TLC’s wins with Starter Wives Confidential

It seems as if everyone has there own reality show. Singers. Rappers.Sex tape stars. Six-year old rednecks. Now, ex-wives and ex-girlfriends are added to the list.

TLC has added a brand new show to the line-up. “Starter Wives Confidential” chronicles six women (down one due to a cease and desist order) as they put the pieces of their lives back together after moving on from their famous exes.

The women open up the premiere episode by explaining what a starter wife is:

“A starter wife is someone who was there from the beginning, who raised the kids, took care of  her man, married or not, a ride or die chick.”

Silly me. I thought the term was somewhat derogatory, suggesting that they were inferior  versions of a wife, one that will do for now until more money comes along, much like a starter home.

Glad that was cleared up.

The biggest buzz surrounding this show is not who’s on it but who’s no longer on it. Shaniqua Tompkins is the ex-girlfriend and baby mama of 50 Cent. While taping the footage for the season,  TLC gets a letter to cease and desist shooting the Queens rapper’s ex because of a book contract  she signed with 50 Cent seven years ago (I’m sure the other men are wising they had the business acumen 50 does). Although her voice on the show has been silenced, Shaniiqua is determined to fight the gag order.

For a show about six women determined to move on past their exes and not let their former flames define them, they talk about the exes a lot. Outside of the constant ex chatter, the women discussed their sex lives, including who’s celibate and who masturbated that morning. Yawn and gross. The episode doesn’t end without the pre-requisite fight at a public event.

“Starter Wives Confidential” is much like every other reality show out there about women supposedly on a quest to better themselves. Expectthe weaves and drinks and fists to fly. “Starter Wives Confidential” airs Tuesday nights at 9PM only on TLC (which technically stands for The Learning Channel but I’m lost on what one is supposed to learn from this show).

Meet the Starter Wives: