This weekend was one of the darkest in recent U.S. history, as an Orlando night club was the setting for the worst mass shooting this country has ever seen. And while many have experienced the aftermath through mourning and trying to figure out the best way to move forward - with many others squabbling hatefully - the producers behind the upcoming E! reality series The Abbey Diaries were apparently quick to conceive of a way to make an opportunity for themselves out of the tragedy, and the shooting will be incorporated into the show's first season.
The Abbey Diaries will be set at the well-known gay and lesbian night club The Abbey, located in West Hollywood, and even though actual production on the show won't begin for another month or so, there were pick-up shoots reportedly already planned for Sunday. Almost eight hours of coverage got filmed, according to TheWrap, and those featured were members of the LGBT community fearlessly celebrating their pride even as the subject of the Orlando shooting permeated every kind of media.
It's unclear just how the shooting will fit into The Abbey Diaries, as its presence was confirmed by a spokesperson from E! but without any further information. However, that won't be the only headline to get attention, as the show will also highlight the arrested and charged James Wesley Howell, who was suspected to be planning a major attack on the L.A. Pride parade, seemingly evidenced by three assault rifles, ammunition and chemicals used for explosions. Police later took that specific accusation back, however, stating Howell was only planning to attend the parade without any deadly plans.
When it won't be concerned with the abhorrent actions of the massacre's gunman, The Abbey Diaries sounds like a pretty normal affair. The show will follow the nightclub's staff as they have to deal with important and big-name guests that aren't always so easy to handle. As well, the workers will have their own drama to deal with involving relationships, people's sexuality, and dreams of moving onto better jobs in Los Angeles.
E! has basically become a reality show assembly line in recent years, giving everyone an extended 15 minutes of fame from boy bands to those Kardashian women to rich teenagers. I'm not sure whether or not bringing in a major national tragedy will be a smart move on the show's part, but so long as it's handled with aplomb and doesn't Botch things up, it could be fine.
The Abbey Diaries isn't at all the first bit of TV programming affected by the Orlando shooting, which left 49 dead and over 50 more injured. There were delayed telecasts, as TNT's The Last Ship postponed its Season 3 premiere, and all the late night hosts delivered a varied batch of somber and heartfelt monologues.
