The New Beverly Hillbillies

[Downtown]

Ok, is all this uproar merited for The New Beverly Hillbillies ?

I feel kind of the same way about this as I do stripping and Jerry Springer. Its totally classless, but if people are willing to subject themselves to it for money, and people are willing to watch that crap, who am I to say it shouldn't be allowed. Do i think its a sad reflection on American society? yes. should it be banned? well, no.

 

[Tranplanner]

I keep hoping that "the market" will eventually decide against these shows, but I guess North American culture is headed the other way.

Then again, who am I to talk...I like watching curling.

 

[Greenescapist]

I guess I'm not really that surprised that the networks would come up with something like this. Don't they have any original ideas anymore? I hope this show does terrible, but I bet it won't.

After I saw "Are You Hot" last week, nothing will shock me anymore.

 

[donk]

Can anyone from the south explain the term "cracker" and its orgins?

"What CBS and CEO Moonves propose to do with this cracker comedy is bigotry, pure and simple. Bigotry for big bucks," Miller said. "They know that the only minority left in this country that you can make fun of and demean and humiliate ... are hillbillies in particular and rural people in general."

Oh yeah, I'd volunteer, imagine living in a nice house in a nice neighbourhood and getting to wear nice clothes and eat at nice restaurants..........

 

[Greenescapist]

I think "cracker" just refers to poor, white, rural Southern folks. It's a derisive term that some black people use to call white people.

 

[Repo Man]

Nobody is forcing anybody to a) be on the show or b) watch the show, so I don't get what the big idea is. This "fish out of water" concept is nothing new. It is no different than Joe Millionaire.

 

[Planderella]

We had a short discussion of this a while ago, but my opinion hasn't changed. It's exploitation at it finest. Since I rarely, as in almost never, watch network television, I don't really care.

 

[Downtown]

Sorry girl - totally forgot about that thread. the blurb on cnn made me think it would be a good topic - and it was - if it hadn't been done before. oops.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

Can anyone from the south explain the term "cracker" and its orgins?

The prevailing theory is that "cracker" comes from the the 1800s and comes from the noise of the whips used by Florida cowboys, who were eventually referred to as "Crackers" instead of cowboys. Then the name kind of mutated to mean old-fashioned,usually poor, southerners.

 

[Seabishop]

The public's taste for cheap racial comedy never ceases to amaze me - How about new Steve Martin / Queen Latifa movie where he's a serious, well-to-do white man who somehow gets fixed up with a SASSY BLACK WOMAN!!! Imagine That!!!

 

[biscuit]

I think "cracker" just refers to poor, white, rural Southern folks. It's a derisive term that some black people use to call white people.

That's sorta correct, but I think that originally a cracker was defined as a white person from south Georgia. Why? I have no idea. It's probably best to not dwell to much on what they do down in south Georgia.

As for the "New Beverly Hillbillies," I agree with those who find it offensive. I used to do a lot of economic development work in Appalachia and will admit that the ignorant stereotypes do actually exist. However, it is in extremly bad taste to laugh at the poverty of others. I would find this uncomfortable to watch and therefore won't, I may end up being related to the cast.

 

[Planderella]

I'm waiting for the reality version of "Good Times."

 

[biscuit]

I'm waiting for the reality version of "Good Times."

DYNAMITE!!!!!

I bet that would be shot down as being offensive.

 

[Cardinal]

I'd like to see the family selected just settle down and act perfectly normal, so boring that nobody would watch.

 

[PlannerGirl]

im more and more thankful that i dont watch TV

 

[giff57]

DYNAMITE!!!!!

I bet that would be shot down as being offensive.

FYI, it was Dyn-O-Mite

 

[Downtown]

Even when things are boring, though, producers will find some way to manipulate footage. I've learned so much about reality tv production and manipulation just from the websites of ex Real Worlders and Road Rulers.

 

[Planderella]

Even when things are boring, though, producers will find some way to manipulate footage. I've learned so much about reality tv production and manipulation just from the websites of ex Real Worlders and Road Rulers.

Got any links to those sites? )

 

[Downtown]

Colin Mortenson - from RW Hawaii and BOTS

Lori from RW Back to NY

Melissa from RW New Orleans


I'm hugely addicted to the Battle of the Sexes, and every tuesday they all post a recap, of what really happened and what they think of the editing and other contestants. I'm sooooo digging on Colin right now. *dreamy sigh*

 

[donk]

Thanks for the explanation of cracker. Tom Wolfe used it in A Man in Full, but I did not really know what it meant. Slang does not always travel well.

 

[Chet]

Colin Mortenson - from RW Hawaii and BOTS

Lori from RW Back to NY

Melissa from RW New Orleans


I'm hugely addicted to the Battle of the Sexes, and every tuesday they all post a recap, of what really happened and what they think of the editing and other contestants. I'm sooooo digging on Colin right now. *dreamy sigh*

This whole RW RR thing is totally lost on me. I guess I'm just too busy to pay attention.

*sigh*