Breaking Bonaduce

"Breaking Bonaduce" is a new reality show, but not really. This is a new form of reality television (which I loathe to begin with) - it's public airing of dirty laundry. And as appalling as it is, it's also like watching a car crash - you can't take your eyes off it.

Dante "Danny" Bonaduce is a troubled guy and has been for years. Watching this he strikes me as a selfish, annoying, sarcastic, addictive, abusive human being. When it's not coke, it's heroin. When it's not heroin, it's steroids. When it's not steroids, it's alcohol. When it's not alcohol, it's pills. He's always addicted to something (his latest thing is fitness and steroids). He's weird and disgusting.

Earlier in the year he announced on his radio show that he had cheated on his wife and lost a lot of fans. His show was then canceled when people stopped listening.

Creating this TV show is a way of drawing viewers again. It's very much all for controversy - on the commercials he's practically asking us to watch. "You have every right to watch that car crash," he says. Well, duh. Like, of course we do, it's on friggin' TV.

The show is hard, gritty and visceral. I like it. It is appalling, yes. But it's also strangely fascinating.

Worth catching if you're flipping channels some night with nothing else to watch.

This is a family in pain, obviously. And to allow them, or probably encourage them to display their pain on TV is harmful to their children in my opinion. I feel a lot of sympathy for what they are going through, but they have these two small kids who are being mentally raked over the coals by having their families trauma displayed on public TV. Why would they want to do this to them? I can just picture their daughter at school trying to explain to her friends why her Daddy slit his wrists. It's just evil. I mean, come on. Someone has to be the voice of reason. How is it ethical to allow these parents to do this? I know that the Bonadices are the exec producers, and it was probably all their idea, but still. WHy would they LET them do this?

Danny is beyond sorry.

He keeps making the same mistakes, and is no longer interesting to watch. At first I could feel for him, as an addict myself. My heart went out to him at the beginning, and somewhere along the line he went over the line. It is almost as if he is continuing this behavior to keep the show going, and at the same time is seriously risking his life, and the welfare of his family, especially his children. It is difficult even to have pity for the poor boy. I think he needs to watch this show, maybe then he might have a chance a saving this marriage. I can't understand how Gretchen stays with him, and I keep wondering how much is just for show, and how much is love. Danny, get a life - a new one that is! ...and don't get me started on Dr. Gary. What is with him and his face? His skin looks like it's stretched to the max. Besides that, looks don't mean a thing, yet he seems not to be particularly impartial. I think, he too, is keeping this going for his own monetary gain and often not in the best interests of either Gretchen or Danny. These people are few confused and each remind me of a dog chasing its tail. sad, very sad. C'mon pull yourselves together.

First off, I don't usually watch reality TV shows. However, I was always intrigued by Danny. As an adult, he always came across as funny and glib, and not at all whiny like a lot of the former child stars you see who blame their parents and the industry for their drug & alcohol addictions and deviant behavior.

How real is the show though? Obviously, Danny has a lot of inner demons and addictions to work out. I get the feeling though that a lot of the show is fake, due to the cameras following him around, and the pressure to make his life seem more chaotic than it might really be. Let's face it. If he worked out his problems in 3-4 therapy sessions, the show would be boring. People watch the show to see the "train wreck." Previews already show him shooting himself up with steroids, and going into a "roid" rage in the streets.

Danny is a professional actor. The more crazy and dramatic he acts, the more people will be intrigued to watch his show week after week. I don't deny that we partially see the real Danny, but who knows if he ups the ante on the dramatics to hook in the viewers.

I would be interested to hear what other think about BREAKING BONADUCE.

JG

Here is a man, known for his role in Partridge Family..now he is a washed-up, drek who is full of testosterone, profanity, anger, pills and you name it, he's addicted!! What about his children? they are greatly influenced by their dad's foul behavior!! Poor Isabella, she is about to enter adolescence, and having Danny for her father spells embarrassment..how would you feel if you were 12, and you had two gal pals over..your mom is a well controlled, normal-behaved woman..and they see/hear your dad going to town, cussing and throwing testosterone-induced tantrums..what will they tell their parents and other schoolmates?? that your family is whacked!--that is, of course, in the mind's eye of a pre-adolescent..and that's human!!

and let's not forget Little Dante, who I believe is three or four..In one episode, Anger Management, the cameras show Danny sailing with Gretchen and the kids..Danny's fussing and bitching about not leaving the sailing trip in a rush, yet Gretchen needs to so she and her band, Mudflaps, can do soundchecks, hair and make-up for their gig that night.. and a nanosecond after that, we see Dante Jr. smacking Isabella on the back for trying to hold him from getting too close to the boat stern..and Gretchen says, "Stop it." can Dante be in danger of adopting his dad's abusive behavior? and what about (forgot which episode) in which, you moms out there (I am only an aunt), when Danny puts his genitals on the bed of the photocopier in their house and xeroxes "pics" of it??? that is sooo not appropriate!! what if, at school, Dante tries that in the administrative office? for sure, he would buy himself some principal time and possible in-house suspension and a therapist visit. And last but not least, Gretchen, his long suffering wife, who gets herself embarrassed at the above gig (Anger Management) by Danny, pulling out a bandmember to chew him out for photos of Gretchen having her back walked on by another bandmember." and she is always having faith in that selfish man.