…And I urged everyone I knew who was in any position of power in the Industry to bring us shows that didn’t present our society as one that contained only financially successfully, beautifully dressed, all around idealized men and women but instead showed us characters that “real people,” i.e., hard-working blue collar types, could identify with.
It took a few years, and I’m not saying that I was in any way responsible for it, but here’s what we’ve got available on our television sets now:
- HILLBILLY HANDFISHIN’,
- BAYOU BILLIONAIRES
- MOONSHINERS
- REDNECK ISLAND
- LADY HOGGERS
- THIS IS AMERICA WITH LARRY THE CABLE GUY
- SWAMP LOGGERS
- ROCKET CITY REDNECKS
- DUCK DYNASTY
- SWAMP PEOPLE
- HERE COMES HONEY BOO BOO
- BUCKWILD
- DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER
- AVERAGE JOE
- BRAT CAMP
- DATE MY EX: JO & SLADE
- EXTREME COUPONING
- ICE ROAD TRUCKERS
- PAWN STARS
- NASHVILLE
And, yep, about a zillion more. Fictional, non-fictional, and semi-fictional series about people who aren’t doctors, lawyers, or way too well-dressed detectives.
So now that that’s done, I have another request to put out into the universe:
STOP!!!
ENOUGH ALREADY!!!
I’m sorry, you guys. Man, am I sorry. But I just can’t take it anymore. In trying to give us shows “real people can identify with” you’ve presented the absolute worst cliches/stereotypes on the planet. You’ve dumbed down everything to the point where the film IDIOCRACY has become the template for modern life.
Please, please, please, all you BigMedia asshats mayvens, stop taking everything to its extreme. In the name of the Great God Profit, why can’t you recognize that there’s $$$ to be made in using all your production expertise to present not merely verisimilitude (the appearance of truth, which usually emerges as either half-baked or way overcooked) but truth itself?
Did I say please yet?
Looking forward to when I can say, “Thanks….”
LYMI,
LB
