 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Same Name
- CBS
- Genre: Reality TV
Common Sense Media says
Gimmick series has good messages and genuine emotion.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this is generally a good pick for family viewing. That said, brand names are visible on some of the gifts that celebrities give their host families. There's also audible language (including "damn" and "ass"), light sexual innuendo, and background social drinking.
What's the story?
Celebrities agree to trade places temporarily with regular people who have the SAME NAME, giving each the chance to see what it's like to walk in another person's shoes. Celebrities participating in the project include actor David Hasselhoff, comedian Kathy Griffin, boxer Mike Tyson, and professional footballer Reggie Bush.
Is it any good?
At first, SAME NAME feels like a riff on gimmicky fish-out-of-water TV that puts celebrities in unpleasant situations to watch them squirm -- which worked so well for I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Ahem. But it soon evolves into a genuinely touching social experiment with surprisingly meaningful takeaways.
Even David Hasselhoff, who's essentially kept his career afloat by cashing in on his overhyped Hoff-ness, gets to a point where he's crying actual tears over the new family he's found in rural Lake Jackson, Texas, the home of 27-year-old landscaper David Hasselhoff, Jr. Not every celebrity shows that kind of emotion, but it's worth watching when it happens.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about celebrities and the important role they play in popular culture. Why do we put celebrities on a pedestal and tend to forget that they're people, just like us? What role does media play in shaping our perceptions?
What stereotypes do the celebrities and non-celebrities have about each other? How accurate do they turn out to be?
Which would you prefer: stepping into a celebrity's shoes or those of a "regular" person? What do you think you could learn from the experience?
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| TV rating: | TV-PG |
| Network: | CBS |
| Genre: | Reality TV |
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