I Am Jazz

I Am Jazz
Also known as 'All That Jazz[1]
Genre Reality
Starring Jazz Jennings and family
Country of origin United States
Original language(s) English
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 19
Production
Executive producer(s)
  • Aengus James
  • Colin King Miller
  • David St. John
Producer(s)
  • Taylor Garbutt
  • Jared Goode (Segment Producer)
Location(s) South Florida, United States
Editor(s) Eric Johannsen
Camera setup Meagan Stockemer
Running time 22 minutes
Production company(s) This Is Just a Test
Release
Original network TLC
Picture format 480i (SDTV)
1080i (HDTV)
Original release July 15, 2015 (2015-07-15) – present
External links
Official website

I Am Jazz (announced as All That Jazz) is an American reality television series on TLC about a transgender girl named Jazz Jennings. The 11-part series features Jazz and her family "dealing with typical teen drama through the lens of a transgender youth."[1][2] I Am Jazz premiered on July 15, 2015, and has received positive reviews.

Synopsis

Jazz Jennings, a South Florida teen, was assigned male at birth. Aged 4, Jennings was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in childhood, making her one of the youngest publicly documented people to be identified as gender dysphoric.[3] Her parents, Greg and Jeanette, decided to support her female gender identity by her fifth birthday. Jazz has been in the spotlight since 2007, when at age 6, she did an interview with Barbara Walters discussing her gender identity. She did follow-up interviews, launched a foundation, and co-wrote a book, also called I Am Jazz. She has also posted videos about her life on YouTube.

I Am Jazz focuses on the "Jennings" family (the surname "Jennings" is a pseudonym, and any reference to the family's exact location is obscured)[4][5] and their day-to-day lives. Jazz, who is about to go into high school, grapples with the usual teen angst in addition to her own challenges as a transgender girl. Her family, which includes her three siblings, parents and grandparents, also talk about their experiences.[2]

Production

The 11-part series involved filming five days a week, including both days on the weekend.[6] The series was initially called All That Jazz, but was retitled to I Am Jazz. The show takes its title from a 2011 documentary, I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition, that aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network.[7][8]

The one-hour series premiere of I Am Jazz first aired at the same time Caitlyn Jenner was giving her acceptance speech for the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2015 ESPY Awards on ABC.[9]

Episodes

Season 1 (2015)

No. Title Original air date U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"All About Jazz"July 15, 2015 (2015-07-15)1.36[10]
One-hour series premiere. Jazz's family talk about Jazz's life and her insistence from an early age that she was a girl, and the struggles and confusion they faced. Jazz goes bathing suit shopping with Ari, and struggles to find a flattering suit; Jazz talks with her brothers about her insecurities over her body. Jazz's maternal grandparents stop by and talk about their shock in learning Jazz was transgender. Jazz and Jeanette visit the doctor to discuss results of Jazz's hormone tests.
2"Boys Aren't Nice to Her"July 22, 2015 (2015-07-22)1.02[11]
Ari is coming back from college for the summer, and the twins have to go back to sharing a room; their parents let them and Jazz makeover their rooms. Jazz feels her room is too girly and needs to match her age. Jeanette is emotional about Jazz growing up and no longer being her "baby." Jazz and her friends host a coed bowling night, but few boys come. She is hurt when she finds out one boy refused to come because she is transgender; Jazz talks about facing rejection as her friends start dating and how boys come up to her friends but ignore her. Jeanette is very worried about the social situations Jazz will face in high school.[12]
3"High School Is Wild Fire"July 22, 2015 (2015-07-22)1.08[11]
Jazz attends a soccer conditioning clinic in preparation for high school. Her parents and coach discuss whether she should try out for the varsity or junior varsity squad when she enters high school. Greg stresses that he just wants Jazz to be happy. Jeanette worries that Jazz, who was barred from playing in the girls' league for several years, is scarred from the experience.[13]
4"I Thought It Was a Choice"July 29, 2015 (2015-07-29)0.911[14]
Jazz believes she chose to be a girl, but she finds out it was not the case, when she was still a boy she would wear dresses in private, revealing that without knowing or remembering, Jazz had always truly been a girl.
5"Am I Doing the Right Thing?"July 29, 2015 (2015-07-29)0.886[14]
6"Happy Mother's Day!"August 5, 2015 (2015-08-05)0.870[15]
7"I'm Ready to Explore Boys"August 5, 2015 (2015-08-05)0.897[15]
8"So the Dad is Now Mom?"August 12, 2015 (2015-08-12)0.766[16]
9"We Don't Read the Comments"August 12, 2015 (2015-08-12)0.690[16]
10"Baby Jazz Is Growing Up"August 19, 2015 (2015-08-19)0.698[17]
11"The Family Tells All"August 26, 2015 (2015-08-26)0.780[18]

Season 2 (2016)

No. Title Original air date U.S. viewers
(millions)
1"The Hate is Real"June 8, 2016 (2016-06-08)1.048[19]
2"I Looked Like a Man in a Dress"June 15, 2016 (2016-06-15)0.971[20]
3"It's Either Surgery or Male Puberty"June 22, 2016 (2016-06-22)0.987[21]
4"Your Body May Be Rejecting the Implant"June 29, 2016 (2016-06-29)1.334[22]
5"Confronted with Hate"July 6, 2016 (2016-07-06)1.181[23]
Jazz is confronted by hateful callers when she's a guest on a local radio show. Later, Jazz attends a transgender support group and learns the shocking details of Noelle's transition. The family plans a big surprise for Jeanette's 50th birthday.
6"She's Too Young for Breast Surgery"July 13, 2016 (2016-07-13)0.996[24]
7"We Scare Most Boys"July 20, 2016 (2016-07-20)1.022[25]
Jazz experiences her first romantic interest, forcing her and her parents to begin confronting issues of dating and "the birds and the bees" as a transgender woman. The Jennings take on an extreme athletic challenge together.
8"Teenage Angst and Broken Hearts"July 27, 2016 (2016-07-27)1.110[26]

Reception

Critic Brian Lowry of Variety praised I Am Jazz, calling it a "sensitively constructed series (in an admirable departure for the attention-seeking network)... Simply told and heartfelt, the show should add a welcome dimension to the education process, capturing the challenges associated with sexual identity at such a vulnerable age."[27] James Poniewozik, in his review for Time magazine, stated that the reality show airing on the same network that recently pulled 19 Kids and Counting off the air feels like a "change of an era." Poniewozik writes, "I Am Jazz is an engaging story of a teen girl who has transitioned. But it is also the story of everyone else, transitioning."[8] Marc Silver of the Washington Post wrote about the boom of transgender-theme shows on TV, including Jenner's upcoming reality show, I Am Cait: "I Am Cait will surely attract more viewers because of Jenner's fame. It's too soon to say how Jazz will fare. But with her humor and honesty, she's a tough act for Caitlyn Jenner to follow."[28]

Awards

The show tied for best Outstanding Reality Program at the 27th annual GLAAD Media Awards.[29][30]

Broadcast

Internationally, the series premiered in Australia on TLC on December 10, 2015.[31]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Grinberg, Emanuella (March 19, 2015). "Why transgender teen Jazz Jennings is everywhere". CNN. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Transgender Teen Jazz Jennings Will Star in TLC TV Series "I Am Jazz"". The Learning Channel. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  3. ↑ Prowse-Gany, Brian. "The New Face of Transgender Youth". Yahoo!. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  4. ↑ Menendez, Alicia; Redman, Meagan; Effron, Lauren (July 14, 2015). "'I Am Jazz': Transgender Teen on Grappling with High School, Puberty". ABC News. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  5. ↑ Lindsey Bever (March 19, 2015). "How a transgender teen became a nationally known activist". Washington Post. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  6. ↑ Rothaus, Steve (June 25, 2015). "Growing Up Transgender: Jazz Jennings". Miami Herald. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  7. ↑ Linster, The (October 28, 2011). ""I Am Jazz" is a heartwarming look at a transgender 11-year-old". AfterEllen. Evolve Media. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  8. 1 2 Poniewozik, James (July 15, 2015). "Review: An Extraordinary, Ordinary Girlhood in TLC's I Am Jazz". Time. Time Inc. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  9. ↑ Yahr, Emily (July 16, 2015). "Caitlyn Jenner's ESPYs speech aired at an unusually significant moment on TV — here's why". Washington Post. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  10. ↑ Bibel, Sara (July 16, 2015). "Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'Duck Dynasty' Tops Night + 'Suits', Copa Oro, 'Wahlburgers' 'The Game', 'Stephen Universe' & More". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Digital Ventures. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  11. 1 2 Bibel, Sara (July 23, 2015). "Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'Sharknado 3' & 'Duck Dynasty' Win Night, 'Suits', 'The Game', 'Catfish' & More". TV by the Numbers. Tribune Digital Ventures. Retrieved July 28, 2015.
  12. ↑ Hurtado, Alexandra (July 22, 2015). "Jazz Jennings Discusses the 'Rocky Relationship' with Boys She's Had as a Transgender Teen Girl". People. Time Inc. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  13. ↑ Bentley, Jean (July 22, 2015). "Sneak Peek: Transgender Teen Jazz Jennings Is "Scarred" After Being Banned From Soccer". Us Weekly. Wenner Media. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  14. 1 2 Kondolojy, Amanda (July 30, 2015). "Wednesday Cable Ratings: 'Duck Dynasty' Tops Night + 'The Game', 'Catfish', 'American Pickers', 'Suits' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
  15. 1 2 Metcalf, Mitch (August 6, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Wednesday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.5.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
  16. 1 2 Metcalf, Mitch (August 13, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Wednesday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.12.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  17. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (August 20, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Wednesday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.19.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  18. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (August 27, 2015). "SHOWBUZZDAILY's Top 100 Wednesday Cable Originals (& Network Update): 8.26.2015". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
  19. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (June 9, 2016). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.8.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
  20. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (June 16, 2016). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.15.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved June 16, 2016.
  21. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (June 23, 2016). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.22.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  22. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (June 30, 2016). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 6.29.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved June 30, 2016.
  23. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (July 7, 2016). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.6.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved July 7, 2016.
  24. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (July 14, 2016). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.13.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  25. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (July 21, 2016). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.20.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved July 21, 2016.
  26. ↑ Metcalf, Mitch (July 28, 2016). "Updated: ShowBuzzDaily's Top 150 Wednesday Cable Originals & Network Finals: 7.27.2016". ShowBuzzDaily. Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  27. ↑ Lowry, Brian (July 13, 2015). "TV Review: 'I Am Jazz'". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
  28. ↑ Silver, Marc (July 13, 2015). "'I Am Jazz' is the latest in this summer's transgender reality show boom". Washington Post. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  29. ↑ "Caitlyn Jenner, Jazz Jennings Win GLAAD Awards".
  30. ↑ 2016 GLAAD Media Awards: Demi Lovato & Caitlyn Jenner Among Recipients | Billboard
  31. ↑ Purcell, Charles (3 December 2015). "New This Week (Dec 7): 40+ new shows including Da Vinci's Demons, Grimm and live sport". The Green Room. Archived from the original on December 4, 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
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