A Hunting Mom Swaps With a Animal Rights Activist on Wife Swap, Nov 14th  11/13/05

A BACKWOODS, HUNTING MOM WHOSE MOTTO IS "KILL IT AND GRILL IT" SWAPS PLACES WITH AN ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST MOTHER WHO EATS ONLY RAW FOOD AND HAS A VEGAN PET CAT THAT DOESN'T EAT MEAT, ON ABC'S "WIFE SWAP," MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14

This week in "Hodge/Kolpin," a backwoods, hunting mom whose motto is "Kill it and grill it" swaps places with an animal activist mother who eats only raw food and has a vegan pet cat, on ABC's "Wife Swap"-- the critically-acclaimed unscripted reality show that takes us into the intimate heart of the American family home, revealing the extraordinarily different ways families live their lives - MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

Each week, from across the country, two families with very different values are chosen to take part. In a two week-long challenge, the wives from these two families exchange husbands, children and lives (but not bedrooms) to discover what it's like to live another mother's very different life. It's a mind-blowing experiment that often changes their lives forever.

Bobbie Hodge (33) and her husband, Ricky (38), live in the Kentucky woods and proudly refer to themselves as "conservative rednecks." The Hodges and their two sons, Cody (12) and Austin (10) inhabit a "trouse" - a combination trailer and house -- and are avid hunters. Their small, cluttered home is decorated with animal heads mounted on the walls. The family eats more food that they've shot -- including venison and squirrel -- than food that they've bought. When they do go to the grocery store, they shun fruits and vegetables in favor of sugary snacks and junk food. Bobbie is a stay-at-home mom, and Ricky is a factory worker. The two were high school sweethearts and maintain a traditional relationship -- she does all the cooking, cleaning and childcare, while he provides for the family, does taxidermy and rules the roost. Both parents have difficulty disciplining their unruly boys, who constantly fight with each other and misbehave. The exasperated parents have labeled Cody "the wild child," but are proud of raising their children "right."

Bobbie travels to the Arizona desert home of free-spirited Jackie Kolpin (50) and her husband, Harold (53). The liberal Kolpins strive to live a simple life with their 18-year-old daughter, Morgan. Their sparse cinderblock house contains almost no furniture, as Mom prefers not to spend money on material possessions she thinks they don't need - including beds. The Kolpins are vegans who don't eat meat, dairy, eggs or fish. In fact their pet cat, "Tiger," is also a vegan and isn't served meat. Additionally Jackie and Morgan are "raw foodists" who refuse to eat any cooked food because they believe it's unhealthful. Jackie even had the kitchen stove removed two years ago without consulting timid Harold, leaving him secretly yearning for pizza and roast chicken. What's more Jackie is an avid "sun gazer," staring at the sun twice a day for 8-10 minutes at a time. She believes the practice suppresses her appetite, allowing her to consume fewer of the earth's resources. Both Jackie and daughter Morgan are committed animal rights activists who regularly take part in protests. Jackie does little housekeeping, is not employed, and spends her day daydreaming about things she could do one day to improve the world. In the meantime, she nags Harold about the long hours he works as a supermarket manager, and excludes him from major household decisions. Though Harold would like to have a stove and a bed, he is dismissed by Jackie, who rules the cinder-block roost.

In the first week of the swap, Bobbie craves meat and balks at having to participate in an animal rights protest, while Jackie refuses to eat meat and clashes with Ricky over hunting. In week two of the swap, when the wives change the rules and turn the tables, Bobbie performs a taste test for the Kolpins' vegan cat to see if he prefers meat or vegetables and has a pig roast in the family's front yard, while Jackie bans meat and cooking in the Hodge house, then calms down the rowdy Kolpin boys with their first taste of yoga. At the end of the swap, when the couples are reunited will they find common ground, or are their differences too great to overcome?

"Wife Swap" is an RDF Media production. It was created by Stephen Lambert and is executive-produced by Lambert and Jenny Crowther of RDF Media ("Faking It" and "Junkyard Wars") and Michael Davies of Diplomatic ("Who Wants to be a Millionaire"). Wendy Roth is the co-executive producer.

A TV parental guideline will be assigned closer to airdate.

Source: ABC Press Release