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Local residents comment on the Sarah Jessica Parker episode of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ series
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Tuning in to NBC Friday, March 5, 2010 at 8/7 Central proved to be a delight. The premiere of the seven-part series, Who Do You Think You Are? allowed us into the world of Sarah Jessica Parker’s intriguing, emotional adventure of a lifetime as she began to ask questions and discover parts of her family history.
From her ancestors in the famed California Gold Rush times to a relative accused in the infamous Salem Witch trials, Parker gleaned a depth of connection to her American heritage that she could not possibly have known without this journey into her past. “I have belonging. I’m an American!” she stated with emphasis.
Watching Sarah’s face was a story in and of itself. Seeing the extraordinary joy in her eyes as from anticipation of what she’d find and also as new discoveries presented themselves, producers took viewers on a vicarious journey—connected to the emotion of it all. On the flip side, we watched moments of painful discovery that left her feeling deeply concerned about what happened to John Hodge (who had conflicting records concerning his death and who had left his wife first pregnant, later widowed with a young child). She also had terrible concern about the fate of her ancestor who’d been accused of being a witch—proving that finding information about ancestors “becomes personal”.
When Sarah was learning about her Gold Rush ancestor, John Hodge, she made a statement that impressed Sharilyn Wilson, resident of Mesa, AZ and mother of eight children “I love that phrase ‘I can’t get him out of my mind! That’s what happens to people when you start thinking of an ancestor. [You think] how did this happen, and how did that happen.”
Connected to the story of Parker's Salem relative, a 300-year-old document was produced. Wilson went on to say, “It helps everybody realize that a lot of history is not lost, you just have to find it. Just think about it. The original handwritten accusation was there!” The show got people thinking about our generation, too. Wilson continued, “What are we preserving if we do everything through text messaging and emailing? Everyone needs to provide just a little written history so that everyone can glean from their life experiences.”
David Wilson, husband of Sharilyn, had these comments about the show, “It was interesting. We get caught up in our own world. She [Parker] had no idea what went on in her past. That’s why we need to write it down.” He felt it only takes a few generations for members of the same family to lose track of each other and that it was important not to let any fears of what happened in the past stand in the way of finding out the facts. “People like to know where they came from and what’s up.” He gives people credit for thinking deeper than just the next day—the repeated cycles of work and home, work and home, on and on.
R. Shawn Murphy of Mesa enjoyed the show. "This is going to create a lot of interest," he said.
Intrigue
Lisa Millar, resident of Gilbert, AZ said, “I was very intrigued by the whole thing. It was like a mystery that you could see solved right there—the mystery of who this person was. You could see it unfolding every step . . . I did not want to stop watching it because I wanted to find out the answers to who these people were.”
Solutions
Millar went on to say, “She brought up the name of Hodge. . . They never knew what happened to him. It was good to have those answers—to know that he did not abandon his family.”
Connections
Millar, mother of three young boys, was also touched by how excited Parker was to think about telling her mother of her discoveries.
Many people agree that watching Who Do You Think You Are? was time well spent. In Sarah Jessica Parker’s own words, “It’s changed everything about who I thought I was. Everything!” She was concerned that her mother would think that she’d made the whole thing up, but she was still exited to return to tell the fascinating stories and rekindle some connections to the past. “I have so much to tell you, I don’t even know where to begin,” she said.
Watch next Friday, March 12, 2010 as the family history of football legend Emmitt Smith is explored. The show airs at 8/7 Central on NBC.
Note: Examiner Carolyn Murphy resides in Mesa, AZ She owns the Family Tree Quest Website and maintains three blogs: Family Tree Gal, Family Tree Quest’s Blog and JOURNALriffic. She can be found on Twitter and Facebook. Contact her with comments, or contact here separately with story materials.
Football legend Emmitt Smith's journey into his family history takes him beyond his expectations.
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