Stephen Fowler: "Wife Swap" Jerk

I actually saw this episode of Wife Swap when it originally aired.

I couldn't believe it. Being from the Midwest, I was going crazy watching the pompous Stephen Fowler of San Francisco. I was literally screaming at the TV. He was so awful.



I didn't realize that there were websites pointing out what a jerk this guy is, but I certainly can understand why they've popped up.

One example: StephenFowlerSucks.com

Fowler now is threatening to sue the websites publishing his home address and phone number. He also wants to sue ABC.

From the San Francisco Chronicle:

Less than a week after a controversial appearance on the ABC reality television show "Wife Swap," San Francisco resident Stephen Fowler was forced to resign from the boards of two nonprofits, allegedly received e-mailed death threats and stood on the sidelines as his wife, Renee Stephens, issued a public statement condemning his behavior and asking him to get "professional help."

Who says reality television isn't real?

Thanks to online TV and easy access to private information, Fowler's 15 minutes of fame have snowballed beyond his control.

Since the Jan. 30 episode in which the Noe Valley resident was filmed verbally demeaning Gayla Long, the Missouri woman assigned to live with his family for two weeks, an anonymous viewer has started a vitriolic Web site, StephenFowlerSucks.com, and Fowler's cell phone number and e-mail and home addresses have been published online. The online clip from the show built so much momentum that last week it hit a mainstream peak, appearing on the front page of Yahoo.com with the headline "Husbands Behaving Badly."

Meanwhile, critics of reality TV have questioned whether Fowler's outlandish performance was for the cameras or if the cameras had captured a man at his worst. Many viewers are conscious that such shows are actually highly scripted, filmed in contrived scenarios and appear only after heavy editing.

"I don't know if (producers) asked him to do that or not," said Faith Whitfield, editor of the Web site Reality Roll Call, which covers the genre. "But if in fact he was as intelligent as he said he is, he would've realized it was bad for his career."

The self-professed brilliant Fowler agreed to appear on national TV. That was his choice.

He spewed vitriol about America, targeting Midwesterners in particular. He mocked patriotism. He showed no respect for the Midwestern woman he was supposed to live with for two weeks while participating in the reality show. He was so cruel. He couldn't have been more abusive.

Fowler has tried to quell the outrage he incited. He's been unsuccessful. It's outrage he so richly deserves.

Fowler has already published a statement on his wife's Web site, renee.personallifemedia.com, apologizing for the "terribly insulting way I treated Gayla," and admitting that "my comments were just stupid and made me look like the one who is undereducated."

Although friends (I can't believe this guy has friends) say the man on the show is not the person they know, Fowler behaved so horribly and with such ease and sincerity that apologies seem empty. They're way too little way too late. Fowler is just trying to do damage control.

He has a big problem. He can't undo want he freely chose to do.

Of course, threats to him and his family are completely out of line, totally inexcusable and unacceptable. Anyone harassing Fowler or issuing threats are just as bad as the disgraceful Fowler himself.

However, it's not wrong to express one's opinion of him.

Fowler made the choice to behave as he did. He chose to become a public figure. As long as the information posted on the anti-Fowler websites is publicly available, he has no case against them. Assuming he signed a release, Fowler has no grounds to sue ABC.

Fowler is screwed. He screwed himself.

Smart people understand that actions have consequences.

Fowler obviously isn't as smart as he thinks he is.
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WATCH THE FULL EPISODE OF THE STEPHEN FOWLER WIFE SWAP HERE.