Are you ready for HBO Max's 'House of Ho'? Reality show premieres Dec. 10

The Ho family of Houston will star in their own reality show.

The much anticipated reality show featuring a rich -- I mean 1-percenter rich --Vietnamese American family is set to debut on Dec. 10 on HBO Max.

The show follows the real-life adventures of the wealthy Ho family headed by the patriarch/entrepreneur Binh Ho and his wife Hue. 

HBO Max has described House of Ho this way on its site: “House of Ho…chronicles the daily lives of patriarch Binh Ho, matriarch Hue Ho, their daughter Judy Ho, their son Washington Ho and his wife Lesley Ho, Aunt Tina, and Cousin Sammy. Power couple Binh and his wife Hue immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. They have built a multi-million dollar bank, a real estate development company and a new generation of American Hos. The series pulls back the curtain of their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues.”

The streaming network released a new trailer and if it is any indication of what the rest of the show is like, it could shatter a lot stereotypes of Asian Americans. 

HBO is betting that House of Ho will have an appeal beyond the obvious AAPI audience and attract people of all races, much in the same way Crazy Rich Asians busted through the racial barriers.

Middle America loves to watch rich people and in a perverse way,expose the rich as human beings who  make mistakes, argue among themselves to cut them down to size -- all to make the audience feel better about their own situation: Not as much money, but at least I don't have to put up with that shi*t. 

The culture site Vulture is already licking its lips in anticipation, saying, "Oh, thank God, family drama to meddle in and it’s not your own. For everyone staying away from their folks for the holidays, HBO Max is filling that void with its upcoming reality show House of Ho, following the luxurious and stressful lives of a wealthy multigenerational family."

In the same vein, based on the trailer, the show could provide some cringe-worthy moments for AAPI, who will no doubt explain at the water cooler the next day, "Of course, not all of us are like that."

And that's the rub, like the criticism hurled at Crazy Rich Asians, the Ho family is not representative of the vast majority of Asian America: the kids being bullied in school, the shop keepers struggling to keep their head above water, the nurses putting their lives at risk taking care of COVID patients, the majority of us working at our jobs every day without recognition.

And here comes House of Ho, a prime example of how how Asians can achieve the American dream. Can you say "model minority?" Thanks, but no thanks.

EDITOR'S NOTE: A word of caution, this is news sprinkled with opinion. Readers are encouraged to seek multiple news sources to formulate their own positions.

Debut of HBO's new reality show 'House of Ho' delayed

HBO

The cast of 'House of Ho.'

House of Ho, the reality show/docu-series about a Houston Vietnamese family has postponed the debut of the show that builds off the popularity of the ground-breaking 2018 movie Crazy Rich Asians.

A new date has not been given though it may start in the fall. An HBO Max spokesperson said the network felt the series would be more suitable in the fall and holiday season.

House of Ho chronicles the life of the Bayou City extended family of entrepreneur Binh Ho and his wife Hue, has been moved from its announced July 16 start date. A new date has not been given though it may start in the fall. An HBO Max spokesperson said the network felt the series would be more suitable in the fall and holiday season.

HBO Max website describes the show: “House of Ho…chronicles the daily lives of patriarch Binh Ho, matriarch Hue Ho, their daughter Judy Ho, their son Washington Ho and his wife Lesley Ho, Aunt Tina, and Cousin Sammy. Power couple Binh and his wife Hue immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. They have built a multi-million dollar bank, a real estate development company and a new generation of American Hos. The series pulls back the curtain of their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues.”

Jennifer O’Connell, executive vice president of original non-fiction and kids programming at HBO Max, said in a statement, “Rarely do you come across a family that is so rich in so many ways – not just in wealth, but in heart, traditions, and love for each other. There’s great pride in being a Ho and they are ready to give the world a seat at their luxurious table.”

Unfortunately, House of Ho will be part of the original programming offered on HBO Max, a subscription streaming service. That means the viewer has to pay extra to watch shows that used to be offered for free. It's the entertainment industry's nickel-and-diming the viewers, a practice that must stop if they are to retain audience interest.

The Houston-based show is the second reality series this year centering around an Asian American family. Family Karma, which just completed its first season on Bravo, followed four Indian families in South Florida.

The box office and critical success of Crazy Rich Asians has opened the doors for an increased interest in Asian-themed and Asian-led shows. House of Ho is debuting at a time of increased presence of Asian Americans in television in general with such shows as Never Have I Ever and comedian Hasan Minhaj's Patriot Games on Netflix and Awkwafina is Nora from Queens on Comedy Central. In addition, movies such as To All the Boys I Ever Loved (Parts 1 & 2),The Farewell and Tigertail are also available on Netflix.

While the selection of AAPI-led shows are more numerous since the success of Crazy RIch Asians and ABC's sitcom Fresh Off the Boat, which just wound up its final and seventh season, they are still a drop in the bucket in the context of the hundreds of products produced in Hollywood.

HBO will bring a real-life family of crazy rich Asians to television

The Ho family will be the subject of a new reality series.

HBO is betting that audiences can't get enough of crazy, rich Asians spending a lot of money for material goods and designer names.

Wlecome to the opulent, over-the-top world of the Ho family. 

(Editor's Note: The "House of Ho" premieres Thursday, Dec. 10 on HBO Max.)

HBO Max will bring a new docu-series from Lionsgate TV, T"he House of Ho." The inaugural season of this comedic, full-hearted doc style series in the spirit of Crazy Rich Asians will include 8 thirty-minute episodes.

Led by patriarch Binh Ho and his wife, Hue Ho, the power couple immigrated from Vietnam to the United States with little money, relying on hard work to establish the ultimate American dream. They have built a multi-million dollar bank, a real estate development company and a new generation of American Ho's. 

The series pulls back the curtain of their lavish Houston lifestyle and showcases the tight family connections that unite them as well as the multi-generational outrageous drama that ensues. While Binh and Hue have laid down a golden foundation for their children, Judy Ho and Washington Ho (yes, named after the nation's founding father and whose kids are named Lincoln and Roosevelt), they are not exempt from the constant pressure to achieve and to live up to their parents' lofty expectations. 

Despite the power struggles, at the end of the day, the Ho household is filled with love, laughter, and a few designer handbags, of course.

"Rarely do you come across a family that is so rich in so many ways - not just in wealth, but in heart, traditions and love for each other," said Jennifer O'Connell, Executive Vice President of Original Non-fiction and Kids Programming, HBO Max. "There's great pride in being a Ho and they are ready to give the world a seat at their luxurious table."

"The Ho family is wildly engaging and we're very excited to partner with HBO Max in bringing this hilarious and exuberant series to viewers," said Alice Dickens-Koblin, Lionsgate SVP and Head of Unscripted Programming.The reality show is seet to premiere in the Spring of 2020.

The members of the Ho Family the show will focus on are:

Binh Ho, 71, despite being the super strict patriarch of the Ho family, Binh has nothing but good intentions. Originally from Vietnam, his hard work has paid off and he is now the owner of a successful bank. Although Binh is living the 'American Dream' he feels the need to control every move his children make.

Hue Ho, 66, is Binh's loving wife and the matriarch of the family. Hue is always the perfect looking, highly critical mom who thinks her children can do no wrong. She often defends the children when Binh seems unreasonable, especially over Washington's hard-partying ways. Her love for her family is rivaled only by her love of cooking, which is on full display at the weekly Sunday dinner she hosts. The authentic Vietnamese fare is mouth-watering but the drama at the table is even juicier.

Judy Ho, 39, is the first born of Binh and Hue Ho. The self-pegged responsible and reliable one, Judy was the perfect candidate to become a lawyer and did so with flying colors as she is the consummate perfectionist. She is a mom to three kids and is going through a divorce.

Washington Ho, 38, is the "former" playboy of the family with a reputation of dating questionable women and partying way too hard. Once he met Lesley, his future wife who would eventually steal his heart, he was forced to settle down ... a little. Now, he's a devoted father of two adorable kids, Roosevelt and Lincoln, but all of this is about to change as he attempts to prove he's a changed man and ready to step out of his father's looming shadow - he just hasn't quite figured out how.

Lesley Ho, 34, is Washington's independent, outspoken, down-to-earth and loving Vietnamese-American wife who juggles being the mother of their two beautiful children with her career as a pharmacist. Growing up in a small town, middle-class family in Oklahoma, she's had to adjust to the over the top lifestyle that comes with being a Ho.

Aunt Tina, 58, is the Aunt that likes to be noticed and makes sure that everybody does. From her purple streaked hair to her tight dresses, Aunt Tina is all about...well, Tina. She likes to work hard and play harder. As one of the younger immigrants of the Ho family, she grew up in Vietnam before following in her older brother's footsteps and moving to America.

Cousin Sammy, 29, should probably have her life a little more together but instead, lives for the moment even if it doesn't always work in her favor. Since she and Washington are so close, he decided to offer her a job as his head of marketing.

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