A quick glance at the program synopsis for MTV' "Buckwild" and Oxygen's "All My Babies Mama's" brings back memories of when Jerry Springer and Maury Pouvich decided that serious issues were no fun, people wanted to see the train wreck stereotypes that would become the staple for both shows. But as much as people complained and claimed the shows were exploiting the poor and uneducated - people still watched, and still watch both shows. And just as people condemned the talk shows, people are condemning the new reality shows and fighting to get them off the air (CNN, Jan. 4).
MTV's "Buckwild" premiered last night. The official synopsis is this:
"Buckwild" is an authentic comedic series following an outrageous group of childhood friends from the rural foothills of West Virginia who love to dodge grown-up responsibilities and always live life with the carefree motto, "whatever happens, happens."
Money might be tight in their neck of the woods, but whether they're throwing a dump truck pool party or building their own human slingshot, nothing stops them from making their own entertainment. Love and relationships come and go, but their bond with family and friends is always at the core for this eccentric group where anything goes!"
The show is being bashed for portraying an the cast as streotypical southern, rednecks. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-West Virgina urged MTV to pull the show off the air in a letter to the TPTB "You preyed on young people, coaxed them into displaying shameful behavior -- and now you are profiting from it."
West Virginia's Office on Tourism shrugged off the show and it's stereotypes saying that the majority of West Virginia population is definitely not represented by this show. "While some reality television programming is designed to excite, entice and generally entertain viewers, these types of programs tend to represent an extremely small segment of a population. This program does not represent our state or our citizens,"
The Oxygen Networkk's "All My Babies Mama's" hasn't yet finished production but many folks are hoping it doesn't. The show follows Atlanta rapper Shawty Low, a man who has 11 children with 10 woman and there is a one year age difference between one of his children and his current girlfriend.
The official synopsis for this one is :
“Oxygen will give fans an intimate look at unconventional families with larger than life personalities and real emotional stakes,” says Cori Abraham, Senior Vice President of Development, Oxygen Media. “’All My Babies’ Mamas’ will be filled with outrageous and authentic over-the-top moments that our young, diverse female audience can tweet and gossip about.”
This bold new series shows every second of the drama-filled lives surrounding a unique “modern” family unit, as they navigate their financially and emotionally connected lives. As the household grows, sometimes so does the dysfunction, leaving the man of the house to split his affection multiple ways while trying to create order. With humor and heart, this dynamically linked family must find a way to all get along… but sharing your man with several opinionated women is bound to create issues. Will there be a conflict over a family holiday, who needs school supplies and who holds the household finance purse strings, or can these feisty babies’ mamas band together and live peacefully as one family unit?
There is a petition on Change.org calling to pull the show before it hits airwaves this spring. Sabrina Lamb created the petition says that the show stereotypes and demeans black children, mothers and dads. You can view a preview of the show here. The creators of these shows believe they are just giving viewers what they want, and in the past, coming up with the next big shocker has worked whether it's Teen Moms, Sister Wives or Honey Boo Boo. It's no surprise that they go lower each season. The issues is when will people have enough?
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