"Redneck" Obsession In Todays Media

I like to watch Charles Osgood's "CBS Sunday Morning" on Sundays (duh) and this morning i thought they had a very interesting segment about America's apparent love with "redneck culture".. article below...

"(CBS News) A certain TV trend is riling our contributor Conor Knighton:

Comedian Jeff Foxworthy had that famous routine about how to tell if you're a "redneck."

"If you've ever taken a beer to a job interview, you might be a redneck. If you can burp and say your name at the same time ..."
Well, these days, there's an easier way to tell:

If a cable television network is profiting by showing how backwards you and your family are, you might be a redneck.

For some reason, cable channels have become obsessed with "rednecks" - typically, lower-middle-class white Southerners.

The last few years have brought us "Redneck Rehab," "My Big Redneck Wedding," "Rocket City Rednecks," "Hillbilly Handfishin'," "Swamp People," "Redneck Island," "Duck Dynasty," "Bayou Billionaires," "Moonshiners," "Lady Hoggers" ... the list goes on and on.

This summer's breakout hit, "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," featured a family in rural Georgia. TLC filmed them bobbing for pigs feet at the Redneck Games and passing gas on camera. The family members, who speaks English, are subtitled. And while they're always the butt of the joke, they seem to embrace the attention, even coining catch phrases ("You better REDNECK-ognize!").

It's hard not to see these shows as trafficking in a bit of "redneck-sploitation."

As someone who grew up south of the Mason Dixon line, it all makes me a little uncomfortable.

On one hand, I do know people like the stars of "Hillbilly Handfishin'," and I do think it's interesting to see them represented on TV.

But most of the people I know aren't ANYTHING like that, and I worry that the recent explosion of these types of shows perpetuates outdated stereotypes.

And I'm not the only one.

My home state of West Virginia denied a tax credit to MTV's upcoming series "Buck Wild," fearing that the show would portray West Virginians in a stereotypical, "derogatory manner."

I understand their concern. Based on cable's other offerings, they may have "redneck-ognized" a trend."
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57536892/conor-knighton-on-tvs-obsession-with-rednecks/


I, like the author tend to get very conflicted on these types of shows and their portrayal in the media lately. I know plenty of people that are like those displayed on those types of shows; however i feel that many people not from the regions in the shows start to make unfair stereotypes about that area of the country. it's the same ole - california = actors, west virginia = inbreds, louisiana = bayou people, texas = cowboys, etc, etc,

TW has a very wide demographic of members and i didn't know if anybody else saw this segment or thought the same and cared to share. do yall () watch these types of shows? love 'em, hate 'em? ... This thread will probably fall by the wayside, but ive got time to kill so i figured i'd throw up and see what happens.

i know my favorite stereotype that was ever directed at me was about 2 years ago i was giving a tour of my work to a couple from california that looked to be in their late 40's. it was a very hot day and we were standing outside the facility and she asked me if i had air conditioning or running water in my home. . that was a tough one to hold my tongue on

 

TV = entertainment. Just like any show (including "news", IMO) none can be taken to heart.

I agree that it does lend a certain stigma to those from the south for those that believe everything they see on TV, read in the paper or hear on the radio.

I live in Oxford, Mississippi so I have more than what I see on the boob tube to compare it to...

 

"here comes honey boo boo" is the nail in the coffin as far as my faith in humanity / expectation of the zombie apocalypse 2012 goes

 

i don't understand who watches it truthfully. it's not even funny to me, i think it's sad. and the fact that the "cast" relish in it all, all for a pay check is what baffles me the most.

 

it's just the disdain the DLSM and hollyweird have for "americana", especially southerners and appalachians... tv has gone to crap, one of the main reasons i cancelled cable tv several years ago and haven't looked back...

 

x3000

You both summarized it perfectly IMO.

I do actually really like the episodes I've seen of Duck Dynasty... but I also think that where gains of money, fame, etc are possible, people will happily discard the rest of their personality and become a shallow persona. They proudly or stubbornly play this role, even if it's unflattering. My best friend is from South Carolina and feels really uncomfortable (somehow even more uncomfortable than I am!) with the whole Honey Boo Boo phenomenon.

The fact that Honey Boo Boo is somehow popular and thus getting positive feedback for that crap makes me want a moat around my home and a gun turret though. Seriously.

OP thanks for posting this article!

 

Good points, and youre welcome. . . as I stated, I'm not against the programs, hell I love Swamp People, but for some reason when I saw that piece this morning it really resonated with me and I thought I'd share.

I think I enjoy Swamp People so much because its much less drama and degradation of the cast members. It's obvious that there are a lot of staged parts, but overall I'd much rather watch a show about rural Americans shooting alligators over obese ones acting as ignorant as possible.

 

'mericuh

/thread

 

they all suck.

 

I see "red neck" stereotypes and "gangster" ones as the same thing, dress funny, talk funny, illiterate petty criminals more often than not obnoxious and immature. Peculiar how they hate each other around here

 

Ice Road Truckers

C, eh, N, eh, D, eh

/Response

 

I've GOTTA try me some of that go-go juice.
My co-workers would hate me.

 

I personally can not stand to watch some of those shows. Now, I do like the show mountain men, yukon men and shows of that nature. I can actually learn a bit from those style of shows. But Honey boo? I cannot stand that shit.

 

It's a shame what they're showing on television now days... complete garbage.

 

I thought those guy were in Alaska

 

show started in yellowknife

 

it started in canada
Ice-Necks ?

 

Just curious whats the DLSM?