General Chat

23 July. Please scroll down to 24 July.

Two for one Tuesday night!

First off searching - after liaising with her mother - was singer Kelly Clarkson.
Plenty of 'ohhs' and 'ahhs' and OMG from Kelly throughout. (Surprise!)

She trekked and tracked for only her Union committed 3xGtGrandfather from Ohio during the US civil war. He was a POW in Georgia. Confederates opened the gates of the prison and closed them behind those who entered - leaving the prisoners to fend for themselves.

A picture of one Union prisoner shown at the end was quite disturbing; he truly looked like he could have been incarcerated at Auschwitz! I was completely unprepared for something like this from that era, 150 years ago. Most unpleasant indeed.

After this prison find Kelly discovered her 3xGtGrandfather was a senator and he died in 1916.
She went home to report to mother.

Next to find their family's folk was Christina Applegate (Kelly Bunday in Married With Children.) Her parents divorced when she was months old and she lived with her mother. Only her father (72) joined her in her California home for this venture.

Her search was to discover why her father was brought up by HIS grandparents. To find the answers, Christina flew to Trenton, New Jersey, only to discover HER grandparents did not have the happiest marriage. Her grandmother died in her early 30s.

A couple of nice surprises at the end when she and her father visited the cemetery. This search and answers brought Christina and her father - a pleasant man she has not seen too much - very close together. Forever!

Of the two I enjoyed this episode more.

Tonight it was Chelsea Handler (Unknown to me.)

She was brought up in the Jewish faith and was on her own throughout. She went from Los Angeles to Germany - with a brief trip to France on the beach at San Raphael - to find out about her grandfather.

He was in the German Army in WWII. She wanted to know if he was a Nazi and what he might have done and where he had been. She saw his military record in Berlin. He ended his military career in the USA as a POW and settled there, apparently loving the country.

Rather a 'ho hum' episode, I thought, with many 'OKs' from Chelsea!

Next week is Zooey Deschannel. (That's Zooey, not gooey!!)

Zooey Deschanel - a somewhat grating voice - chats with Mum and Dad in Los Angeles then jets off to Pennsylvania where she finds her 5xGtGrandfather had one slave in 1800.

She finds her Quaker ancestor 4xGtGrandmother helped run the underground railway so slaves could escape to Canada. She died in 1852.

No return for Zooey to LA with Mum and Dad to reflect.

A rather boring episode, frankly.

I won't post about further episodes as no one is apparently interested in this US series and there is never comment / feedback.

Episode this evening about Chris O'Donnell.

On her own tonight was Cindy Crawford with perhaps the best episode so far.
She was looking for her 10x GreatGrandfather, Thomas Trowbridge, who came from Taunton.
He sailed to the Americas with his wife soon after the Mayflower.

Cindy travelled from Los Angeles to two places on the east coast of the US where she found a great deal about Thomas; then onward to Taunton and London.

Last stop in Germany where Cindy discovered she is descended from a very renowned person who ruled many, many centuries ago.

Interesting quest for Tricia Yearwood who travelled to Binsted, Hampshire, to find information about her 5 x GtGrandfather, born in 1744.
He was sentenced to death for poaching, reprieved, and deported to Georgia, USA.

Last one in this series is Jim Parsons (Sheldon in Big Bang Theory).

Are these on Uk TV - how on earth did I miss them - hope they will be repeated soemwhere

These episodes shown only in North America at present, Tabitha.

I believe they will be shown in UK in the not too distant future.
This has occurred with previous series, I understand.

There are also series from Oz, but celebrities there are unlikely to be known in UK.

Well I for one would be interested in seeing the USA series, BUT if they are not being shown here in the UK at the present time how can anyone show an interest??

It would seem that you Barry CAN watch them as you are able to report on the different individuals programmes!
I for one would rather not know the content before / IF these episodes are going to be shown at some point here in the UK! spoils the whole thing knowing before hand what has been found / discovered!

JOAN

There's no harm reviewing them as they are unlikely to be shown on the main UK channels, nor at the prime time 9 o'clock slot. Members who have heard of the subject, or have a recentish connection with the USA may well look out for them in the schedules!

:-)

The final frontier of this short series!

Jim Parson's mother flew from Texas to join him in New York for a brief chat about their ancestors. It's his deceased father's ancestors about whom little is known and thus they are under the microscope.

Jim goes to Louisiana and then to France where he delves back several generations shortly before the French Revolution.

Also an interesting episode, although I think Cindy Crawford's was the best of the bunch.

I was very surprised to discover Jim is 40. I thought he was in his late 20s!

Carrying on from 2013 ....

First episode: Cynthia Nixon of Sex and the City fame.
She lives in New York with her wife.

Cynthia's parents separated when she was very young and she set out to find details about her Greatgreatgreatgrandmother on her father's side.
This was an interesting search and revelation within the US.
However, I will not elaborate as I do not want to spoil the programme for those who enjoy this series and will watch this episode.

Next week is Jesse Tyler Ferguson.

WDYTYA - 20 August - Fifth Episode 2014 US Series.
As no one is apparently interested in this US series I shall not comment further.
I shall likely delete this thread in a few days.

6 Aug Rachel and younger sister Kayleen MacAdams searched for their ancestors in the UK and Canada. Pleasant girls.

13 Aug Valerie Bertinelli searched for her ancestors.

20 Aug Kelsey Grammer zig-zagged across the US and found his 4xGtGrandmother was named Comfort, which he liked.

Hi Barry

I can never catch the show on tv, so I watch old ones on YouTube :-D

Most of the people (the ones looking for ancestors) I've never heard of. If the beginning doesn't catch my interest I don't watch the rest.