Burkhalter/Elliott (Season 1, Episode 11)
PREMISE
In Mitchellville Maryland, Shelley Elliott is a highly educated and high powered criminal investigator for D.C.'s inspector general's office. Husband Carl left school at 17 and works evenings as a hotel doorman, a job he doesn't like doing. Shelley emphasizes to her kids, 14 year old Justine and 11 year old Javier that one of the things that hindered Carl is that he didn't have a degree and is determined they succeed at all costs. She makes her kids study hard and wants them get into an Ivy League university. The kids are not allowed to watch television or talk on the phone at school nights. When the kids aren't studying, they do all the household chores.
In the deep south of Natchez Mississippi, Sue Burkhalter does all the household chores and grocery shopping, while her daughters do nothing and spend the days out socializing. 21 year old Nancy dropped out of college and 18 year old Laura Beth dropped of high school to homeschool herself, though she doesn't study and her parent's worry she isn't going to graduate. Sue is a corrections nurse, while husband Jeff is the vice president of an oil company. Since neither daughters work, they depend on their parents for allowance. Nancy gets $100 a week allowance and always seems to spend that and more. Sue and Jeff eat together every night during the week and meet up friends during the weekend.
BACKGROUND
MUSIC
Harmonica
Blues · The New Blues Collective
Walk
in the Way · Ray Barnette
Tell Me How U feel - Julian Emery and Rupert Lyddon
Truckin' (a) – Noonan
Madison
bounce (O.S.T. From "Sexy") - Armando Sciascia
Uptown Revue - Danny Daniels & Will Lee
Everlasting Love - Love Affair
UPDATE
Sue Meriwether Burkhalter learned about the show from a friend of Laura Beth's who worked in a tattoo parlor. "The show was calling local businesses, and they called the tattoo parlor and Laura Beth's friend told them, 'Do I have the family for you!'"
Shelley James Elliott learned about the show from the director of a science and technology program in which Justine was enrolled. Elliott said she e-mailed the show's production company and asked for more information. Instead, she got a telephone call from a producer. "She asked me if I had rules for my children. I rattled them off. She told me she had a family that was opposite."
After both families were accepted, the parents and children had to undergo psychiatric interviews, physical examinations, even blood tests to identify any conditions that might affect their performance on the program. Each wife and her husband also had to sign an in-depth contract.
The women were given only one day's notice of their departure. "We didn't know where we were going or anything about the family," Shelley said. Sue said "They told me to pack pretty much everything I had -- to be prepared for hot weather and very cold weather."
Shelley, who is black, said she got her first inkling she was headed to the deep South after the airplane landed in Baton Rouge and she was whisked away by limousine through some very impoverished areas and then into a neighborhood of restored plantations and elegant homes.
Sue, who flew into Reagan National Airport, said her luggage was stolen on the tarmac, and producers replaced her designer clothes with items from Wal-Mart and Target. She is white, and was impressed with the Elliott's middle class, predominantly black neighborhood. "There aren't any neighborhoods like that in Natchez." Says Sue. "It was very nice. They had a barbecue and I got to meet their friends. People were very nice."
Then came Rule Change Day. Shelley made Laura Beth do laundry, while Nancy had to get a job. Jeff Burkhalter had to walk the dogs. A cookie jar depicting the mammy image of a heavy-set black woman was put away. Meanwhile Justine and Javier were liberated from chores and bedtime, as Sue brought in a maid to clean house. Justine, who wants to be model, was treated to a glamorous photo shoot and allowed to have friends over on weekdays. Javier bought video games and toys. Sue made Carl do all of the children's chores. "You'll see some expressions on my face about that. I was not happy with that. Especially later on when I found out that her own husband doesn't do chores."
Both women said they enjoyed the experience but wouldn't do it again. "I can understand how people on reality shows act so crazy -- it's because of the exhaustion," said Shelley, who said they were constantly accompanied by producers and filmed from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. each day.
"They were there for everything. You'd say something and look around and there was a camera in your face."
Shelley , with Javier, said the swap was fun but exhausting. Sue said she "had a good time getting to know" Carl Elliott and his children, Javier and Justine, during her 10-day stint in their Mitchellville home as part of the "Wife Swap" reality show on ABC. She said that she fell in love with the well-disciplined children.
Sue and Shelley are currently Facebook friends. In 2019, Shelley retired and posted a photo to Facebook of herself holding an award next to the sign "GOODBYE TENSION & HELLO PEN$ION". Sue commented "Wow!!! Congratulations Shelley🤗 I’ve got a few more to go! Enjoy 😊"
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