Like many of you, I have been watching the TLC reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Why? Because it's summer and there are only so many episodes of Breaking Bad. What do you want from me? The heat makes my brain turn to goo.
In case you haven't seen it, the show is a spin-off of the horrible reality series Toddlers and Tiaras. Little Alana became a viral sensation after her Toddlers and Tiaras episode aired thanks to her over-the-top attitude, penchant for guzzling "Go Go Juice" (some sort of Mountain Dew and Red Bull combo) and bizarre Southern-fried catchphrases like "dolla makes me holla,honey boo boo child." In the spin-off, we also get to meet her family -- June, self-proclaimed "coupon queen" mom; Chickadee, a teen mom, because you can't have a reality show without one; the dad, Sugar Bear, who dozes off a lot; and Chubbs and Pumpkin, who talk about their bodily functions a lot and are pretty much identical right down to their constant look of befuddlement. Oh, and the family pig named Glitzy. The Learning Channel, folks!
It's all fairly entertaining, if a bit unsettling. The show isn't even about the child pageant world like Toddlers and Tiaras --it's basically the biggest collection of "white trash" and "redneck" cliches since The Dukes of Hazzard. But at least the Duke Boys stopped smugglers once in a while. Alana and her family basically sit around and pass gas and occasionally do stuff like take part in the "redneck games." There is some level of manufactured reality show self-improvement with June and the daughters on a very slow diet, but that's mostly in the background. Really the whole show is about laughing at these people who seem about half in on the joke. Poor June gets the worst of it. While she clearly knows how to play to the camera, 90% of her scenes are about the fact that she clocks in at over 300 pounds. Whether the family is at dinner or the water park, literally every moment is designed to make her look like an overweight buffoon. (The silly music cues when she, for instance, attempts to get out of an inner tube don't help.)
So while I may laugh at Alana's antics (she clearly is having fun and playing up her persona on camera), the rest of the family leaves me feeling a bit uncomfortable. Are they being taken advantage of? At first it was amusing that almost every word they say is subtitled. Now it seems a bit condescending. Sure, no one is forcing them to be on TV. But does this show accurately portray Southern life on the pageant circuit? Does it reinforce cultural stereotypes? And what does it say about the obesity epidemic in America? Is it helpful to those who want to lose weight, or just another venue for making fun of someone's physical appearance?
What do you think? Are you watching Honey Boo Boo?
In case you haven't seen it, the show is a spin-off of the horrible reality series Toddlers and Tiaras. Little Alana became a viral sensation after her Toddlers and Tiaras episode aired thanks to her over-the-top attitude, penchant for guzzling "Go Go Juice" (some sort of Mountain Dew and Red Bull combo) and bizarre Southern-fried catchphrases like "dolla makes me holla,honey boo boo child." In the spin-off, we also get to meet her family -- June, self-proclaimed "coupon queen" mom; Chickadee, a teen mom, because you can't have a reality show without one; the dad, Sugar Bear, who dozes off a lot; and Chubbs and Pumpkin, who talk about their bodily functions a lot and are pretty much identical right down to their constant look of befuddlement. Oh, and the family pig named Glitzy. The Learning Channel, folks!
It's all fairly entertaining, if a bit unsettling. The show isn't even about the child pageant world like Toddlers and Tiaras --it's basically the biggest collection of "white trash" and "redneck" cliches since The Dukes of Hazzard. But at least the Duke Boys stopped smugglers once in a while. Alana and her family basically sit around and pass gas and occasionally do stuff like take part in the "redneck games." There is some level of manufactured reality show self-improvement with June and the daughters on a very slow diet, but that's mostly in the background. Really the whole show is about laughing at these people who seem about half in on the joke. Poor June gets the worst of it. While she clearly knows how to play to the camera, 90% of her scenes are about the fact that she clocks in at over 300 pounds. Whether the family is at dinner or the water park, literally every moment is designed to make her look like an overweight buffoon. (The silly music cues when she, for instance, attempts to get out of an inner tube don't help.)
So while I may laugh at Alana's antics (she clearly is having fun and playing up her persona on camera), the rest of the family leaves me feeling a bit uncomfortable. Are they being taken advantage of? At first it was amusing that almost every word they say is subtitled. Now it seems a bit condescending. Sure, no one is forcing them to be on TV. But does this show accurately portray Southern life on the pageant circuit? Does it reinforce cultural stereotypes? And what does it say about the obesity epidemic in America? Is it helpful to those who want to lose weight, or just another venue for making fun of someone's physical appearance?
What do you think? Are you watching Honey Boo Boo?
I refuse to watch this tripe, and I am literally concerned for the future of this child. Child stars always have a hard go of it when they become adults. This one isn't even a "star" in the sense of being a performer. She's basically being trained to be an attention whore. And when it isn't cute any more, she'll be left without the attention that she's learned to crave. I do not see a bright future for this little girl.
I think that every 5th grade class should be shown an episode of this show, to reinforce what happens to you if you don't stay in school. It would scare the bejesus out of any kid tempted to quit.
This show is beyond abhorrent.
In a thousand years, future explorers will find DVDs of Jersey Shore, The Kardashians and this show, and conclude there was no intelligent life on this planet.
I feel like if they were any other race it would be the most offensive thing ever, like countless lawsuits and NAACP protests offensive. It seems white people are always fair game in our culture though, so it's okay. But then that prompts the question: has America truly overcome racism or has the pendulum simply swung the other way?
Amen Nick.
June and Sugar Bear don't seem very swift and the producers are taking full advantage of this by exploiting a little kid and her family. I can't see this ending well for the family.
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I am with those who are scared, I actually had not heard of this show or her until Anderson Cooper mentioned it in some clip on the air. He was saying he watched the show. I remember the mountain dew/red bull gogo juice, and am still wondering how the mother didn't go to jail and how this child was not removed from her care just for that alone. She is NOT cute, she is NOT funny, I can NOT understand a single word she says, and I am from the country. She urgently needs health care, counseling, a speech therapist, a behavior modification program, and love.
It's a horrible exploitation of an innocent child. Of course the so called parents don't care about that. Putting the poor little thing in toddler "beauty pageants" dressed like a hooker and giving her highly caffeinated beverages (Mountain Dew) already said it all.
People say the worst things about this little girl--an innocent child. They harp on her physique. So what if she's chubby? Do you all feel like big men or women making fun of a baby? I think the reaction to this kid says a lot about how nasty our society is.
I feel sad for the little girl and concerned for her future.
I think u people have a stick up ur asses!! This show is about poor people trying to get by in life. Something most of u must not have to do. So what if they fart or burp like u don't get a life. If someone just got a break in life who are u people to pass judgement on anyone?? I like watchin that lil girl if shws happy in life who r u to pass judgement on anyone. The bible tells u not to judge less the be judge. So take that stick out of ur asses and find something better to bitch about. Not a 8 yr old lil girl and her family!!!