The Big Picture

The D’Amelio Show on Hulu follows the famous D’Amelio family, primarily focusing on the tensions and dynamics within the family as they navigate sudden stardom. The family emphasizes that they are a normal family, but their net worth and lifestyle set them apart from the average American family. The show aims to showcase their normalcy, but its popularity has been underwhelming, possibly due to the audience’s expectations of watching the lives of the super rich and famous.

The D’Amelio Show, which follows the D’Amelio family as they cope with social media stardom, is now in its third season on Hulu. The D’Amelio family consists of TikTok stars Dixie and Charli D’Amelio, as well as their parents, Marc and Heidi D’Amelio. While the series follows the careers of both Dixie and Charli, the primary focus is on their family dynamic. How does a family deal with sudden stardom? What are the ups and downs of that journey? There is a lot of tension within the D’Amelio family, primarily due to the sudden fame of the two young sisters. Dixie and Charli are seen butting heads throughout, especially in their pursuit of careers beyond the social media stratosphere.

Throughout the series, there is one word that continuously pops up: normal. The idea of normalcy is something that continuously arises from the sisters and the parents. Even though their family is famous, they strongly emphasize that they are a normal family. Heidi considers their family to also be a business, and for them, the two go hand in hand. So is their family really normal, or is it simply a marketing business under the guise of family? Collider had the opportunity to chat with Marc and Heidi D’Amelio to address this familial dynamic.

Marc and Heidi D’Amelio Blend the Terms Family and Business
Image via Hulu

The D’Amelio Show gives an inside look into the lives of the family of four. While most people have no idea what it’s like to be followed by a camera crew on a daily basis, the D’Amelio’s seem to have adjusted to it pretty well. When asked about filming, Heidi said,

“We have a really good crew that we work with, so I love getting to see them. They’re in our lives a lot for this period of time that we’re filming. I love that. And I love whenever the four of us get to be together to film. I think that’s probably my favorite.”

Marc added on to Heidi’s sentiment, sharing,

“I love the fact that you get to see what our lives are really like, the good and the bad. On social media, which we’re known for, you just get these snippets of what you think we are. And I think the show digs a little bit deeper into who we really are as people.”

As parents, the two also get to see the struggles that their daughters go through up close and personal after the fact. As parents, one could assume that this is difficult to watch. When asked about this issue, Marc said,

“It’s the same pain that we used to have before all the limelight happened. You feel as a parent, you feel their pain. That’s the hardest and sharpest pain for me when your kids aren’t doing well or they’re struggling. And I think with this whole situation it’s been somewhat amplified, and the positive things are so positive and the negative things make national news sometimes. But we learned to deal with it over the last few years.”

RELATED: ‘The Kardashians’ Producer Reveals if Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner’s Romance Will Appear in Season 4

‘The D’Amelio Show’ The D’Amelio’s Say They Are Normal, But Are They?
Image via Hulu

The entire idea behind The D’Amelio Show is that they are your normal average American family dealing with extraordinary circumstances. In fact, said normalcy is something that both Heidi and Marc reiterated throughout their conversation with Collider. When asked about what they want viewers to take away from the third season, Marc stated,

“I would say that we’re a normal family, whatever that means to anyone out there. We have the same struggles we had back when we were living in Connecticut. Life is tough and positive [and] it’s [as] wonderful and tough for us as it is for everyone else. And I think if we could show whoever’s watching how we navigate through it, and they get something out of it, that’s great.”

Heidi expanded upon Marc’s comments, sharing,

“We’re sharing our life on social media, but as you see in the show, it’s very normal in pretty much every way, as far as emotions and family relationships and dynamics. Just know that we’re a normal family. It’s kind of an extraordinary situation, and we’re making the best of it. But we’re still learning and growing, we’re kind of taking on this new life.”

There is so much emphasis from both Marc and Heidi on their family being normal that it is worth examining. What is normalcy in the United States in 2023? Normalcy is “the state of being usual, typical, or expected.” But those expectations do vary based on income and location. For the sake of ease, let’s define normalcy from the standpoint of the average person in the US. The average American family has a household income of $67,521, and in the state of California where the D’Amelio family lives, the normal household income is $76,600. Based on this, one can infer that the average or “normal” American family has a net-worth under six figures. To live in Hollywood, where this particular family lives, a person would need to make $150,000 to live comfortably. Roughly 60% of Californians make less than six figures, so, based on these statistics, the “normal” Californian family cannot afford to live in the Hollywood Hills.

The D’Amelio family’s net worth, on the other hand, varies from family member to family member. Thanks to TikTok fame and fortune, Charli’s net worth is $30 million, while Dixie’s is $15 million. Marc and Heidi, who aren’t TikTok famous, have had wealth in their own right and prior to their daughters’ fame, with an estimated net worth of $1.5 million. The family’s net worth puts them well into the top 1% of Americans who make more than $500,000 per year. What do all of these numbers have to do with the word normal? It’s simple, really. The D’Amelio family is definitely normal compared to the other 1.3 million people in their tax bracket. However, in comparison to the 130 million Americans living in the United States, it’s safe to say they are not normal at all. Sure, there are interpersonal aspects of their lives that are incredibly relatable to the majority of people; but without the added stress of figuring out one’s livelihood, can they really be considered normal? Absolutely not. The D’Amelio family will never have to worry about being able to afford healthcare emergencies, paying bills, student loans, or dealing with the rising cost of basic essentials like food.

Thankfully, for the D’Amelio’s, the majority of reality TV fans enjoy watching the lives of the super rich and famous. It’d be better for them to acknowledge their lack of normalcy, so that the viewers are not so disappointed when watching the series. As it stands right now, The D’Amelio Show is not so popular, with a very bleak 34% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Is this something that could change? Possibly, but the first step would be admitting that they are anything but normal.

The 3rd season of The D’Amelio Show is currently streaming on Hulu.