WIFE SWAP - Karate or karaoke? You make the call.

For centuries, scholars have debated which is more powerful:  karate or karaoke?  This week’s Wife Swap may hold the answers for us all.

Or not.  Roxie Figaratto of Maine has devoted her life to a) karaoke and b) doting on her kids.  For Roxie, stuff like cleaning the house isn’t even e) or f) on her list of priorities.  The Figarattos sing together every night in their basement karaoke bar, which they open up on the weekend to friends and family.  Life is one big karaoke party.

Kate Martinez has never stepped in front of the mike, but she’s stepped in front of many a roundhouse kick as the co-owner of a martial arts academy with her husband Adam.  Kate is devoted to martial arts, her cockatoo Mockie, and her son Alex – seemingly in that order.

When Kate and Roxie switch places, they’re both in for a culture shock – otherwise it wouldn’t be Wife Swap.  This week’s episode was absent the usual histrionics and emotional fireworks we’ve seen in the past, mainly because Kate and Roxie are both relatively mellow for Wife Swap participants.

Sure, Kate believes that the Figarattos don’t have any problems that can’t be solved with martial arts, and Roxie thinks that the Martinez family just needs more karaoke quality time.  But the rules changes this week seemed downright reasonable compared to some of the lunacy we’ve seen on Wife Swap before.

The thing is, the Figarattos seemed to have benefited somewhat from the experience – at least they were open-minded enough to take new lessons onboard.  The martial arts Martinez family?  Not so much.  They might spend a little more family time instead of head-kicking time, but they seemed so wrapped up in their lifestyle and rigid mindset that any benefits from the Wife Swap experience are going to be temporary at best. 

That’s just how it goes sometimes with Wife Swap.  Sometimes the benefits and lessons aren’t spread around evenly and sometimes there’s no clear answer.  We’ll have to search elsewhere to find out if karaoke or karate is more powerful.

--Dave Campbell

Comments

[laurie]

i think it is very sad that these parents feel that their lives are more important than their son..Alex..if it was them growing up like this i am sure they would feel very unloved. It makes me sick that people have kids and them just toss them aside to enjoy their lives..what is their son to them a maid? they need a wakeup call..more worried about the bird..they should be ashamed of themselves..they are not PARENTS they have a child..there is a difference..one day it will hit them.

[Jess]

kate and her husband are worthless parents..they dont know the first thing about raising a child.selfish selfish people..they have their date nite while Alex is hom cleaning the house for them and eating canned food ALONE..someone should call the police on them..is a 10year old allowed to be alone for that long at night where they live? it's sick
this father shows no love for his son at all.it is like he is a burden to them.very sad