By Tommy Costabile

For years the controversy of reality television and it’s place in the world has held a great debate.  But, every now and then a show comes around that puts debaters in their place, and if you were able to catch last night’s premiere of A Stand Up Mother on the WE channel, you’ll know what we’re talking about.

For those of you who were fans of the great sitcoms with a woman leading the way like Mary Tyler Moore or Roseanne, you’re sure to fall in love with Tammy Pescatelli, a stand-up comedian who’s juggling life between her career and her family.  We were introduced to Tammy a while back when she competed on Last Comic Standing, and you probably seen her on The Tongiht Show with Jay Leno or Last Call with Carson Daly.  Tammy also performs her standup across the country on a regular basis.  She’s a busy girl!

In Stand Up Mother we see how Tammy balances her life as a celebrity while being married to her husband Luca Palanca, and mother to her adorable son, Little Luca.  The show opens by introducing the characters and then moves into their planning of a Wedtismal which is the combining of Tammy and Luca’s wedding and the baptism of their son, Little Luca.  During the course of this planning, we’re also introduced to Tammy and Luca’s parents and how everybody coexists with each other in Meadville, PA, up until the actual reception of the Wedtismal, and the whole time you feel right at home.

When we watch a majority (if not all) of the reality shows on tv, we find ourselves in this hypnotic state of jaw dropping awe towards the stupidity, ignorance, and illiteracy of these so called stars.  But, in Stand Up there’s a completely different feeling that comes about you when you’re watching the show.  You feel like Tammy and Luca could be you, your parents, your cousins, or brother and sister.  You feel like when Tammy and Luca kiss Little Luca as they walk in the door after working that Little Luca could be your son or nephew.  When Tammy yells at Luca for not checking in with her before he makes the stupid decisions men make in a woman’s eye, that Luca could be you.  Or when Tammy got rejected not once, but twice for possible roles she should’ve landed, and actually broke a tear because the pressure of juggling a family with her career is starting to get to her, that she could’ve been you.  I almost broke a tear myself when I saw that (and I’m a guy) because the trials and tribulations that she goes through for the stability of her family is completely universal.  It’s what we all go through everyday in some way, and you care about these characters because of that.  Memories of watching Ralph and Alice or Dick and Mary come over you.  How awesome is that?

We’re not talking about Snooki going to find some guys at a club or a Kardashian worrying about some piece of shit perfume scent.  We’re talking about 100% pure Americana.  Stand Up felt like a breath of fresh air.  And in regards to the comedy, fuggedaboutit!  The show is hysterical, I laughed out loud quite a few times.  Especially when Luca’s mom Rose came in the picture.  Holy shit is she awesome!  She’s scary, she’s funny, and she’s family so you love her.

For those of you who missed the show try to check it out next week.  I hate reality television.  I love A Stand Up Mother.