Sometimes stereotypes are just wrong. Other times they are just too spot on to ignore. Take, for instance, a stereotype about country music fans being prone to living in trailer parks in the middle of tornado alley. Sometimes popular media takes a stereotype like that, runs with it and makes it reality.CMT, the cable channel that morphed from playing country music videos to immersing viewers in the country "culture", has either proven a point or made a mockery of country music fans across America.
As I perused the listings for new episodes on TV tonight, I found a show on CMT entitled "Mobile Home Disaster". Even the logo for the program looks to be a touch redneck. They are definitely walking the line between immersion in the country culture and mocking country music fans and portraying them as a bunch of inbred NASCAR fans who seem to be rejects from the casy of "My Name is Earl".
If you are a country music fan, I'd be interested in knowing if this sort of programming (essentially a countrified version of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition") appeals to you. To others, would a program mocking your way of living offend you or entertain you if the offending style was done in a backhanded fashion?
5 comments:
I like country music. I don't live in a trailer though. And I don't really watch CMT unless it's videos.
I agree that their programming is a bit stereotypical, and that it does seem to be poking fun at its viewers. I guess I just never really thought about it that way before.
I'm a lifelong C&W fan, as well as former musician. Country singers should forever be barred from making music videos! They are invariably far right of simply awful!
"would a program mocking your way of living offend you or entertain you if the offending style was done in a backhanded fashion?"
I don't watch CMT, I do watch a little NASCAR, LOVE the Beverly Hillbilly's!:)
I think there is a need to stereotype in this country, so that things don't require so much thought. But on to my real soap box, "Offend Me." I find lots of things offensive. Do they OFFEND me? No, because I view the word as meaning to hurt, or cause pain to. Disregarding the pain in my ass many people give me for the moment, when I hear, especially here on the blogs "that offends me greatly" or, "I find that very offensive", my first thought is always tell somebody that cares, because it was my opinion, and what you do with it is your problem.
Nobody promised anybody a life free of offense. My Dad told me a million years ago, "there's always at least one thing to be learned from an idiot", and I was never sure if he was talking about me, so I never asked.:) I make it a point to read daily at least three blogs that I find offensive, because Dad was right. "Don't let yourself ever be like them."
I'm an independently minded person. You can make fun of me, anything I own, or do, all day long, but it's my life - and the hell with "you" if you don't like it.:)
Only very close friends can offend me.
And thanks for that bookmark thing I'm going to steal!:)
I just don't find stuff like that interesting. I need my brain stimulated to be entertained I guess... I have a very hard time sitting through stuff that centers around "mock" stupid people. (As in the actors they pay to appear stupid on reality shows. Ugh.)
--snow
I don't watch this channel and I don't live in a trailer, but I have to say the host is lively and I even shed tears during one of the episodes.
Ok, yes, I DO like country music and DO live in a trailor. Would I be offended if a show was poking at my way of life? Well, I am sure I would be a little offended but isn't that why we live in the great 'ol USA? We have the freedom of expression. We are allowed to create TV, radio and movies that show all types of realities. So, do I like them all? NO. Do I feel they should be aired? YES. That's the beauty of living in a free country.
I also think it is a good thing to learn to laugh at yourself from time to time. I laugh at my trailor all the time. It's falling apart and it sways in the wind...and country music is SO funny these days. A little comic relief these days goes along way!
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