Politics & TV Shows - Kristen Landreville

advertisement
Laughing Matters Ch. 11-12
Dr. Kristen Landreville
Laughing Matters Ch. 11 / Peter L. Francia
• Arguments:
•
•
•
•
TV can reflect traditional or progressive views
Fictional TV characters are influential
Average US household TV viewing = 8 hours/day (2004-2005)
Situational comedies (sitcoms) are battleground for culture war
• How much TV do you watch?
• Central Question:
• Does political orientation affect watch sitcoms we watch?
1950s – early 1960s
• Nuclear family
• White, suburban, middle-class settings
• Reinforce gender roles
• Women as feminine housewife
• Men as masculine breadwinner
• I Love Lucy, Father Knows Best, Leave it to Beaver
• Example: I Love Lucy and Gender Roles
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_uvsKpXszs&p=CA3265D
8BA311281&playnext=1&index=21
Mid 1960s – 1970s
• Civil rights and women’s rights movements
• Counterculture
• Open lifestyle to sex, drugs, and politics
• Taboo topics now confronted
• Racism, bigotry, sexism, rape, religion, homosexuality, abortion
• African-Americans now featured
• Reinforce stereotypes? Good Times example:
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_xv-lufi5w
•
•
•
•
Family structure and income level now diverse
All in the Family, Maude, Sanford and Son, Good Times
Example: All in the Family and Homosexuality
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dKpHtc9F9M
1980s
• Backlash against late 1960s and 1970s
• Mix of traditional and progressive
• Less socio-political plots, avoid hot-topics (e.g., AIDS)
• Wives as strong and equal to husbands
• The Cosby Show, Family Ties
1990s
• Appearance of the dysfunctional family
• Address socio-political topics
• Single parenthood, alcoholism, spousal abuse
• Roseanne, Murphy Brown, Ellen, Married with Children, The
Simpsons
2000s
• Continued battleground for culture war
• Republicans and Democrats differ
• Bush voters more likely to view:
• Everybody Loves Raymond
• Republicans enjoy Everybody Loves Raymond the most
• Kerry voters more likely to view:
• Desperate Housewives, Sex & The City, Will & Grace, The Bernie Mac Show,
Girlfriends, The Simpsons
• Democrats enjoy Will & Grace the most
• Non-comedy shows are equally watched and enjoyed
• Sitcoms are unique
• What about today? What TV shows do you think reflect…
• Obama-voters / Democrats / Liberals
• McCain-voters / Republicans / Conservatives
• 2 Columns on Chalkboard
• List sitcoms
• We’ll discuss your reasons.
Laughing Matters Ch. 12 / N. Guehlstorf, L. Hallstrom, & J. Morris
• Arguments
• Longest-running sitcom and animated series
• Entertains many different audiences
• Its comedy:
1. Mocks elites and political institutions
2. Targets the American public
3. Refers to obscure political events
• Show criticizes the uninformed/disengaged public more harshly than elites
• How often do you watch The Simpsons?
• Elected officials are corrupt (e.g., Mayor Quimby)
• Media is self-obsessed (e.g., News Anchor Kent Brockman)
• http://www.hulu.com/watch/28740/the-simpsons-eye-on-springfield
• Bureaucrats are incompetent (e.g., DMV)
• Political institutions are ineffectual (e.g., Police Chief Wiggam)
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aBaX9GPSaQ
• Identifies political shortcomings of US citizens
•
•
•
•
Ignorant of foreign cultures
Complacent with political corruption
Attraction to image and sensationalist politics
Lack of political sophistication leaves public open to pandering by elites
• Highlights tendency toward irrational mob rule
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGGU-8gGiaE
• This appears more frequently and with more venom.
• Uses obscure political events for humor
• Example: “I still like Ike” sign held by Homer Simpson’s dad.
• Humor appears at random
• Appeals to politically and historically sophisticated viewers
• Attacks all political persuasions
• Republicans: “We’re pure evil.”
• Democrats: “We can’t govern. We hate life and ourselves.”
• Encourages political and social self-evaluation
• Encourages 3rd parties and new platforms
Download