h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Good Entry!

It may interest you to know that the BBC 4 series "Storyville", broadcast on Monday 10th November 2008 (how's that for synchronicity?) profiled an adopted boy who knew he didn't fit in with his family (he was short fat and dark: his three adoptive brothers, his parents' natural kids, were all tall, slim, blonde and sporty).

Researching to find out who his natural parents were, he discovered he was the illigitimate son of Rebecca Welles, and all of a sudden, things made more sense. The surviving Welles family members adopted him as one of their own: Welles' long-time mistress, Oja Kovacs, was shocked at his likeness to his grandfather.

The main theme of the docu was how this guy had felt like an unhappy misfit with three better-looking higher-acheiving siblings, knowing them to be the natural children while he was only adopted. This drove him to do unhappy things - drink, drugs, and a really bad car-crash that left him visibly brain-damaged. It is told through the eyes of the sibling who came along nine or ten months after his adoption, with whom he was effectively raised as a non-identical twin. This particular brother later had the operation, and is now his sister - and what kept me watching was, damn, unless you were told this, you would not have realised this person started off as a bloke, as she is the most convincing sex-change person I have ever seen, a ravishingly gorgeous tall slim blonde.

You should look this documentary up and incorporate it into your Entry, as it was really compelling viewing.

This is it:- it's actually repeated tonight! (Weds 12th Nov) and available on playback via the BBC4 website:-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00fh2bk

"Filmmaker Kimberly Reed hasn't seen her older brother for years and as they reunite for their 20th anniversary school reunion, a lot has changed.

"Marc was a school underachiever, poor at sports and pretty hopeless academically, and deeply insecure about being an adopted son. He has subsequently had a major brain injury which has left him prone to violent mood swings.

Back at school, Kimberly was called Paul and was the ultimate sports jock, straight-A student and school hero, and this is the first time Marc has seen his brother since she became his sister.

Their new relationship starts off well and takes a surreal turn when Marc discovers his birth grandparents were Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth. But soon the old resentments begin to show and the reunion takes a turn for the worse."

>> as she is the most convincing sex-change person I have ever seen

Except that the really "convincing" ones are sufficiently "convincing" that you just can't tell. You may have seen and been convinced by far more post-transition trans-men and -women than you will ever know.

It does sound an extraordinary and interesting documentary though.

B

AgProv and Ben for stopping by and enlightening me with this information.