Stress Center Peer Support

I've been familiar with the Attacking Anxiety infomercials for perhaps more than a decade now. And I have used the program and really only have praise for it. That much said....

I recently saw the latest edition of the infomercial. I thought it was great that the horrible music is finally gone. The editing with the old music was so awful: you'd have users talking about their tough times before they got the program, and there would be dreary piano music in the background; then they'd talk about their success, and the music was suddenly sun shiney and happy. It was very formulaic and, actually, cheesy. So, it's nice to see that awful music gone.

But what is most obvious about the latest edition of the infomercial is that they are no longer using actual users of the program, but paid actors. It's obvious that the people in the latest informercial are paid actors. They are too slick, too comfortable in front of the camera, too articulate, and overall, far too good looking. I'm not saying that users of the program aren't good looking. I'm saying that users of the program are like any segment of society; some good looking, others not so much. All participants in the latest informercial look like fashion models.

It's been fascinating to watch StressCenter grow over the years, from something of a Ma and Pa business, to a corporate entity.

If what you're saying is true, that's not a good thing because people don't tend to trust anything they think is fake.....that may mean they'll sell less.

I saw an episode last night too. And I didn't see one single person that looked like a model or someone super attractive to make me think they were "actors" and even if they were exceptionally good looking it more than likely would tell me that even good looking people have Panic and Anxiety. It's not just the unattractive. If you are really concerned I would call the company and ask them or email Carolyn and let her know your concerns. This disorder affects any and all. Fear doesn't discriminate

Jill~

The infomercial has been on air since 1991. From 1991 to present day, we have NEVER used a single paid actor as a testimonial. That's a fact...

I know one of the infomercial participants is active on this forum; maybe he or she will back me up, lol. And the fireman that appears in the latest infomercial...? He just happened to be the fire marshal assigned to our set that day! He had no idea what the filming was going to be about when he showed up to work that day… he heard Lucinda talking and said, ‘Is that Lucinda Bassett? I have been using her program for the past year!’ So we asked if he would be willing to share his story on camera, to which he happily agreed. How is that for serendipity?

This was the first infomercial that was shot in HD - maybe that's why people look and come across so polished?

Glad you liked the new music; it was certainly time for a cool change.

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I don't mean to start a "flame" with this. And I don't have any "concerns" per se which would warrant e-mailing a representative of the center. I'm just sharing my observations.

Again, I emphasize that the center's products do work. I'm not doubting or questioning that. I'm just saying that the very latest informercial is very obviously peopled by paid actors. Aside from the fact that they are better looking than the average person, they also speak in succinct sound-bites that are not typical of average people. Previous editions of the informercial that were peopled by "average joes" who used the program, had people who stumbled over their words, were nervous, obviously unscripted. They appeared to be "regular people." The latest edition had people who were very polished and obviously going off of a script, and with several takes. Lucinda now lives in the Los Angeles area (a mecca for actors, of course), and she speaks on the program about her show business connections. What I'm writing is really not that far fetched.

I come from "the industry." I know that people in show business can have panic attacks and anxiety just like everyone else. In fact, I'd wager that people in show business have MORE panic attacks than the average person. So, I'm not doubting that good looking people have panic attacks. What I'm doubting is that the people in the very, very latest edition of the informercial (which I do not see on this site) are "average joes" who are not working with a script. They are obviously professional actors. Previous editions of the informercial, no, they were not actors. I could tell to watch. But I know what I see in the latest informercial. I come from the industry. I also know that it wouldn't be good business for the center to admit that they are paid actors. Thanks.

Okay. "My bad," as they say. I just went to YouTube and found this clip of the latest informercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...oldM&feature=related

I then found other clips of it on YouTube. Looking it over, I see that what made me think they were paid actors is that the EDITING of the informercial is much more slick than it's ever been before, production values are higher, it's in HD, and Lucinda Bassett is "done to the 9s," as they say. Plus, that horrible music is gone, replaced with very polished music. The informercial no longer looks like it was made in someone's basement, as it used to. lol. (It used to look like a cable access type of thing.)

Anyway, proof that I wasn't trying to start a flame with this is the fact that I'm now saying "my bad." That much said, it's still been interesting to watch StressCenter go from "Ma an Pa" to "corporate entity."