For Immediate Release

CONTACT:
Deborah Capone
631-668-3578 (Phone)
631-668-3578 (Fax)
deb@simpleasthat.com

January 04, 2005
Fox Airs Reality TV Show "Who's Your Daddy?", Ratings Tank; Single Mom Wants Fox to "Do the right thing" and donate prize money to Tsunami Victims
Despite Fox's claims that the result of "Who's Your Daddy?" would be "compelling", single mom Deb Capone and thousands of protesters feel it's content makes adoption and the reunion of children who were adopted and their biological parents a game show.

New York, NY, January 4, 2005 — Deb Capone a single mom who's family was formed via adoption, wants Fox Television to "do the right thing" and cancel any plans to air any more episodes Who's Your Daddy, a show that www.tvguide.com called a 'bad karma magnet'.

Capone, who rallied thousands of Americans to protest the show said, "unfortunately, it lived up to expectations by reinforcing many adoption stereotypes and marginalizing parents who are present in their children's live regardless of how the children joined the family."

"I am not against reunions of biological parents and the children they made available for adoption-it is critical to self-esteem, but we live in a culture of 'if we see it on TV then it must be true. This show was based on deceit and money and glamorized an intensely complex and personal experience. In addition, the show continues to perpetuate long-held adoption stereotypes that make families formed by adoption second best," says Ms. Capone, who watched a tape of the show immediately after the show aired.

Despite Fox's claims that the result of "Who's Your Daddy?" would be "compelling", Ms. Capone suggests that the show's low rates contradict Fox's claims.

According to MediaWeekOnline, (Here's the) "proof that bad taste does not always equal good ratings…..Fox special Who's Your Daddy came in at a mere (and fourth-place)…with 6.34 million viewers and a 2.3/ 6 among adults 18-49 from 8-9:30 p.m. The next time an adopted individual goes in search of his or her Daddy (or Mommy), I suggest they avoid doing it on national television in the quest of $100,000."

Capone is challenging Fox and the show's advertisers "do the right thing" and to each donate $100,000-the amount of the 'prize money'- to Save the Children's efforts to provide aid to tsunami victims in Southeast Asia. Her organization, As Simple As That®, will donate 50% of the proceeds from website sales of her adoption-related children's book (Families Are Forever) to the same.

Given the timing of "Who's Your Daddy?" and the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia, whereby thousands of children have lost their parents, Ms. Capone believes it is appropriate for Fox and the show's advertisers to show their support for the human family by making donations to Save the Children. Save the Children is an organization devoted to helping children in need and one of many non-profits leading the recovery efforts in Southeast Asia.

Ms. Capone states, "While we will continue our efforts to keep future episodes from airing, we encourage Fox and "Who's Your Daddy?" advertisers to show their support for families formed through adoption by donating to relief efforts for tsunami victims."

"Let's have something positive come out of this experience," Capone said.