did they ever show is face?

• RE: jill's dad,Mama_Pita, 04:31 PM, 03-02-06
  • RE: jill's dad,snowflake2, 11:11 PM, 03-02-06
    • RE: jill's dad,SeasonedRefinement, 01:19 AM, 03-03-06
      • RE: jill's dad,Labyrinth, 08:16 AM, 03-03-06
        • RE: jill's dad,Sweeti, 10:01 AM, 03-03-06
      • RE: jill's dad,jeana28, 10:07 AM, 03-03-06
        • RE: jill's dad,Baxtera, 03:46 PM, 03-03-06
        • RE: jill's dad,imamrs, 09:36 PM, 03-03-06
      • RE: jill's dad,snowflake2, 01:53 AM, 03-04-06
      • RE: jill's dad,inhibited, 03:16 PM, 03-07-06
• RE: jill's dad,dasboot, 04:21 PM, 03-03-06
  • RE: jill's dad,shawnar, 10:32 PM, 03-03-06
    • RE: jill's dad,Twinkles, 10:30 AM, 03-05-06
  • RE: jill's dad,snowflake2, 02:00 AM, 03-04-06
• RE: jill's dad,ccr1225, 00:46 AM, 03-04-06
  • RE: jill's dad,ddramcgee, 02:40 AM, 03-04-06
    • RE: jill's dad,steelmagnolya, 06:00 PM, 03-07-06
• RE: jill's dad,pookieman, 01:33 PM, 03-08-06
  • RE: jill's dad,Sinead, 05:32 PM, 03-09-06
    • RE: jill's dad,cheesecake, 10:38 PM, 03-28-06
      • RE: jill's dad,dasboot, 00:14 AM, 03-29-06

No, Jill just got in contact with him after 41 yrs. She doesnt know him, he doesnt know her. He left jills mom when she was pregnant with jill. He wasnt ready for a family yet. She contacted him this week as part of her assignment to graduate, Who knew it would work out this good. Nobody expected the reunion that happened. Way to go Jill and Leonard.

The phone conversation between Jill and her dad was very bizarre to me. I didn't know what to make of the way he took so long to respond to anything Jill said, or why he sometimes stopped talking before he completed a sentence. Also, there was one point where he sounded like he was trying to read a prepared statement...something about the choice of words sounded unnatural and didn't match the rest of the conversation. Jill also seemed a little confused about it. I noticed she looked questioningly at Iyanla a few times.

Bizarre? It was right out of the twilight zone. I hate feeling embarrassed for people. That was embarrassing.

Leonard didn't know how to respond to, "hello". The pauses were so long, so senseless, that I thought they had either lost the connection or that Leonard was hard of hearing.

I did notice, however, that when it became painfully obvious that this was NOT going to be TV's finest moment, Iyanla jumped in. Not only did Leonard respond, but he seemed articulate. I thought he was reading from a prepared statement as well. I believe the production staff knew that Leonard was feeling unsure about this whole thing. I think he was given the statement to read from to stop him from backing out. That's just my opinion, of course.

I also thought the roses were someone else's idea that Leonard was told about (ten to one there is no floral charge on Leonard's Visa this month, lol).

What about the half-brothers? How does Jill (or Iyanla) know that either of them want to know Jill? The fact that Jill wants to be a part of their father's life may be a difficult thing for their mother to accept. This whole "storyline", I believe, was not optional for Jill - not really. I doubt they will ever meet. Leonard will probably rethink the whole thing, and without the pressure of the pros, he may decide that revisiting this part of his life was a mistake - JMO (unless, of course, Jill DOES become famous...that's when "family" comes out of the woodwrk, lol).

Th bigger question on my mind - will the SO people really give a damn after tomorrow, or was the incredibly personal issue just ratings fodder?

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LAST EDITED ON 03-03-06 AT 08:18 AM (EST)

JMO the whole thing was staged. I do think Leonard probably has an honest desire to meet Jill but I also believe he was approached by B-M to expect the letter, was told when to respond to the letter, and his "calling at inappropriate times" shows clearly that he had to call when the television crew could film the moment - that's why it was "inappropriate" - why else use this bizarre word? He called when Jill was in the bathroom? Called when Jill was on her date? No he did not call when he could be FILMED.

I don't think it necessarily follows that Leonard's wife would be jealous of Jill - Jill is 40 plus and that marriage to her mom is WAY in the PAST. Obviously, the relationship between Leonard and Jill's mother didn't work out - and it will be interesting to know if we will ever hear his side of the story.

Hopefully, with the cameras off of Jill, Leonard and her can meet honestly and she can start to know her other family.

i feel bad for both Jill and her dad. To have to talk for the first time ever, and have it happen on a tv show HAD to be hard!. i know that he had to agree to it but still, had to suck. im so glad they didnt "make" them meet for the first time on camera.

Im sure in his defense, he was quite nervous about this whole thing. He had no idea what Jill was contacting him for, maybe he thought she wanted money or something.. in other words, the expectations of Jill contacting him was unknown.,all though she sent him a video and letter,im sure it was quite emotional. Lets not forget he didnt know she even existed.... so what do you say to a daughter you knew nothing about? There is no bond, no connection so what did you expect him to sound like? he was probably at a loss for words, so the show helped him out... maybe he wanted to sound somewhat intelligent to impress her. IF The show helped him by sending her flowers, more power.. he mightve not had any money to send her flowers or knew what to send. Without knowing the father side of the family, who are we to judge? Okay i am NOT bashing anyone.. all i am saying is we dont know his side.. lets not jump in there and judge him. think about what it would be like if you have a child you never met, or gave up for adoption and they called you out of the blue?

I always thought this was designed as a ratings grabber to begin with. It goes back to one of my main complaints about the show in that the coaches set the assignments and the goals for the guests regardless of what they feel they need to focus on and without the real skills to support the guests in what they are asking them to do.

There are people that specialize in reuniting people with their birth parents and do prepare the biological children and parents with what they may face as most have kind of a fantasy whethter they admit to it or not of what their reunions will be like. Dr. Stan did some work but really why was this pushed so hard and so fast when it could have been done much earlier on Jill was there for a long time.

I think Jill might have been hoping to get some sympathy points out of it with IV.

As an adopted child I can see both sides to the story. As much as Jill wants to meet him, it has to be difficult to connect with a total stranger (and with the whole world watching). The reality is a lot of the reunions turn out to be a more negative thing than a positive.

My birth mother gave very little information. The adoption home was not able to locate her. If I were to my birth parents it would part to find out where I came from, but also to find out medical history. I have no dillusion that they are something they are not. They chose to give me up for adoption and that is one of the hardest thing in life to do. I could not imagine giving up one of my children.

SeasonedRefinement wrote: <<I also thought the roses were someone else's idea that Leonard was told about (ten to one there is no floral charge on Leonard's Visa this month, lol).>>
-------------------------------------------------------------
I thought the exact same thing.

>Bizarre? It was right out
>of the twilight zone.
>I hate feeling embarrassed for
>people. That was embarrassing.
>
>
>Leonard didn't know how to respond
>to, "hello". The pauses
>were so long, so senseless,
>that I thought they had
>either lost the connection or
>that Leonard was hard of
>hearing.
>
>I did notice, however, that when
>it became painfully obvious that
>this was NOT going to
>be TV's finest moment, Iyanla
>jumped in. Not only
>did Leonard respond, but he
>seemed articulate. I thought
>he was reading from a
>prepared statement as well.
>I believe the production staff
>knew that Leonard was feeling
>unsure about this whole thing.
> I think he was
>given the statement to read
>from to stop him from
>backing out. That's just
>my opinion, of course.
>
>I also thought the roses were
>someone else's idea that Leonard
>was told about (ten to
>one there is no floral
>charge on Leonard's Visa this
>month, lol).
>
>What about the half-brothers? How
>does Jill (or Iyanla) know
>that either of them want
>to know Jill? The
>fact that Jill wants to
>be a part of their
>father's life may be a
>difficult thing for their mother
>to accept. This whole
>"storyline", I believe, was not
>optional for Jill - not
>really. I doubt they
>will ever meet. Leonard
>will probably rethink the whole
>thing, and without the pressure
>of the pros, he may
>decide that revisiting this part
>of his life was a
>mistake - JMO (unless, of
>course, Jill DOES become famous...that's
>when "family" comes out of
>the woodwrk, lol).
>
>Th bigger question on my mind
>- will the SO people
>really give a damn after
>tomorrow, or was the incredibly
>personal issue just ratings fodder?
>
>
>*******************************************

His speech was hesitant, but I didn't perceive it as rejection. Jill speaks slowly, too; she takes a while to form her sentences. This seems like a trait she probably inherited from him. Also, he is an old man..at least 62 so there is no telling what type of health issues he might be dealing with (stroke, alzheimer's, heart disease, etc.) 62 isn't old by most standards, but African-American men do tend to die younger. So he was hesitant as he should have been after abandoning his child. SLIMEBALL. But at least he responded...which may have been scripted...but he did seem willing to try. Jill will never be able to make up for all the things she missed out on and I'm sure this man has no desire to make that happen, but he deserves some praise for even acknowledging her existance. All she can do is ask and accept what he has to give, is capable of giving. At least she was willing to learn the truth.

After the miserable years I spent with my father, her having not known him may not have been such a bad thing after all. It's all relative, I guess. Rachel's biological dad didn't turn out to be much of a gem either. I read somewhere she said he wasn't a very good father to any of his children.

I did hear long pauses but I think it wasn't because he was scripted or not intrested. I heard it more as being nerveous and uncomfortable. Maybe he was nerveous about what he was going to be asked and also because he was choosing his words very carefully.

I am happy for Jill. I know she did not intend to set off on the journey of finding her father but, I think it was something that was neccesary in her growth. Not everyone has to make that journey to move on with living their best life but, in her case she had alot of hurt and feeling of abandonment and rejection that needed to be dealt with.

Needless to say I am happy for her.

I thought all the awkwardness comes from the fact that there is still dishonesty. No one is 'fessing up to Leonard the truth about why Jill is contacting her father. It comes across in her video and in her phone call and e-mail. I would have been hesitant in reply to her, too.

She has a façade of "I want to talk to you, it's time", but really the truth is more like "I screwed up my life big time recently and let me get it out in the open that I don't need anything from you. It's just that right now I'm in a Hollywood halfway house where some pseudo-psychology coaches have nearly convinced me that a good move to contact you otherwise I'll never have a good husband. I just am not being allowed to graduate til I call you. After this, you're off the hook."

dasboot wrote: <<Jill speaks slowly, too; she takes a while to form her sentences. This seems like a trait she probably inherited from him.>>
-----------------------------------------------------------
LOL, Leonard just needed to fill his blank moments with utterances such as "For the love of Christmas" and "uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, like, you know, uhhhhhhhhhhhh..." so we could know he was still on the other end of the line.

BTW, I also wondered if Leonard had a health problem which affected his speech.

My dad speaks the same way. He had a speech impediment as a child (I think stuttering?) and part of his therapy was to speak slower and process his thoughts. I noticed the hesitations too but I did not think it as odd or rehearsed.

What the F@#$!!! Seriously, I don't know to chalk this up to that infernal editing or what? And how bout the conflamma commerical that says something to the effect "THE FIRST TIME STARTING OVER HAS EVER RE-UNITED A FATHER AND DAUGHTER" HELLLoooooo, watched it since season one that happened in season two.....

It is the first time a houseguest has met their father having never ever seen him before. I had to think about this the first time I saw that promo "never before in SO history". With all the other ladies (Rachel, Rene, etc.), they had at one time had contact with their dads even if they were small children at the time.

No, they never showed his face. I believe his name was leonard.

Yeah, that's what I came to the boards to find out about... I see I'm not the only one then that saw the commercial showing Jill meeting her father face to face... it looked like it was going to be the next episode but it was a while ago already and I never saw it take place... did I miss an episode? No, I don't think so, and now she's gone from the house... What happened with that?

I think what we seen in the coming attractions was Jill meeting her blind date. I seen Jill walking into a restraunt and there was an older man standing there. Jill did say later that her date was old enough to meet her mother.

The man she met for the date was 58 YEARS OLD! Old enough to be her father. It was a low risk date. He could reject her because of her weight, she could reject him because of his age. I think I heard her refer to him after the date as an "old pervert." Why they didn't set up with a man closer to her own age is a mystery, really. Nine, 9, million people in lalaland and they couldn't find someone closer to her age? Come on SO! Make her find a date and go on it. This would be closer to reality than these hired actors paid to woo/coddle the ladies.