter her children from this socialpathic sh*thead's warped and abusive views on child rearing. I've never encouraged anybody to punish your friend or anybody else, verbally or in any other way.
Please don't put words in my mouth or insinuate something I haven't done.
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Biding
But when you say the swapper deserves the backlash, you are encouraging folks to participate in that backlash. I fully believe that you mean my friend no harm, nor have you directly encouraged it. But this site is making my friend's life hell. And to the extent you are encouraging the mob mentality here, you are make his situation worse. That may not be your intention, but that is the result. Unintended consequences are still consequences.
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Dude, I understand where you're coming from, but you can't blame me or this site for the trouble that your friend is having. Only one guy's responsible for starting it. I'm sorry the wrong guy is getting grief. He doesn't deserve it. All I can say is that maybe your friend should set up a voice mail that says "I'm not the Stephen Fowler that appeared on Wife Swap" and screen his calls. I really hope it gets better for him.
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Biding-
You are like someone who looks out and sees that someone has set your trash on fire. Then you go out and start throwing gasoline everywhere. When the neighbors house catches fire you object when he blames you. The swapper started the fire and this site is fanning the flames - neither is exhibiting RESPONSIBLE behavior. Folks here are so obsessed with putting an asshole they don't know in his proper place that they are willing to fuck up another family's life. That's morally bankrupt - wake up to your own culpability. Is what happens here making the situation better or worse? The swapper may have thrown the first punch, but this bunch sure seems to enjoy a brawl that hurts innocent folks. Ethically what is the right move - encouraging the brawl or trying to stop it? You seem to favor the former.
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Your friend might get the other Fowlers information and put it on his answering machine, a la "I am not SF of Wife Swap, I also think he's a jerk, please find him here". Easy to get the other guy's info from other sources - zaba, 411, dexknows, etc, and just put it on and don't answer the phone.
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Actually that doesn't work very well. The crazy-haters (and there are so many it makes you loose faith in humanity)just get more pissed off thinking the swapper is hiding behind the outgoing message because he obviously is a liar - as evidenced here. The machine fills up, you hear the hate messages being left, friends can't get a hold of you. And all for what - so a bunch of self-righteous idiots can vent their own twisted hate and feel smugly superior to an asshole? How would you feel if your daughter came home checked the machine and came across threats to kill you and your family? I'm guessing not good.
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I'd get a cell number or change my mobile number with the provider and that would be that. And I'd have my friends ring me on my mobile, with particular rings (you can do that). Your friend can go to any ATT store and get a go phone for about $25 a month and do that. I used to have a go phone because I didn't use the phone often. And I'd tell my friends and family & important people they can reach me on my mobile, and I'd turn off my landline.
And I'd make sure my daughter had a go phone as well.
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Wow 2 or three phones at $25/month? You might consider that not everyone is as financially well off as you. Especially in these times.
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Then get just one phone and disconnect the landline. Simple.
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Dude, I don't know what language you want it in. I do not encourage anybody to harass or abuse your friend. Nobody here wants the wrong guy to get grief. We're here to say what we think of the Stephen Fowler that was on Wife Swap. Nobody here enjoys that the wrong guy is getting caught up in the backlash. Unlike Stephen Fowler who doesn't care who he hurts.
If people are giving your friend a hard time, it is the responsibility of the person who's making that mistake. Period. Take it up with them. Stop blaming me and this site for thair mistake.
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So why are you here? A fair number of posters seem just as bad as the swapper. Until I bumbled into this site I never believed so many people could harbor this amount of ugliness inside them. What attracts you to repeatably come here?
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Dude, seriously? You're kidding right? You've clocked as much time on this site as anybody else.
One or two posts shows us you're concerned about your friend. To keep coming back againg and again, day after day, complaining and whining shows us that you're just another troll. I'll tell you what I told the other troll, if you're not the same guy..
Stop being an attention whore. You're not clever, you're not witty (repeatably? Come ON). You're not even interesting enough to be boring any more.
Tell your friend to get an answering machine. Problem solved.
Buh-Bye.
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Leigh Ann,
The Longs may be 5 miles from Kansas City, but try Google Earth to get a good look at their town. It is obviously not "city" life. Has the city grown out to their area? Their town has a very rural look to it compared to some of the more typical houses and neighborhoods. I have a feeling the city has crept out in their direction. Were Alan and Gayla raised in rural areas? My aunt and uncle lived on a farm just a few miles outside of a major city, but they both had grown up on farms and continued to live that life - even though they would zip into the malls, restaurants, etc. - they were still farm people.
Ironic that the Fowlers claim to be "tree huggers", but it is the Longs who live in an area that has kept far more trees and vegetation.
Gayla asked Stephen about exercising at some other time because it overlapped with time she thought should be spent with the children. Is that unfairly criticizing his "world view". It is a legitimate question.
Mr. Long was far better in his treatment of Renee than Fowler was of Gayla.
To suggest that the fact that the Longs picked up some good habits/direction from Renee excuses Fowler's terrible behavior is so far off the mark.
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Freedom of speech is applicable to everyone including the individuals that wish to express their opinion of this fawl man.
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As another local resident, I see this to a degree. Gayla was just an easy target in the larger, ongoing Bay Area game of upmanship. Some locals attach themselves to the "progressive" issues not because they're caring but because it plays well in their social circles. All too predictably, these "social climbers" emulate some in the socialite class who wear their philanthropy like a billboard. Fowler, with his snide remarks and shirts is just a debased, wannabe poseur of the original "progressive snob". We have lots of their type here in Marin--perhaps more than SF--people who generally strike me as more tolerant than my white-flight burb.
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Kurt, you are absolutely right about this. I sit on a few boards and watch this poseur behavior all too often. Their lives are like a checklist with real accomplishments replaced with the 'right' friends, clubs, social networks, cars and even spouses, pets and 'hobbies'- interests and activities chosen solely on the basis of how these may fulfill an image or another 'checkmark'. It's awkward and yet fascinating to watch. In Fowlers' case, a real environmentalist would simply practice his/her habits and show strictly by example. My parents are like that and we've lived this way for ever. I've been lucky to see first hand on how the real deal lives and works. Fowler's zeal is fraudulent.
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Thanks Victoria for the confirmation on what you see. Part of me wonders if I'm being an ass for saying this, but after years of putting up with this in business and social circles, I just want to leave and detox myself. California's once simple, upbeat culture has been twisted into a competition for those "checkmarks". So I admire anyone who can sit this through and wryly observe the tragicomedy unfold. The irony here will be as the VC dries up, these same poseurs' hardened attitudes will make the downturn acutely painful. I hope the lesson will sink in.
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Kurt,
I moved to SF from Detroit almost 4 years ago, and have come to fully understand the "checkmark" mentality. It's truly awful to observe, and San Francisco is rife with it. This phenomenon was off-putting at first, but sadly, I've grown accustomed to it. It seems like this behavior is the rule, not the exception around here, and in my opinion, social climbers and their ilk are the worst thing about living in SF. Unfortunately, I think it's just something you have to put up with if you want to live here.
That being said, San Francisco is a great place to live (albeit expensive as hell); there are plenty of things to see and do at all hours of the day. Then again, one of my favorite things to do is *leave* the city, and go up to Muir Woods, Point Reyes, etc.
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JB,
Years ago, I thought I could weather the worst of the SFBay culture. However, as time wore on I discovered the game-playing essentially hides a much larger issue: many people here never get past surface pleasantries because they're secretly terrified of showing any human weakness. Here, "success" has become the band-aid which heals all personal defects. So people claw after success to the degree everything else becomes secondary. I speak from the context of one who moved within the "tech entrepreneur" circles and life was good then for all the right, superficial reasons. However, if one finds ever themselves on the downside they may find far less support.
Many come here to succeed and so find ways to adapt, while others eventually find the culture inadequate to their larger goals in life. People give up far too much to live here, and become emotionally stunted by a slow, insidious process. I've seen it worm its way into my friends. It really depends on how the place affects you personally, and perhaps this is why Fowler outrages me so much: he personifies the bloodless, ultra-competitive elitism which I've grown to recognize and reject. But perhaps more practical, down-to-earth types can leave a good impression here? I wish you all luck, because I'm moving on.
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Kurt I can't stand them either. I'm a former SF person who lived there till 2005, I'm finally now in SoCo. PRAISE THE LORD, honestly. And Fowler types run rampant in SF, and I've heard they are in Marin, but I get along with Marinites a lot better than SF "Fowler" types, who proliferate in SF. I am so thankful we are out of there. I always say that I "escaped" SF.
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Hello fellow San Franciscans.
I am a US Citizen, born into a defunct Norman Baronial family in the UK, attended the prestigious Guildhall School under the Lord Mayor of London, The City of London Freemen's School. I grew up with plenty to be snobby and elitist about, which is the exact opposite of how I live with my lovely wife who hails from China from a high-cast Mandarin family and went to Harvard. We are highly educated and live in North Beach. We never force our views down other peoples' throats or look down on our rural and farming cousins in middle America, China or the UK. I grew up on farms and respect and love our red faced friendly country-folk. They are the salt of the earth. Stephen, has every right to his views but he comes of like a pretentious prick and is the typical "I know everything" obnoxious uneducated Englishman, who by professing his worldliness just shows how world-less he really is. His wife is the typical American woman that I and my wife would describe as a "man with tits" that shows the reason why I reject most San Francisco butch women be they straight or gay. I just don't sleep with men. SO they thoroughly deserve each other. They would make a dinner date one of the worst to remember, we won't be calling them to go to pizza with us. Sorry we would rather go out with the mid westerners, at least they are real and honest about their faults. Maybe the children can be rescued by LGBT social services and go and live with a nice transgender couple and get into Cabaret? These parents are scary wicked, more like a Nazi experiment for kids. I think this shows that the little prick Fowler would be an absolute joke in the UK especially London and the only reason he is hear is because he would be totally barfed on in the pub in Putney. She the educated wife of Fowler probably has a strap-on with Steven engraved on it. God knows what they do in the bedroom. Can you imagine. Rather! Oh Stick it in more Renee Stephens my lovely wife. And for her to talk about him come on Renee you are a closet glory hole cunt, you look as dirty and devious as they come. Well folks that wraps up my comments so lets look for these fools in Cole Valley and the Castro. Pity the Power Exchange is closed Stevie and Renee were probably regulars. Aurevoir
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OK Blueblood with poodle pedigree, I have a bone to pick with you. When you start with the vulgarity, you show yourself to be more Eurotrash, the likes of which we don't need here. So you don't like the "typical American woman" as being a "man with tits". Why the $%^#, are you here? More than half our population is American women. Sorry they don't walk paces behind you like your Chinese wife, you smug, arrogant jerk.
The sexual remarks about the Fowlers were completely unnecessary, and very pubescent.
You really are low class, maybe you can be deported with Stephen Fowler.
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Here Here,Mr&Mrs Fowler SELF exposed their mutual "we be SUPERIOR" mindset,well the Fowler's navel gazing bubble burst along with his UK accented "patina".
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I used to live in the Bay Area and have moved away but i still feel the same as Mr. Fowler about that sad family.
I think the way those kids are being raised is borderline child abuse.
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YOURE SO WRONG. San Francisco residents are NOTHING like fowler. I have lived IN San Francisco for 20 years and it is a beautiful warm people friendly city. (you state you are a "SF BAY ARE Resident"- how can you speak to what San Franciscans are really like?) FOWLER is EUROTRASH and his wife is an East Coast elitist. THEY REPRESENT NOTHING OF CALIFORNIA OR SAN FRANCISCO. His Treatment of Gayla was absurd, and he should be ashamed. Dont let this overeducated pompous couple give you bad impressions of San Francisco or California. Of course the show is loving this- they got people talking about it so the picked the most extreme case of personalities...
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I have lived in San Francisco for 14 years and I believe, as I have posted elsewhere, that the Fowlers expose the hypocrisy of liberal ideology, and that they perfectly represent the hypocrisy and narcissism of bourgeois liberals that populate San Francisco. Fowler is the giant white elephant sitting in the middle of the room that the bourgeois liberals of San Francisco want to ignore for they would have to come face to face with their own classist beliefs. To say that there is a not a lot of bashing of Midwestern and Southern people, along with workers --many people in San Francisco are very caught up with the title of being a "professional"-- is not only dishonest but delusional.
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Wow are you wrong. They are SF, that IS SF, and I lived in SF till 2005. Listen to yourself. You probably love "any two-some Newscum" as well and Chris Daly and all the other scummy carpetbaggers of SF.
I lived there most of my life, and 20 years is nothing. Fowler & wife are exactly the same type of carpetbagging scum that populates SF, and YOU know it.
There are some good people in SF, but they usually don't live in Noe Valley!
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I live in SF and I totally agree with this statement. I had to move here from NY for work, and I have never met so many closed-minded, self-righteous people as I have in my 2 years in SF. I spent 10 years working in NY, I went to school and worked in London for 5 years, I studied in Paris, & I'm a SoCal native. I'm not some uneducated American, like Fowler thinks most of us are. SF is a bubble of angry libs & dysfunctional freaks, who can't hack it anywhere else. What was Fowler's job? Sitting on some boards and jerking off about being "green"? What does his wife do? Take money from other hippies with credit cards and bounce around like a monkey "casting out energy"? These people are cons. Like so many SFers, they're all about image, artifice, in common parlance, BULLSHIT.
It's sad that such a pretty place is actually the country's toilet bowl. For a town that claims to be so open-minded and welcoming, it is outright hostile to anyone who doesn't share it's ideals. There is no exchange of ideas or tolerance here. There way or no way.
It's NOT shocking that the local press has paid little attention to this story. Fowler has fans here. His ilk run the papers, city govt,, etc. This is the same city who's Film Commissioner refused to let the USMC shoot a scene for a commercial on the Golden Gate Bridge because she "wouldn't have those baby killers on my bridge". A father and two sons were gunned down in cold blood by two illegal aliens with long criminal records, raising an outcry in the press all over CA, but it never even made the TV news here. Illegal criminals are just misunderstood victims. It's those evil middle Americans who should be chastised.
Sorry, I'm ranting, but if you want to live in a town that is overrun by vagrants, druggies, washed-up hippies who are trying to re-live 1968, then you may love it here. Fowler is just a sad example of so many selfish, self-indulgent, close-minded locals who claim to be open and intelligent, while really being pig-headed and more ignorant than the "average" Americans they feel superior to.
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If Fowler is so educated, let's see his bio. I wonder where he went to school.
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Mr. Fowler is disgusting!
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TFF.
"Hammed it up for the cameras". I'm sure his friends would have seen how pathetic that excuse was, especially after seeing Renee shake her head and cover up her face during the final meet, where Stephen repeats his insults.
But his friends were probably laughing it up anyway, focusing on the Midwesterners.
The one good thing about the article is that it mentions this website. Maybe someone will bother to come and find out more for themselves.
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This Fowler guy sounds like a real jerk. But it is somewhat more telling that people need to obsess about -one- jerk on -one- "reality" TV show. And anyone who would think he represents some significant portion of society is just as misled as those who would believe the stupid things Fowler said about another portion of society.
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The best comment on this page, well said!
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So, I've thought the sfgate coverage and sf blogs have been pretty anti-fowler actually.
This is a good example: http://bethspotswood.blogspot.com/2009/02/10-to-1-his-kid-turns-tranny.html
Anyway, I think he's more representative of a certain class of British douche than he is of a bay area snob. A real American-Bay-Area-Snob would never say that stuff to your face, they would save it all up and say it behind your back to amuse their friends.
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Well, I think you have something there about the "behind-the-back" things that go on is SF!!!
And I actually think that his children will probably turn out to be heroin addicts. I hope they will rise above their lame parents and see them for who they are, but we all know that SF is heroin central and the children of the upwardly mobile, haughtier-than-thou types that proliferate there DO have children that wind up on smack.
You know that Courtney Love was born in SF and had a trust fund, and was one of those trust funders on heroin that proliferated in the 80's and 90's right?
Oh and her mother is a psychologist.
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The swap was hard on Renee's husband and children? Boy, that is ridiculous. This is clearly an abused woman.
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Yes, she is clearly abused. But she's also as bad as he is with her elitist snobbery. Neither one of them has the good sense god gave a goat when it comes to child rearing. With both parents stuffing education down their throats the way they do, at the cost of any fun, proper childhoond association with other children (who, doubtless, are beneath them) and at the cost of even sleep, those kids are doomed. They're either going to turn out to be heartless bastards like their parents or (more likely) will turn to substance abuse to fill in the void. Stephen will probably blame America for that, too, as nothing is ever his fault. He's too perfect.
Excuse me while I retch in the corner.
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I agree with Rilla. I live in the same neighborhood as Fowler, and he is not representative of the pretentious jerks who live here. He is a distinctly British douche bag.
And to the person who was so worked up about this he/she created a Web site, get a life. This is reality television. The producers and directors prod the participants into making fools of themselves. I wouldn't take any of this very seriously. Find something better to do.
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Stephanie,
Yes, let us find something better to do than discuss class issues and the hypocrisy of liberal ideology. I will see you at the latest trendy and upscale restaurant in Noe Valley. We can both make self-congratulatory comments on how progressive we are.
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You won't be able to do that Michael because I'm not a progressive. What you might want to do instead is understand that it's just a TV show. It's just an entertainment thing. Don't fret about it.
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Stephanie -
I'm amused that you're demanding that the creator of this website "get a life". Here you are commenting on it, dozens & dozens of comments into the conversation. If creating a website with (it seems) 10,000's of at least mildly amused visitors is the pathetic occupation of someone without a life - how much more pathetic is it to spend your hours hanging out on it and denouncing it?
Anyway - I've lived in SF since 1990, and Fowler is all too typical of the sneering smugness of many people in our city.
And for those of you who think Renee is any better - as the original post said, DEFINITELY read the "interview" that she gave to ABC (you have to look/click for it a bit on the abc site, but the link from this site will get you started on the right track).
Renee apparently wrote her answers to ABC's questions AFTER the taping, but before the maelstrom hit. Her arrogance is simply stunning. After moaning about how the swap was "hard" for her children, she says "The kids did get some perspective on their lives. They now better appreciate the importance of applying themselves in school and see the value of education, and the risks of not getting a good education." In other words, like her despicable husband, she thinks Gayla is someone to be mocked, despised, and ridiculed, and held up to her children as an object lesson in what could happen to them if they resist their slave-driving husband and refrain from studying and "rounding themselves out" for sixteen hours a day and fail to get into an Ivy League school...
It's inconceivable that Renee didn't realize what an absolute prick her husband had been - she'd been there at the "table interview" after all. And this sneering comment was a little high-five to her hateful wretch of a husband. And remember - they had a VIEWING PARTY. Clearly the conduct displayed in the show was every bit as reflective of Renee's worldview as it was of her husbands.
Someone should keep an eye on RedFin, Zillow, etc. and notify the group when these people sell the home and slink back to England.
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Stephanie, you are a perfect example of the elitist snob of SF but are too stupid to even know that you come across as a snob. i live near SF and I can say that you and Fowler are not a rarity in SF. You are nothing but arrogant ,ignorant, self center snobs. You think you a re better than others but in fact you are inferior. you are not smart and you are not cultured. Visiting foreign countries does not make you cultured fool, getting a degree does not necessarily make you smart. and you and Fowler are living proof of it.
Keep this website going! It is about time these arrogant losers be put in their place
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I think we all have personally known a "Stephen Fowler" at some point in our lives. pseudo intellectuals are the ones who have to tell everybody how smart they are as their essence cannot speak for themself. It is like the stupid person who puts on those "thinker" glasses to look smart, but what comes out of their mouth is still stupid-think. This guy has hopefully learned his lesson and this show will be a watershed moment in his life. I surely hope so. SF: I would not worry about Stephen single-handedly giving you a bad name. He simply has reinforced a stereotype that has been long held in the rest of the country (except the upper East Coast). I was born in SF and love the place, but while Stephen may have been a hyperbolic extreme, a lot of you folks do think that way.
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Stephen Fowler and his wife Renee are repulsive. They represent the worst modern stereotype: smug, pushy social climbers who ignore their children except when they are not performing at 110%. Obviously they will do anything for a little fame and money, including selling their souls. Did they think doing this show would be good for business? They look like idiots and I am glad they are experiencing the tried and true societal reproaches to truly bad behavior: shunning and ostracism. They're awful!
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So this guy behaves like a complete boor and horse's ass on TV and the Chronicle doesn't report it for two weeks. And then, when it does report it, the Chronicle....you guessed it....defends the guy. Just hamming up, that's all. Nothing to see here...move along. To me, this guy represents what I call the "Entitlement Class". He is a limey, over here in the U.S. living of the fat of the land, and benefitting from the U.S. government (more on that in a moment). Yet, he has the arrogance to criticize the very country and system that are making him enormously wealthy. Being a venture capitalist, most of his income is in the form of carried interest, i.e. a share of the investment gains from the companies his VC firm invests in. Amazingly, these gains are taxed at capital gains rates, not ordinary income rates. So, while the rest of us poor bastards have to pay 35% taxes on our income, this guy is paying something like 15%. If that's not a handout, I don't know what is.
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I took a minute to watch some clips of this on YouTube so I could better understand. This guy (Fowler) certainly does seem like an arrogant prick. That said, it seems like more and more of these "educated liberals" who have invaded SF over the past decade have the same mind set, but don't have the balls to actually say it out loud. I'm willing to bet Mr. Fowler's opinions resonated with more than a few educated-open-minded people in SF and beyond. It's because of people like this that I moved from SF to Oakland. Yes, we have these types in Oakland too, but Oakland reminds me of the way SF use to be in the 80's & early 90's before all of these up-tight self indulgent turds moved here. It's too bad too. I liked living in SF, but have come to love Oakland just as much if not more (not far east Oakland though)..I wonder if Mr. Fowler would have been so harsh if the visiting wife were black. I think not, he (& his wife) both seem like the condescending uber PC/white guilt type. Pathetic!
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Fowler could have learned from my grandfather who once told me "Just because you're educated; doesn't mean you're smart."
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A black woman would have took his head off
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He wouldn't have dared say any of that rubbish to a black woman. He may be a sociopathic sh*thead, but he's not STUPID.
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Let it go. Does raining hate on some verbally abusive jackass on a TV show make you all feel better about yourself?
Maybe next time you say something intentionally mean or hurtful to your own wife/husband/partner you'll remember your high-ground derision of Stephen. there are a lot of wives being physically abused in this country who'd love to move into Stephen's house. Why don't you volunteer to help at a battered womens' center and get out your energy in a positive way?
Jackass blog author.
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Hm...the whole point is to get them out of abusive situations. Why would moving into Fowler's house help? Can you imagine some poor woman getting up the courage to move out only to encounter Fowler's verbal assaults on her intelligence, education, appearance, background, language skills...on and on...Geez...
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uh Kim... "moving into Stephen's house" was not meant literally. Outlandish hyperbole used to make a point. But then someone who watches Wife Swap would be expected to take it literally.
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uh, AJ....That was understood...A feeble attempt on your part to deflect the obvious that Fowler is a verbal abuser, and I doubt many women would consider themselves better off to be around anybody exhibiting such behavior.
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Bruises heal. Verbal abuse cuts much deeper, and is much harder to heal.
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What about beginning a "Save Renee!" fund?
Or one for the kids. Fowler is extremely abusive. Where is CPS? See www.FamilyLawcourts.com for details.
And if you want to make life better for those who use family court....make a report on a judge at www.USAjudges.com
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Another liberal trasplant showing his true colors. This city is full of the same type of jerks as this guy, I don't need to watch TV to see it I just have to walk outside my front door. Most of the whiny, self-rightous snobs who make up the "liberal elite" of this city are not native San Franciscans. Not that I have anything against people who relocate - my best friend is originally from Philly - but the majority of people I meet who move here are cut from the same cloth and I wouldn't use that cloth to wipe my butt. San Franciscans are hard working people who take pride in their city, families and neighborhoods. They strive to better themselves and the next generation. It's like the county comissioner says in the film "Casino" "Your people never will understand the way it works out here. You're all just our guests. But you act like you're at home. Let me tell you something, partner. You ain't home. But that's where we're gonna send you if it harelips the governor."
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The problem with the guy is that he is NOT a real San Franciscan. He is one of thousands of newcomer, yuppie, snobs, (that aren't even from our state) that have invaded in the past 15 or so yrs. They come over for the money..then recreate some hyper-liberal ,snooty, paradise where everyone goes to the Opera, eats organic everything, and send their kids to the most exclusive private schools..Thanks to jerks like this, the stereotype is magnified and the "real" San Francisco is just a distant memory for those that remember
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One suspects that things in the Fowler/Stephens household are far worse than their friends are saying, and that most Americans do not, for one minute, believe that Stephen was "hamming it up" for the cameras. Their lives and careers, as they've known them, have been damaged and destroyed forever. Thanks to the Internet, Fowler and Stephens will be seen again and again anytime by anyone who wants to. You can't put the bullet back in the gun once it's been fired. If Stephen Fowler is truly, genuinely sorry for what he has done, then he and Renee must make a public apology to the Long family, as well as the people of Missouri. They must even go so far as to visit the Show Me State and face the people Steven so foolishly ridiculed, even if it means getting an earful from them. Stephen Fowler sowed the wind, and has reaped the whirlwind.
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Justin (San Francisco Chronicle):
Great work. It takes you people almost three weeks to even do any story, but then when you do all you do this softball, puff piece.
Award winning journalism……………………………….
I guess it’s more important to protect San Francisco’s fair-haired boy than to do a story that accurately portrays the animus Mr. Fowler and his disgusting wife have stirred up all across our country.
Although a few San Franciscans on your website and others have tried to defend your city claiming that the Fowlers do not represent the attitudes and views of most bay area residents, I beg to differ. Although most normal Americans view San Franciscans as out of touch, tofu eating, wine sipping, tree hugging, anti American, Military hating, elitist snobs, to the contrary of the few people defending your city, I say that the Fowlers PERFECTLY represent your city. It’s not often that you get to look behind the curtain. The Fowlers ARE San Francisco. They are the personification of what people think of your city.
Instead of your sympathetic puff piece, you might have tried to save your cities reputation by exposing the Fowlers as the assholes they are and distancing yourselves from them. But of course, San Francisco being San Francisco, you didn’t. How about exposing this tree huggers hypocrisy by mentioning that while he’s preaching sustainability and other far left buzz words…bio this and bio that, etc., he doesn’t practice what he preaches. He has two gas guzzling vehicles in his garage, neither of which gets much over 20 mpg. What’s that do for his “save the earth” street cred???
Although my family and I will come up and visit once in awhile, it’s kind of like going to the circus to look at the clowns. We love the beauty of the city. We absolutely loath the rude, mannerless, insufferable assholes that live there. They make us (Californians) the laughing stoke of the rest of the country. I am embarrassed to say I live here.
If I can end on a more positive note, I give the Fowlers credit. Unlike most of you far left elitists who claim to love the military members, but hate the war, at least the Fowlers were honest in hating everything about the military INCLUDING the members. That’s way more intellectually honest than the position you San Francisco, Berkeley, Hollywood, (et.al.) jackasses take.
Keep up the good work. You’re a credit to your profession.
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So...what grade are you all in? Ever think to maybe turn off your TV and pick up a book? And if you people weren't so obtuse, you'd be able to discern television shows from reality. I mean, really? Wife Swap? On ABC, no less? Was that REALLY the best thing on television at the time?
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What are you doing following a blog for a show that is beneath your depth of thought instead of reading a book?
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Oh, just taking a break. I'm in the bathroom, with my laptop, giggling at your comment. Told you I needed laughs.
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Two birds with one stone I guess--unsanitary and TMI!
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Hi Stephen. Won't work. The world hates you now. You're going to be broker than the Missouri family you so graciously put down.
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What grade are WE in? You're here doing the same thing. Talk about obtuse! The fact that you think what you're doing is any different from what we're doing is what's unbelievable.
Thanks for proving that the pot is just as black as the kettle. We needed the laughs.
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Yes, Biding, but she is a Le Creuset cattle... get it?!
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Yes, people who watch a TV show you are not interested in, either regularly or even once, have never read a book.
I'm surprised you even know that the network ABC exists since obviously you have never wasted a moment of time in your life.
I agree that there are better things to do but please don't act like you haven't wasted any time in your life ever. You just choose to do it differently.
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Seriously, this entire site smells of viral marketing for this show.
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Really? It doesn't make me interested in watching it!
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I would just like to say that, as a native SFer, I cannot vouch for or endorse anything that POS douche said in his many rants. But I would like to point out that he is British, not American, or even San Franciscan. He does not speak for me, but for some reason I feel the need to apologize. But I can't do that because he does not speak for me, he is the worst of the worst here in SF but by no means is he the majority.
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David's point might be well taken. It seems to me that, while "native" SFers are okay, the city is a magnet for douche bags. Just about every straight person I know who moved to SF was like this Fowler guy. I was always glad to see them go although I felt sorry for their neighbors in San Fran.
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I seriously doubt that Fowler is truly straight (not that there's anything wrong with that).
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I wanted to spit on this guy if ever I saw him on the streets of SF, that's how offended I was after watching this episode. I hope that ABC does not do some kind of "reunion" show to somehow have this jerk see the errs of his ways and give this a$$hole more TV time. Is there anyway to possibly tell ABC that we don't want to see this guy back on TV giving a fake old apology?
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Funny man that little Steven Fowler -- clutching his wine glass or the wine bottle with his scrawny arms and his effeminate movements, yet the dead giveaway to his character and orientation was the berating of the children who were in his office. No compassion, no feeling even for them even though they were presumably of his class and social milieu. Anyone notice the empty spaces throughout the house? the undecorated walls, the sparse "office" -- who knows what the Fowlers really are -- I think Stephen really is some sort of empty emotional vessel waiting for the next wine buzz and Renae is off in some alternate new age reality that is equally disconnected from motherhood or real involvement in anyone else's life. These people were real creeps, whereas the other family, despite their many flaws, were clearly a real family with visible caring and feeling for each other.
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He's an ass and she's an airhead.
I've said it before. He's got an over-inflated ego and he only keeps Renee around because she's beneath him. She's a lowly American with certificates. Same thing for the kids. No matter how well they do in school or in life, he'll make sure they're beneath him because his ego can't handle the competition. They'll spend their whole lives trying to be good enough for him, and they never will be, not by his standards anyway. He won't allow it because it would threaten his sense of superiority.
I only hope that she reads those words, gets a clue and kicks his egotistical ass to the curb.
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Brad, I agree with you. Good observations about Stephen. His way of reacting to other people is sociopathic. A sociopath who is a very class-oriented SNOB, at the same time.
What is surprising is that Renee, while she believes in a lot of bs I don't belive in, seems a relatively normal person. So the question is, why is she still married to him?? She must know very well that he's a sociopath. Her justification for staying with that abuser must be pretty complicated. In any case, she needs her own "professional help" too.
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Brad, I agree with you. Good observations about Stephen. His way of reacting to other people is sociopathic. A sociopath who is a very class-oriented SNOB, at the same time.
What is surprising is that Renee, while she believes in a lot of bs I don't belive in, seems a relatively normal person. So the question is, why is she still married to him?? She must know very well that he's a sociopath. Her justification for staying with that abuser must be pretty complicated. In any case, she needs her own "professional help" too.
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Re the Chronicle mention: It's about time!
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Wow, I just watched the YouTube hilite video. I live in SF, and feel truly embarrassed that this man lives in this wonderful city. I feel anger, I want to find his house.... argh. What a JERK! I also just read his apology on his wife's site. What a pathetic attempt at mending his business relationships. Make no mistake, that was not an act, as he has indicated. If it were, then give that man 3 Oscars. I cannot believe he puts down the people that have paid the ultimate cost so that he can enjoy freedom afforded to him here in America. It's such bullshit! Send that man back to the UK - right now - forever!
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Reading these comments, it appears that Newton was right. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
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To all those poo-poohing the discussion here because it is derived from a reality tv show: who was it that said it was the message not the medium?
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BOYCOTT EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THEM!
I lived in SF till 2005 and this is a TYPICAL SAN FRANCISCO ATTITUDE!
BOYCOTT!!!
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Mrs. E: I don't know who your friends were when you lived here, but I have lived in SF since 1970 and this is not nor has it ever been the "typical" attitude I have encountered. I will agree the pace and the race for material things exploded throughout the 80's and 90's but that's no different than any other "big city". I could point fingers at a lot of locations where elitism flourishes (including SF and any other major city in the US and abroad), but that detracts from the point of this blog: Fowler is a jerk of the worst ilk and people are coming together to call him out. Brushing others with the same broad strokes as he is painted only dilutes the message.
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Lynne, I feel sorry for you. I'm glad I don't live there any more. YOu're typical of the SF IS SO COOL attitude of the place. SF is falling apart. The homeless are VIOLENT, it has nothing but elitist Stephen Fowler types running around it, and it's overpriced. You probably could NOT afford to live in "your city" anymore, and most of the people that have lived there for generations despise Fowler-types, and it sounds like YOU have that attitude. You're so DEFENSIVE about that open-air TOILET called San Francisco.
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Who would Jesus hate?
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Money changers in the temple. He threw a sh!t fit and knocked their tables over and threw them out. And Stephen Fowler. And people who force-feed geese to fatten up their livers for foie gras.
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Fox News on the Fox News Channel just announced a story on this! Apparently Stephen Fowler wants to sue! It's coming up at the 9am hour.
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MORE ON STEPHEN FOWLER - from another blog I found THIS:
Major News on the Fowlers
1 It was her idea to go on the show
2 She did it to promote her weight watchers business
3 Steven far from a rich guy has been unemployed for 5 years - imagine that.
4 they got paid $20,000 to do the show
5 Steven and Renee wanted to be the next jenny craig about 4 years ago and launched a weight watchers business. It failed. Renee was desperately trying to get some extra income.
6 Steven’s- I make more than you do in a week - boast is not true. Their small town house has renters in 2 floors.
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Comment from SF Gate on the article
omnipotent12/17/2009 8:54:45 PM
Someone in my office just advised me that Mr. Fowler is in fact filing personal bankruptcy as we speak... Kind of funny that the Missouri woman will end up with more assets than Fowler in the final analysis.
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I take no pleasure in another's misfortune, especially when children are involved.
This is proof that you reap what you sow. Plain and simple. Now they'll probably end up on welfare, living off tax payers money paid by the Americans he so despises. If that's not the definition of irony, I don't know what is.
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More from the comments at SF Gate on the article:
Reporter Justin Berton's "anonymous family friend" pulled for quotes is most likely a woman named Hollis Polk, a psychic (I know, right?) and so far the only person contactable that he could quote. She had a whole bunch of blog posts right after the show aired, then yanked them down after crying about how meeeean people were for not buying into her delusional support for her friends. It must be killing Hollis to remain anonymous!
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Is Renee Stephens a Scientologist as well? Her name appears as being one. Oh the IRONY. Can we get anoymous to hack them? Anonymous - many of you LIVE in SF - go for it.
http://209.85.173.132/search?q=cache:WMB16g6sN9EJ:www.truthaboutscientology.com/stats/by-name/r/renee-stephens.html+renee+stephens&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=32&gl=us&client=firefox-a
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Maybe Steven should consider Morningwood Academy. They provide top-notch knowlege for exceptional people.
Also, I wonder it he is a "member" of Bushwood country club?
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There is no need to come up with a definition describing Mr. Fowler's behavior. He is a bigot. It's that simple. Specifically, he is a cultural bigot and he is not the only one.
Bigot: a person who, without thought, is intolerant of opinions, lifestyles or identities differing from his or her own, and bigotry is the corresponding attitude or mindset.
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Stephen Fowler is the rudest most fopish angry insensitive hateful man I have ever seen His WHOLE snooty family needs to leave our America we don't want or need him! He is an has been hurting his children and San Francisco. This is exactly the kind of people I believe live in San Francisco after my 1 visit. I have lived all over the world and have never met a more dispicable human!
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I am from San Francisco, please don't judge us all because of him. I welcome all midwest friends to our city. I promise, we are warm, laid back, and pride ourselves on our acceptance of others.
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Tell your friend he should change his name. Who would want to have the same name as a bigot like Fowler???? why doesn't he go back to England if it is SO GREAT? AND why are so many Brits coming here to live if there are so many dimwits in the country. No wonder our forefathers left for a new country.
Jerry
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What a complete Jackass of a man.
I'm surprised the other husband didn't pop him one in the mouth.
Fowler's arrogance just stirs up something in the American public. He deserves a good 'ole Midwestern ass whoopin'.
Remember "you cant judge a man by the size of his wallet!"
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This dude is obviously a guy that thinks he can act like a 3rd grader. His kids are the audience for his actions, especially when he is so snide to the other wife. Wow, I'll bet his family and real wife is really embarrassed---I can understand why he should hide away and start a new life. good luck with that, asshole. haha
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What a jerk!
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leigh Ann please sit the next few rounds out... People are pissed and have the right to be pissed! You might just mess around and get a website named after you www.leighannsucks.com
Dumbass...
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I am concerned with the manner by which Mr. Stephen Fowler was depicted on the television by ABC during the now infamous "Wife Swap" episode involving him.
I did watch this program and had my mouth gaping open the entire show, calling my husband in to watch parts of it as well.
I am an American. I was born in the Midwest, in Illinois. I was fortunate to live on a farm where I learned many survival and domestic chores that will help me if the economy totally tanks. I doubt that Mr. Fowler and his family have been provided that same educational information. In addition, I was born and tested with an IQ of 154. I am far from stupid. My choices are such that I've merely obtained a Bachelor's degree, however that will change with the change of economic tides.
I am a technophile. I am a computer administrator as employment and am well read. My television viewing includes archaeology, and geology, and history, and Ugly Betty, and House. In order to say one is well-rounded, one must expose themselves to many different things.
I am also a former, and proud of it, Marine. I have three children who have exceeded me in intelligence who also joined the Marines. To serve one's country is a grand decision. It shows how valuable the people are to you if you are willing to lie down for them.
Mrs. Fowler should really re-consider some of Gayla's rules. Especially the ones involving nurturing her children. That poor little girl knows nothing of the world, and the little boy will forget what he does know. That saddens me.
I wish the United States well, because we are obviously a bunch of "podunk hicks" and rednecks, and obese (which I am clearly not) and uneducated, and un-refined, so I wear blue jeans and pony tails, does that make me less intelligent? Our country needs help from our own ignorance and lack of intelligence, don't we, Mr. Fowler?
I do not have to advertise my income, nor my IQ in order to know I have value.
You, Mr. Fowler, are sadly needing some professional help to assist you with your obvious low self esteem. If you truly thought well of yourself then you would not have to continue to remind yourself of your worth. You'd know it, and that would be it.
To paraphrase something I read once:
The true value of a man is how he treats those who can provide him with absolutely nothing.
Mr. Fowler, you have shown no value. How sad for you.
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I may not have lived on a farm but I do agree with you. Farming is the heart and soul of America without it where would we as a nation be??? All I know this man either very insecure or just too dumb to know he is not all that.
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What makes this guy think is an authority on anything. The only thing this man exhibited was that he is a horses a**. He is an horrible example of fellow french men! His wife sitting quietly by his side needs to get a clue as well. I would have been ashamed of my husband if he had treated another human being like that, and I definately would not have sat there quiet once those issues of his mistreatment had been addressed. I don't care how well off you are, how you think your country is better than America or how different you are from someone else, YOU DO NOT TREAT ANOTHER HUMAN BEING LIKE, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES MR. & MRS. FOWLER. Even though you think your class is so much higher than the lady who swapped wives with your wife, she came out victoriuos and you came out looking rediculous and downright mean. Good job. She had more class than you ever have had, obviously. I hope this haunts you for a long time and you learn a valuable lesson from this experience, to treat people as you would like to be treated yourself!
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stephen you are a douche bag, go back back to england you worthless scum. you aren't even that rich. i bet your not worth more than 6 mill. poor millionaire.
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This is great! I couldn't believe there could be someone so book smart and yet so socially retarded. His not having common decency and courtesy for his fellow man is just appalling. He deserves all the bad press he can get.
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It doesn't make you more intelligent to expose someone else's ignorance. Too bad SF is too important to eat fortune cookies. He could've saved himself from showing all of America what an arrogant pr!(k he is. I hope all his wife's clients drop her like a rock. And does the man own anything other than black t-shirts with "eco" slogans on them? What kind of carbon footprint are you leaving when you're jetting around the globe to 13 different countries (and that's only since the little boy was born!)? The Fowlers are really true to their name. They are foul. And just what good is speaking French going to do those kids? How about learning something relevant to our modern society like Spanish or Arabic or Chinese? Nope, not pedigree enough for the foie gras eating Fowlers. (unts. That poor Gayla is the nicest soul that has been on television in ages. To berate her like that bastard did was inexcusable. Stephen Fowler and the whole Fowler family are nothing but a bunch of ignorant, arrogant, elitist buffoons. Anyone who is truly educated doesn't need to drag someone else down just to make himself look better. I hope they lose sleep. Jerks.
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An IQ with no EQ = NO Q. That is a dysfunctional human being, otherwise known as Stephen Fowler.
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It's none reality reality TV~ You don't think producer's have these reality knob's act it up a wee bit???
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Folks, I am a 60 yr old Brit and 21 yrs in the USA. This effing English bstd is of the type I had to endure as a child, youth and young man. Foul'er and his class or "clahss" and the Class discrimination, such as you see in this rich man who now thinks he's god. And just listen to this pratt go on in ultra snobbish way in USA. I wouldn't hesitate to punch his ugly face made uglier by his snotty toff attitude. These were the judges that hanged us of yore. Give him hell, humiliate him into humbleness..his turds smell equally.
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I saw the short preview and this man sounds so impolite and mean, He is probably very rich and his wife just staying with him because of his money!!!
I believe his wife will divorce him soon !!!
I wish him really good luck but he better change his mean and very bad attitude,
He better hangout with criminals and bad people so may they can teach him to act nicer than this !!!
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Interesting that the website for Terranova seems to have been taken down.
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I am the producer of a developing reality series called "Folsom Prisoner Swap", and I am formally extending an invitation to Stephen Fowler to be our first cast member.
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I'm astonished at Renee's interview. She says that her children learned from this experience the value of education and how awful the consequences are of not getting an education... i.e., that ignorant, uneducated Gayla scared her children straight!
I can see Renee didn't learn enough from this experience.
Renee also dissed Gayla for calling their family the "no fun family" and not asking her children what they like to do for fun. However, the show had footage of Gayla drawing out Renee's daughter and specifically asking her what she likes to do and whether she has friends.
As a San Francisco environmentalist, liberal, and parent, I'm appalled at how badly this couple behaved. They are hateful, vicious, and smug.
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