# Hensel twins getting their own reality show



## dbranco (Nov 20, 2003)

I have always enjoyed the specials featuring the amazing Abby & Brittany Hensel, the conjoined twins who share one body. They are now getting their own reality show on TLC, starting August 28!

Link


----------



## Einselen (Apr 25, 2006)

This is the first time I have heard of these two. I may throw it on the TiVo and check out an episode or two.


----------



## DavidJL (Feb 21, 2006)

I saw something on them a few years ago. I was really impressed with them. Really amazing people.


----------



## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

Yeah, I have always enjoyed them in their specials. And every once in a while, I think of them and wonder what they're up to. I think I'll set up a pass for this.


----------



## sharkster (Jul 3, 2004)

I saw something on them recently. I hadn't seen them for, probably, years. I remember when they were maybe early to mid teens and now they are in their early twenties. Agree with everybody else - they are amazing young ladies. 

Thanks for the heads up on their show. Will definitely check it out.


----------



## Agatha Mystery (Feb 12, 2002)

I had never heard of them.


----------



## dbranco (Nov 20, 2003)

They are a truly amazing young women. Each controls an entire side (e.g., arm and leg) of their body. They can run, swim, ride a bike, drive; they were raised to believe there was nothing they _couldn't_ do. Here's an excerpt from their 16th Birthday special, which aired on TLC a few years ago.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkKWApOAG2g[/media]


----------



## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

How old are they now? Are they in college?


----------



## retrodog (Feb 7, 2002)

I met Abby once. But never got to meet Brittany.


----------



## GoHalos (Aug 30, 2006)

mwhip said:


> How old are they now? Are they in college?


The linked article says that they are 22 years old and graduating from college.


----------



## ufo4sale (Apr 21, 2001)

retrodog said:


> I met Abby once. But never got to meet Brittany.


Is that a joke?


----------



## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

LOL!!! I have seen them on TV somewhere and they are the true two-headed person. It iwll be interesting if one majored in Social Sciences and one majored in Engineering.  Not too many cross over classes past getting your general education credits out of the way. Interesting life style. You would only need one job to take care of them since they have essentially one body, so one apartment, one car, shared meals. Two people but would be hard to work at two different jobs even in the same company.


----------



## retrodog (Feb 7, 2002)

ufo4sale said:


> Is that a joke?


I don't know. Let me check and get back to you.


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

I recall they were making the rounds on the talk show circuit a few years ago. Didn't one of them want to be a country music star or something like that? I always felt like they were being exploited for the "freak factor" so it's nice to see that at least the folks here are taking them seriously.


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

bareyb said:


> I recall they were making the rounds on the talk show circuit a few years ago. Didn't one of them want to be a country music star or something like that? I always felt like they were being exploited for the "freak factor" so it's nice to see that at least the folks here are taking them seriously.


That was a different set of twins, the one that had the aspiring country singer were totally out for the freak factor. They appeared on Jerry Springer quite a few times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lori_and_George_Schappell






I think with the Hensel Twins it's more that they understand peoples' curiosity so they give in enough to satisfy it so they don't have to deal with having their privacy completely ruined.

Greg


----------



## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

They're pretty cute. I wonder what their sex life is like.


----------



## Alfer (Aug 7, 2003)

busyba said:


> They're pretty cute. I wonder what their sex life is like.


VERY awkward I'm sure.


----------



## mwhip (Jul 22, 2002)

busyba said:


> They're pretty cute. I wonder what their sex life is like.


Always a threesome!


----------



## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

LOL! They are college age. So what is going to happen when one wants to major in English and the other Engineering?


----------



## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

sieglinde said:


> LOL! They are college age. So what is going to happen when one wants to major in English and the other Engineering?


One head can sleep during the other head's classes.


----------



## ACoolDude (Dec 11, 2001)

busyba said:


> They're pretty cute. I wonder what their sex life is like.


So if they get married to 2 different guys, is that Polygamy? or I guess, even if one guy.

They are considered separate people by the Govt (at least the DMV), From Wiki:


> The Hensel twins both successfully passed their drivers license exams, both the written and driving tests. They had to take the tests twice, once for each twin


If they masturbate, is that incest?



sieglinde said:


> LOL! They are college age. So what is going to happen when one wants to major in English and the other Engineering?


Abigail is better at mathematics, and Brittany is better at writing.


----------



## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

It's interesting. They're talking about how, when they get stomach aches, it hurts on the opposite side.

But they don't necessarily feel hot or cold the same way. Sometimes one of them can be sweating and hot and the other is just fine.

It's very interesting. These girls are pretty awesome.


----------



## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

I've also noticed their speech patterns are really interesting. They talk in unison a a lot, despite obviously having two separate brains and such.


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

YCantAngieRead said:


> I've also noticed their speech patterns are really interesting. They talk in unison a a lot, despite obviously having two separate brains and such.


I'll admit, I haven't been watching it a lot, just a few minutes here and there if it happens to be on. Therefore I don't know their names.

What I've observed from them, though, is that one girl loves to talk a lot, and the other would like to, but her sister talks more... so she just became the "annoying sister who always finishes my sentences". Watch... the girl on the left does most of the talking, and gets her sentences finished by the one on the right. When the one on the right speaks by herself, the one on the left doesn't say a word.

Sisters. 

Greg


----------



## dbranco (Nov 20, 2003)

ferrumpneuma said:


> QFT


Oh great, another acronym for me to learn. 
What does that one mean?


----------



## LoadStar (Jul 24, 2001)

dbranco said:


> Oh great, another acronym for me to learn.
> What does that one mean?


Quoted For Truth.

Essentially, it just means "I'm repeating this because I really agree with it."


----------



## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

gchance said:


> ... When the one on the right speaks by herself, the one on the left doesn't say a word.
> 
> Sisters.
> 
> Greg


Ummm, are you talking about their right, or our right?


----------



## gchance (Dec 6, 2002)

getreal said:


> Ummm, are you talking about their right, or our right?


I knew this would happen. Watch the show, and it'll be obvious. Looking at them straight on, our left is the talkie, our right is the copycat.

Greg


----------



## getreal (Sep 29, 2003)

Haven't watched it, so I have a silly question. You know how, on all reality shows, they show a scene, then they cut to a testimonial by a person who was in the scene, whereby she would recap what we just saw. Then they would have the other person in the scene say something nasty about the other person .... do they get separate testimonials? Maybe with something like the Cone-of-Silence (from "Get Smart") over their heads so that the sister can't hear what's being said about her?


----------



## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

LOL. No.


----------



## vertigo235 (Oct 27, 2000)

getreal said:


> Ummm, are you talking about their right, or our right?


Port or starboard?


----------



## mrdazzo7 (Jan 8, 2006)

as someone with some pretty hefty proximity issues, the idea of being physically attached to another human being 24/7 for the rest of my life is pretty much a Category 5 nightmare for me. I get physically uncomfortable watching stuff like this even for a second. 

I know they've been like that forever so they don't know any different, but it still seems like a total nightmare, lol.


----------



## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I haven't caught up on the show yet, just watched the first episode. Are they charged two tuitions, room rents etc? Will they be paid twice for doing a job. There are two brains but only one body that needs food, clothing and shelter. And they don't have time to major in two different majors so they would divide a "full load" of classes between themselves.


----------



## jcondon (Jul 9, 2003)

Single pay, single tuition, single airline ticket. I think they even said they used just one passport when they flew out of the country.


----------



## jakerock (Dec 9, 2002)

Hey you two do your own work! Eyes on your own page!


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

jcondon said:


> Single pay, single tuition, single airline ticket. I think they ever said they used just one passport when they flew out of the country.


One airline ticket, two passports. They have two SSNs as well.

And to answer an earlier question: when they are facing the camera, Abby is on the left of the frame (her right), Brittany on the right (her left).

Two of the most awesome girls I've ever seen. Their sense of humor is wicked.


----------



## jcondon (Jul 9, 2003)

murgatroyd said:


> One airline ticket, two passports. They have two SSNs as well.


I believe as you say they have two passports but only used one to leave the country on one of the more recent episodes.

I could be wrong though. I will ask my wife if she remembers.


----------



## jcondon (Jul 9, 2003)

murgatroyd said:


> One airline ticket, two passports. They have two SSNs as well.


My wife said you are right they both showed their passports.


----------



## dbranco (Nov 20, 2003)

sieglinde said:


> I haven't caught up on the show yet, just watched the first episode. Are they charged two tuitions, room rents etc? Will they be paid twice for doing a job. There are two brains but only one body that needs food, clothing and shelter. And they don't have time to major in two different majors so they would divide a "full load" of classes between themselves.


They paid one tuition at college; will be paid as one person doing the job; I believe they said they each have their own stomach, but they eat a lot less than most people. They majored in Education and one of the episodes showed them student teaching.

They haven't mentioned room rent, but I suspect that is "one" as well.


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

jcondon said:


> My wife said you are right they both showed their passports.


Showing both passports makes sense because the next thing they said to the gate agent is that they didn't know whose name the ticket was listed under (it was under Brittany's name).

Thus the agents could say they had seen both passports.


----------



## jakerock (Dec 9, 2002)

I'm surprised the airline doesn't make them buy two tickets.

Not because they need them but because it's an airline.


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

jakerock said:


> I'm surprised the airline doesn't make them buy two tickets.
> 
> Not because they need them but because it's an airline.


I was surprised they don't get two seats because of their shoulder width -- I would think that they might be more comfortable if they could flip up the armrest and have a little more space.

On the other hand, then you'd have two seats and one bag between them, which might raise all sorts of security red flags.

I have to say, though, I can't think of any other girls I'd rather have as seat-mates on a flight. I'd love to talk to them about London (I've never been), and their time teaching.


----------



## BetaMark (Jan 24, 2008)

ACoolDude said:


> If they masturbate, is that incest?


And which one feels it? Or do they both?


----------



## bareyb (Dec 1, 2000)

murgatroyd said:


> I have to say, though, I can't think of any other girls I'd rather have as seat-mates on a flight. I'd love to talk to them about London (I've never been), and their time teaching.


Alright. You talked me into it. I'm gonna check it out. I passed on it initially assuming it was going to be an exploitation piece. Glad to hear I was wrong.


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

bareyb said:


> Alright. You talked me into it. I'm gonna check it out. I passed on it initially assuming it was going to be an exploitation piece. Glad to hear I was wrong.


I've only seen two episodes so far -- the show where they go to London, and their 22 birthday bash.

Several episodes are being replayed next Tuesday (before the new eps Tuesday night).


----------



## Ment (Mar 27, 2008)

After the first episode, I've gotten used to their condition. Aside from that they lead normal lives. Don't think they'd ever agree on likeing the same boy tho, they're so different from each other.


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

Ment said:


> After the first episode, I've gotten used to their condition. Aside from that they lead normal lives. Don't think they'd ever agree on likeing the same boy tho, they're so different from each other.


Who says they would have to marry one boy? Some conjoined twins have married siblings. They could fall in love with other twins -- you never know.

Just imagine what the cross-over episode of Abby and Brittany's show and "Say Yes to the Dress" would be like.

Would they go to Kleinfeld (New York), or is Bridals by Lori (Atlanta) more their style?


----------



## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

murgatroyd said:


> Who says they would have to marry one boy? Some conjoined twins have married siblings. They could fall in love with other twins -- you never know.
> 
> Just imagine what the cross-over episode of Abby and Brittany's show and "Say Yes to the Dress" would be like.
> 
> Would they go to Kleinfeld (New York), or is Bridals by Lori (Atlanta) more their style?


If the twins were still 7 years old, they could have done a crossover with _Toddlers and Tiaras_.


----------



## tomc585 (Mar 4, 2009)

They mentioned on one episode that they paid 1 1/2 tuition's. The job they were offered will pay a single wage at first then after review they will negotiate into a double salary.
They also each have taken their own drivers test and both have a seperate license.


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

What happens if one of them becomes unconscious? Can the other still manage to move the body around?

As far as having a job, even though they are technically two people, with a single body they can only do one task at a time just like everybody else, right? 
How does that warrant getting a double salary?


----------



## sieglinde (Aug 11, 2002)

I suppose one could read while the other uses the computer. One handed typing is slow but not impossible.


----------



## jakerock (Dec 9, 2002)

They can do phone customer support twice as fast!


----------



## busyba (Feb 5, 2003)

steve614 said:


> What happens if one of them becomes unconscious? Can the other still manage to move the body around?
> 
> As far as having a job, even though they are technically two people, with a single body they can only do one task at a time just like everybody else, right?
> How does that warrant getting a double salary?


Two heads are better than one


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

busyba said:


> If the twins were still 7 years old, they could have done a crossover with _Toddlers and Tiaras_.


No contest there. Abby and Brittany have more personality than any of the kids who have appeared on Toddlers and Tiaras.

And MUCH better manners, too.


----------



## jakerock (Dec 9, 2002)

tomc585 said:


> They also each have taken their own drivers test and both have a seperate license.


I am thinking that one can not be the designated driver for the other.

"How much have you had to drink?"
"None! My sister on the other hand..."


----------



## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

I found this painfully boring and stopped watching after the first episode. The girls are great but the point of the show is to show that they are just as ordinary as everyone else and ordinary is not interesting.


----------



## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

I wonder if the twin on our right is ever like "just let me get a damned sentence out!"

It'd be terrible to be conjoined and dislike each other.


----------



## murgatroyd (Jan 6, 2002)

steve614 said:


> What happens if one of them becomes unconscious? Can the other still manage to move the body around?
> 
> As far as having a job, even though they are technically two people, with a single body they can only do one task at a time just like everybody else, right?
> How does that warrant getting a double salary?


In the Spring Break episode, they were interviewing for jobs.

Their degree is in elementary education and they concentrate in math.

They can do more things than one teacher could, because one of them could be monitoring the kids while the other is teaching. However, they understand that they're newbies, so they expect to only get one salary until they've shown what they could do.

Obviously they couldn't be assigned to two different positions, so it seems sensible for them to get something in between -- 1 1/2 salaries -- just as their college charged them 1 1/2 the regular tuition.



jakerock said:


> I am thinking that one can not be the designated driver for the other.
> 
> "How much have you had to drink?"
> "None! My sister on the other hand..."


According to Wikipedia, they only have one liver.


----------



## YCantAngieRead (Nov 5, 2003)

All joking aside, I feel for them. Relationships are going to be a nightmare. And if one likes a guy the other one doesn't, that's got to be terrible, sexually.

I just feel sad for that part of their existence. They're such awesome girls, they deserve everything life has to offer.


----------

