Little People, Big World
Encyclopedia
Little People, Big World is a reality television series
produced in the United States
that aired on TLC. The series follows the six-member Roloff family farm near Portland, Oregon
. Many of the episodes focus on the parents, Matt and Amy, and one of their sons, Zach, who are all little people.
On August 26, 2010 TLC announced that the sixth season would be the last for the show.
Little People, Big World debuted on March 4, 2006, and the series finale aired on December 6, 2010. The show is also available for download on iTunes
. On July 12, 2011 it was officially announced that Little People, Big World will return to TLC for 4 brand new specials. Production has already finished and the first special aired on October 2 2011 with the rest to follow.
and Amy, and their four children: Zach, Jeremy, Molly and Jacob. Matt
, Amy and Zach are little people
, while Jeremy, Molly and Jacob are of average height. Teenagers Zach and Jeremy are fraternal twins
; although Zach is not of average height, his brother Jeremy is above average height (6'1"), (185 cm).
The family lives on the 36 acres (145,687 m²) Roloff Farms, located north of Hillsboro
in Helvetia, Oregon
(a suburb
of Portland). Although crops of pumpkin
s are grown and sold by the family, much of the farm has been converted into a series of playground set pieces for the Roloff children. They were designed by Matt, who spent most of his childhood in the hospital. He has tried to make his children's life the best possible.
Episodes of the show typically showcase one or more members of the Roloff family engaging in everyday activities such as shopping, athletics and dealing with household finances. The drama of the show arises from the fact that many of these activities are made more challenging due to the height of the dwarfs in the family, as Matt and Amy are 4'1" (124 cm), Zach is 4'4" (132 cm).
As with any reality show, the segments that are aired are ones that are expected to generate viewer interest. However, Little People, Big World avoids portraying the Roloffs in a stereotypical
or sensational light. The situations encountered in the show are ones that most families deal with, although the ways in which the Roloffs deal with them are unique to them and are from the perspective of little people.
The Roloffs have several close friends who appear regularly on the show, among them actor Martin Klebba
who has known Amy for over 20 years.
(which they use to launch pumpkins as part of the pumpkin season promotion) prematurely triggered. Jacob was rushed to nearby St. Vincent Hospital and underwent surgery to relieve swelling in his head caused by a small piece of skull
pushed into his brain
. Jacob and Mike recovered from the injuries and were released on Monday, October 30, 2006.
Although a TLC camera crew were at the farm recording footage, they were not in the area where the accident occurred. The accident, therefore, was not recorded. Prior to the airing of two new episodes on November 4, TLC aired a brief segment with Matt and Amy acknowledging the accident and thanking everyone for their support. Jacob was shown with what appeared to be an injury around his right eye.
Footage taken shortly after the accident occurred on the farm was shown December 16 in the final minutes of the season finale, "Farm Overload." A crowd had gathered around Jacob, who was lying on the ground near the trebuchet
. The first two episodes of season 3 focus on the accident, and how the local media reacted to it.
), leading to the show's renewal for a second season. Critical reviews of the series have been generally positive, citing the show's positive portrayal of little people. Conversely, other reviews have claimed that the show has a voyeuristic
bend to it (albeit a non-sexual one), but allows the viewer to feel good about watching because it is not outwardly or overtly exploitive.
Since the show began airing, Roloff Farms has become an extremely popular tourist
destination. While the farm and its many attractions have long been available for public viewing during pumpkin season (October), it is now receiving far more visitors than can be accommodated. During the 2006 season, more than 30,000 people arrived to buy pumpkins and tour the farm, which only has space for a few hundred vehicles. The farm was shut down temporarily by Washington County
deputies on one Saturday in October 2006, due to massive traffic. Area residents have complained about the gridlock
caused by the visitors, as well as about the increased media scrutiny the show has brought.
The Roloffs receive as many as a dozen emails per minute from supporters. The increased exposure, however, has led to safety concerns for the family, who now deal with trespass
ers and zealous fans. They recently installed a security gate on their property.
The Roloffs have hit the headlines a number of times. In 2006, Jacob and Mike Detjen, a family friend, were severely injured when a pumpkin catapult prematurely launched. In 2007, Matt was arrested on DUI charges. While he was found not guilty of the DUI, he was found guilty of refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test. As a result of his refusal, his driver's license was suspended for three years, because he had previously admitted guilt in a drunken-driving diversion program that he completed in 2003.
The sixth and final full season of Little People, Big World premiered on September 6, 2010.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
produced in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that aired on TLC. The series follows the six-member Roloff family farm near Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. Many of the episodes focus on the parents, Matt and Amy, and one of their sons, Zach, who are all little people.
On August 26, 2010 TLC announced that the sixth season would be the last for the show.
Little People, Big World debuted on March 4, 2006, and the series finale aired on December 6, 2010. The show is also available for download on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
. On July 12, 2011 it was officially announced that Little People, Big World will return to TLC for 4 brand new specials. Production has already finished and the first special aired on October 2 2011 with the rest to follow.
Premise
The show follows the daily lives of the Roloff family — parents MattMatthew Roloff
Matthew James Roloff is an actor, author, farmer and businessman, best known for participating with his family in the reality television program Little People, Big World seen on TLC. The show featured the Roloffs' daily life...
and Amy, and their four children: Zach, Jeremy, Molly and Jacob. Matt
Matthew Roloff
Matthew James Roloff is an actor, author, farmer and businessman, best known for participating with his family in the reality television program Little People, Big World seen on TLC. The show featured the Roloffs' daily life...
, Amy and Zach are little people
Dwarfism
Dwarfism is short stature resulting from a medical condition. It is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than 4 feet 10 inches , although this definition is problematic because short stature in itself is not a disorder....
, while Jeremy, Molly and Jacob are of average height. Teenagers Zach and Jeremy are fraternal twins
TWINS
Two Wide-Angle Imaging Neutral-Atom Spectrometers are a pair of NASA instruments aboard two United States National Reconnaissance Office satellites in Molniya orbits. TWINS was designed to provide stereo images of the Earth's ring current. The first instrument, TWINS-1, was launched aboard USA-184...
; although Zach is not of average height, his brother Jeremy is above average height (6'1"), (185 cm).
The family lives on the 36 acres (145,687 m²) Roloff Farms, located north of Hillsboro
Hillsboro, Oregon
Hillsboro is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and is the county seat of Washington County. Lying in the Tualatin Valley on the west side of the Portland metropolitan area, the city is home to many high-technology companies, such as Intel, that compose what has become known as the...
in Helvetia, Oregon
Helvetia, Oregon
Helvetia is a small unincorporated community in Washington County, Oregon. It is located in the Tualatin Valley along U.S. Route 26 northwest of Portland. It was named by Swiss immigrants to Oregon in the 19th century. Notable features are the church, cemetery, the Rice Mineral Museum, Helvetia...
(a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Portland). Although crops of pumpkin
Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a gourd-like squash of the genus Cucurbita and the family Cucurbitaceae . It commonly refers to cultivars of any one of the species Cucurbita pepo, Cucurbita mixta, Cucurbita maxima, and Cucurbita moschata, and is native to North America...
s are grown and sold by the family, much of the farm has been converted into a series of playground set pieces for the Roloff children. They were designed by Matt, who spent most of his childhood in the hospital. He has tried to make his children's life the best possible.
Episodes of the show typically showcase one or more members of the Roloff family engaging in everyday activities such as shopping, athletics and dealing with household finances. The drama of the show arises from the fact that many of these activities are made more challenging due to the height of the dwarfs in the family, as Matt and Amy are 4'1" (124 cm), Zach is 4'4" (132 cm).
As with any reality show, the segments that are aired are ones that are expected to generate viewer interest. However, Little People, Big World avoids portraying the Roloffs in a stereotypical
Stereotype
A stereotype is a popular belief about specific social groups or types of individuals. The concepts of "stereotype" and "prejudice" are often confused with many other different meanings...
or sensational light. The situations encountered in the show are ones that most families deal with, although the ways in which the Roloffs deal with them are unique to them and are from the perspective of little people.
The Roloffs have several close friends who appear regularly on the show, among them actor Martin Klebba
Martin Klebba
Martin Klebba is an American actor and stunt performer. Klebba has a form of dwarfism called acromicric dysplasia; he is 4'1" tall.-Early life:Klebba was born and grew up in Troy, Michigan, graduating from Athens High School.-Film:...
who has known Amy for over 20 years.
Immediate family
- MatthewMatthew RoloffMatthew James Roloff is an actor, author, farmer and businessman, best known for participating with his family in the reality television program Little People, Big World seen on TLC. The show featured the Roloffs' daily life...
("Matt") — year-old (b. October 7, 1961, in CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
) husband and father; Matt's most recent career was in computer softwareComputer softwareComputer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....
sales. As the series began, Matt was no longer employed by the company, but was engaged in establishing the business he co-founded, Direct Access Solutions. The company markets accessibility kits for little people to the hospitality industryHospitality industryThe hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry...
. As the first season ended, Matt started another job as a software salesman with AmdocsAmdocsAmdocs Limited is a provider of software and services for billing, customer relationship management , operations support systems...
in order to provide the family with additional income. Matt's type of dwarfism, diastrophic dysplasiaDiastrophic dysplasiaDiastrophic dysplasia is an autosomal recessive dysplasia which affects cartilage and bone development....
, resulted in numerous childhood surgeries. He walks with the aid of crutchCrutchCrutches are mobility aids used to counter a mobility impairment or an injury that limits walking ability.- Types :There are several different types of crutches:...
es and uses a motorized cart when needed. - Amy — year-old (b. September 17, 1964, in MichiganMichiganMichigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
) wife and mother; Amy is a stay-at-home mother, although she recently took part-time jobs as a soccerFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
coach and preschool teacher to provide the family with additional income. Amy's type of dwarfism is achondroplasiaAchondroplasiaAchondroplasia dwarfism occurs as a sporadic mutation in approximately 85% of cases or may be inherited in an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that is a common cause of dwarfism...
, and she has experienced very few (if any) complications. Amy is a graduate of Central Michigan UniversityCentral Michigan UniversityCentral Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...
. When not acting, coaching, parenting, or teaching, she’s a philanthropist. Her Amy Roloff Charity Foundation makes use of her celebrity by benefitting the needs' of kids, at-risk youths, and disability groups. Amy’s also given back to the Dwarf Athletic Association of AmericaDwarf Athletic Association of AmericaThe Dwarf Athletic Association of America is an American athletic organization that sponsors and organizes athletic events for "little people" or people with dwarfism.-History:...
(DAAA), helped fund an organization for foster care parents and the kids they’ve adopted, as well as supported low-income senior housing and a homeless shelter focusing on keeping family units together. - Zachary Luke ("Zach") and Jeremy James ("Jer") — year-old (b. May 10, 1990, in OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
) twin brothers. Jeremy is 6'1 and a soccer player who has a history of hernias. Zach has achondroplasiaAchondroplasiaAchondroplasia dwarfism occurs as a sporadic mutation in approximately 85% of cases or may be inherited in an autosomal dominant genetic disorder that is a common cause of dwarfism...
like his mother. Zach is 4'4" and Amy is 4'2". Unlike his mother, however, Zach has had numerous medical complications. As a child, Zach had a skull shuntShunt (medical)In medicine, a shunt is a hole or a small passage which moves, or allows movement of fluid from one part of the body to another. The term may describe either congenital or acquired shunts; and acquired shunts may be either biological or mechanical.* Cardiac shunts may be described as...
implanted to drain excess cerebrospinal fluidCerebrospinal fluidCerebrospinal fluid , Liquor cerebrospinalis, is a clear, colorless, bodily fluid, that occupies the subarachnoid space and the ventricular system around and inside the brain and spinal cord...
. The shunt failed and had to be replaced surgically (as depicted in the season one episode "Zach's Emergency"). Zach used to play soccer competitively, but stopped playing for a time due to his size compared to the other soccer players. In Season 2-B, he started playing competitive soccer again as he made his high school's soccer team. However, his play was on hold temporarily as he had surgery to correct the bowing of his legs. He would like to be a soccer coach when he is older and coached Jacob's soccer team. Both twins graduated from high school in the spring of 2009. Zach made an appearance on WWE Tough EnoughWWE Tough EnoughWWE Tough Enough is a professional wrestling reality television program produced by WWE wherein participants undergo professional wrestling training and compete for a contract with WWE. There were two winners per season for the first three seasons, all of which aired on MTV...
as part of a basketball game against little people - Molly Jo ("Mol") — year-old (b. September 17, 1993, in OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
) daughter; Molly, who shares a birthday with Amy, is 5'9". She plays volleyballVolleyballVolleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
. - Jacob George ("Jake") — year-old (b. January 21, 1997, in OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
) son; Jacob is average height. He plays on a youth soccer team coached by his mother.
Jacob's accident
Jacob Roloff and family friend Mike Detjen, were seriously injured in an accident on the family farm on Saturday, October 28, 2006, (episode aired April 9, 2007). They were injured when the family's trebuchetTrebuchet
A trebuchet is a siege engine that was employed in the Middle Ages. It is sometimes called a "counterweight trebuchet" or "counterpoise trebuchet" in order to distinguish it from an earlier weapon that has come to be called the "traction trebuchet", the original version with pulling men instead of...
(which they use to launch pumpkins as part of the pumpkin season promotion) prematurely triggered. Jacob was rushed to nearby St. Vincent Hospital and underwent surgery to relieve swelling in his head caused by a small piece of skull
Human skull
The human skull is a bony structure, skeleton, that is in the human head and which supports the structures of the face and forms a cavity for the brain.In humans, the adult skull is normally made up of 22 bones...
pushed into his brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
. Jacob and Mike recovered from the injuries and were released on Monday, October 30, 2006.
Although a TLC camera crew were at the farm recording footage, they were not in the area where the accident occurred. The accident, therefore, was not recorded. Prior to the airing of two new episodes on November 4, TLC aired a brief segment with Matt and Amy acknowledging the accident and thanking everyone for their support. Jacob was shown with what appeared to be an injury around his right eye.
Footage taken shortly after the accident occurred on the farm was shown December 16 in the final minutes of the season finale, "Farm Overload." A crowd had gathered around Jacob, who was lying on the ground near the trebuchet
Trebuchet
A trebuchet is a siege engine that was employed in the Middle Ages. It is sometimes called a "counterweight trebuchet" or "counterpoise trebuchet" in order to distinguish it from an earlier weapon that has come to be called the "traction trebuchet", the original version with pulling men instead of...
. The first two episodes of season 3 focus on the accident, and how the local media reacted to it.
Seasons
| Season | Season Premiere | Season Finale |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 4, 2006 | May 13, 2006 |
| 2-A | October 7, 2006 | December 16, 2006 |
| 2-B | April 9, 2007 | June 4, 2007 |
| 3-A | October 15, 2007 | December 17, 2007 |
| 3-B | March 3, 2008 | May 3, 2008 |
| 4-A | October 13, 2008 | December 13, 2008 |
| 4-B | February 15, 2009 | May 15, 2009 |
| 5-A | October 12, 2009 | January 12, 2010 |
| 5-B | April 5, 2010 | June 14, 2010 |
| 6 | September 6, 2010 | December 6, 2010 |
Books
- Little Family, Big Values: Lessons in Love, Respect, and Understanding for Families of Any Size
Reception
The first season of Little People, Big World generated solid ratings for TLC (especially in the important 18–49 demographicDemographic profile
A demographic or demographic profile is a term used in marketing and broadcasting, to describe a demographic grouping or a market segment...
), leading to the show's renewal for a second season. Critical reviews of the series have been generally positive, citing the show's positive portrayal of little people. Conversely, other reviews have claimed that the show has a voyeuristic
Voyeurism
In clinical psychology, voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of spying on people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other activity usually considered to be of a private nature....
bend to it (albeit a non-sexual one), but allows the viewer to feel good about watching because it is not outwardly or overtly exploitive.
Since the show began airing, Roloff Farms has become an extremely popular tourist
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
destination. While the farm and its many attractions have long been available for public viewing during pumpkin season (October), it is now receiving far more visitors than can be accommodated. During the 2006 season, more than 30,000 people arrived to buy pumpkins and tour the farm, which only has space for a few hundred vehicles. The farm was shut down temporarily by Washington County
Washington County, Oregon
- Major highways :* Interstate 5* Interstate 205* U.S. Route 26* Oregon Route 6* Oregon Route 8* Oregon Route 10* Oregon Route 47* Oregon Route 99W* Oregon Route 210* Oregon Route 217* Oregon Route 219-Demographics:...
deputies on one Saturday in October 2006, due to massive traffic. Area residents have complained about the gridlock
Gridlock
The term gridlock is defined as "A state of severe road congestion arising when continuous queues of vehicles block an entire network of intersecting streets, bringing traffic in all directions to a complete standstill; a traffic jam of this kind." The term originates from a situation possible in...
caused by the visitors, as well as about the increased media scrutiny the show has brought.
The Roloffs receive as many as a dozen emails per minute from supporters. The increased exposure, however, has led to safety concerns for the family, who now deal with trespass
Trespass
Trespass is an area of tort law broadly divided into three groups: trespass to the person, trespass to chattels and trespass to land.Trespass to the person, historically involved six separate trespasses: threats, assault, battery, wounding, mayhem, and maiming...
ers and zealous fans. They recently installed a security gate on their property.
The Roloffs have hit the headlines a number of times. In 2006, Jacob and Mike Detjen, a family friend, were severely injured when a pumpkin catapult prematurely launched. In 2007, Matt was arrested on DUI charges. While he was found not guilty of the DUI, he was found guilty of refusing to submit to a blood alcohol test. As a result of his refusal, his driver's license was suspended for three years, because he had previously admitted guilt in a drunken-driving diversion program that he completed in 2003.
The sixth and final full season of Little People, Big World premiered on September 6, 2010.