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    Home » Everything Amish » Plain Culture

    Thoughts and Insights Into "Vanilla Ice Goes Amish"

    Published: Oct 11, 2013 · Updated: Feb 2, 2021 by Kevin Williams | 5 Comments

    CAPTION:  courtesy DIY Network, Vanilla Ice with his host John Schlabach.

    Set your DVR for 10 p.m. Saturday for the premiere of "Vanilla Ice Goes Amish", a show that Las Vegas Weekly called "a little dull" after watching a screening.  Whoops, actually that is a signal to me that this show many actually be GOOD and worthwhile.  Some of the other Amish garbage on TV isn't dull, but it is also not reality.  The reality about Amish life is that it doesn't lend itself very well to serialized TV because quietude, family, and faith don't necessarily make for ratings-grabbing TV.  Although I guess the Waltons did well in its day. But typically reality TV production companies are seeking screamier, more action-packed fare, something that just doesn't capture Amish life.

    Personally, I felt a twinge of envy because the project Vanilla Ice is working on is the type of show I worked on putting together through most of 2012.  But - and I don't say this bitterly, just realistically - when you have deep pockets and name recognition, it is easier to get the job done.  Those are advantages I lacked.  The producers of Vanilla Ice's show didn't scour the hills of Holmes County like I did, they simply called the local visitors bureau who deemed the project worthwhile.  That actually makes me feel better, anyone can call the local visitors bureau. I would have been really bummed had they simply parachuted in and got this done independently.

    By the way, if I had to guess, the show is being filmed with members of the New Order Amish Fellowship.  They are a horse and buggy church, but one that is much less averse to publicity than other Amish orders. And John Schlabach, the Amish gentleman in the above photo, looks like he could be a member of that church. Beards are usually trimmed a bit more neatly and crisply like in the photo. But this is just a guess, I'll be interested to watch the first episode!

    This is a superb article in the local Holmes County newspaper explaining how the show came about.

    This is a more tabloidy article from a New York paper about the show.

    « Homemade Crab Apple Jelly
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    About Kevin Williams

    Hi, my name is Kevin Williams and I am owner of Oasis Newsfeatures and editor of The Amish Cook newspaper column.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. marge nistler

      October 12, 2013 at 11:08 pm

      I enjoyed the program tonight, didn't realize it was going to be a series so I set the DVR

      Reply
    2. Lisa Wheeler

      October 12, 2013 at 11:40 pm

      I watched the first episode and was impressed. I loved the manners, respect, and empathy Vanilla Ice showed. I also lived the families that were shown and the way everyone was able to work together and become friends.

      Reply
    3. Becky Martin

      October 13, 2013 at 9:32 pm

      I also loved the show.

      Reply
    4. SC Susie

      October 14, 2013 at 8:29 am

      I thought it was very interesting getting to know the Amish and Vanilla Ice. I was amazed how respectful he was towards Amish and had to get a chuckle at him trying his hand at things old school. Will definitely tune in again!

      Reply
    5. Missy

      October 14, 2013 at 7:58 pm

      I was planning on watching the show. Until I discovered our cable package doesn't include DIY network, nor do they post their shows for viewing on their website. 🙁 The adverts I saw seemed like it would be an okay show and the responses here seem to back that up. That's encouraging. I stumbled on Amish Mafia last week. It's sort of like a train wreck happening, you want to look away, but you can't believe what you are seeing. It is so obviously staged and fake. They had someone (one of the "enforcers") going to someone's home and taking a bat and destroying their kitchen! Smashing all the dinner food and dishes onto the floor and upturning the table. Later someone blew up a buggy! "Some scenes have been recreated" they say. The entire thing is "recreated" so to speak. I just hope people don't honestly believe this trash.

      Reply

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    Hi There, I'm Kevin!

    Welcome to Amish365, where I share my knowledge of Amish cooking and culture! I’ve spent almost three decades exploring Amish settlements and kitchens from Maine to Montana and almost everywhere in between. I’ll occasionally throw in stories of my travels, journalism adventures (I’m a Pulitzer prize-nominated journalist), fascination with grocery stores and Kmarts, and much more!

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