Homeschoolers Not Laughing About Release of New TV Sitcom

CNSNEWS ^ | 04/30/03 | Robert B. Bluey

[bedolido]

(CNSNews.com) - Homeschoolers are panning a new sitcom called The O'Keefees that portrays children from a "not-so-normal family" who have difficulty absorbing the realities of life in public school.

The show will air sometime this summer on The WB, serving as a midseason replacement. But even before homeschoolers have had the chance to see it, they're already lashing out at its portrayal of the fictional family.

The Home School Legal Defense Association became involved in the issue last month. The group's president, J. Michael Smith, wrote to Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer to express his concerns on behalf of the 75,000 families the organization represents.

"We believe that the initial description of the sitcom is not an accurate portrayal of the homeschool movement at large," Smith wrote. "Homeschoolers are very concerned that the program not portray homeschooling in a negative light."

Smith, who wasn't available for comment, viewed a pilot of the sitcom Tuesday, which The WB released to the group. In his letter, Smith said he feared that the show would perpetuate certain myths about homeschooling.

According to The WB, the show is a semi-autobiographical comedy created by Executive Producer Mark O'Keefe. It stars actor Judge Reinhold as a father who, after prodding from his wife and kids, agrees to let two of his children attend public high school. A third child remains at home for schooling.

"This new half-hour family comedy series takes a humorous look at our so-called 'normal' society through the eyes of one not-so-normal family as they try to keep their own unique values alive in a world where conformity rules," according to The WB's description of the show.

Paul McGuire, a spokesman for The WB, said six episodes have already been filmed. The show was originally scheduled to air last summer, but it will instead be used sometime in the coming months.

McGuire said he personally responded to Smith with a phone call, but he hadn't spoken with him again as of Tuesday morning. The WB has received four additional letters expressing concern about the sitcom, McGuire said.

"The show rewards the values of this family," he said, "and I think people should take a look at it first before they judge it."

Even though The WB's description of the show called it a "semi-autobiographical comedy," McGuire said it was about a fictional family living in an imaginary world.

Those passionate about homeschooling have written more than 100 anonymous critiques of the concept behind the show on the website TV Tome, which hosts a message board and includes information about various sitcoms.

Homeschooling parent Isabel Lyman wrote in a February column for the libertarian Ludwig von Mises Institute that it was only a matter of time before Hollywood "discovered" homeschooling.

"It's infuriating, but not surprising, that homeschoolers, the largest group in the so-called school choice movement, still elicit scorn," Lyman wrote.

In his letter to Warner Bros., Smith challenged some of the myths he believes The O'Keefes will perpetuate. He said homeschoolers are normal American families, and students tend to score higher on tests and are better socialized than their public school counterparts.

As for Smith's offer to work with The WB on scripts for future episodes, McGuire said it was too soon to make any promises. The first six episodes are already taped, he said, and the show's future will depend on its ratings this summer.

[webstersII]

"Hey, if they exploit the terrible decline of the public school system...I'll be glad."

I doubt that will be the intention. Most likely they will portray the Home-schoolers as out-of-touch losers and the public-schoolers as hip, happenin', and going places.

[discostu]

I'm trying to share personal experience with you. Being as I actually have been in a group that was about to become the topic of a Hollywood sitcom I'm showing you that it does not necessarily mean they're going to bash you. Why are you so stinking defensive about it? Do you not feel it's possible that someone could find non-derogatory humor in the idea of homeschooled kids joining the unwashed masses? Of course you're entitled to an opinion, and so am I. And my opinion is that your opinion is based on no facts and that you're needlessly poisoning the well and deliberately setting yourself up to be offended for the sole purpose of feeding some twisted need to be persecuted by life.

[discostu]

What do you think?

[Dr. Frank fan]

Homeschoolers might be wise to refrain from the knee-jerk reactions on this one till they actually see the show. You never know, it may actually help their cause for TV watchers to see homeschoolers portrayed in a sitcom even if the intent by some of the producers/writers is, at times, to make fun of homeschoolers. Sitcom characters are rarely unsympathetic. Norman Lear wanted "Archie Bunker" to be hated and he was loved. People love "The Osbornes". In this case, the creator of the show had made it semi-autobiographical so you'd think that the setup and portrayals will at least be somewhat flattering. It could, in fact, be a big political win.

That is, if homeschoolers don't mess it all up and turn it into some huge controversy.

[dansangel]

Ping!

[demosthenes the elder]

"This new half-hour family comedy series takes a humorous look at our so-called 'normal' society through the eyes of one not-so-normal family as they try to keep their own unique values alive in a world where conformity rules," according to The WB's description of the show.

I do not see any problem here, considering what "normality" means in reference to "normal" publicly-educated teenagers today. Were this forty years ago, perhaps there'd be an issue with the description. Today? Hell, I'd consider that an arch compliment.

[demosthenes the elder]

say WHAT???

[Freedom2specul8]

I hope not....but you're probably correct.

[RAT Patrol]

1. Thanks for the story about your experiences. I really do appreciate it.

2. You are reading way too much into my brief comment, and you're putting the emphasis in all the wrong places.

I never watch the WB so I have no preconceived intentions of being offended. I have read several stories on the subject of this show, and I do receive mailings for the HSLDA and they have mentioned the show. I am no less informed about the offensiveness of the show than you are about the non-offensiveness of the show. We are BOTH giving opinions before the fact, albeit informed opinions.

Bottom line: I seriously couldn't care less about the show. I follow all news dealing with home schooling. Big dumb deal.

[widowithfoursons]

Well, I'm pretty sure I won't see the sitcom. However, I homeschooled my older sons for two years, and am homeschooling my 6th grader now. My only purpose for homeschool was to ensure that I knew where their talents lay. Also, it was important to me that they knew how to diagram a sentance (Eng. grammar is no longer taught in public school). Homeschool is prevalent enough now that we should be able to laugh at ourselves.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Yawn....South Park already did this.

[demosthenes the elder]

My sister is homeschooling her brood of four.
They can and do speak three languages.
If she herself could speak in additional languages then doubtless so, too, would they.
I think the description "not able to converse with kids their own age" can be viewed as a biting indictment of the rank stupidity engendered by Leftists, continually aggrandized and promoted by the MTV pop-culture, and shovelled down the throats of "normal" kids in the desanctified halls of public academe. It is not so much that the O'Keefe children are deficient as it is that the NORMALS are lacking in proper linguistic skills.
And THAT, sadly, is far too accurate these days.

[nicmarlo]

The rats are attacking all conservatives. The NEA hates homeschooling families because for every child that is not in the publik skool, the school gets $3,000 on up less for that child. Also, since homeschooled kids do so much better on tests, it makes the NEA pet projects (i.e., whole language-----can we say failure) look worse. Publik skool unions contribute almost solely to the NEA (it may be the only) or other rat entities.

[discostu]

But your opening remark was "I guess it's OK to bash home schoolers". You're taking it as a given that they will bash home schoolers. I'm not saying they won't, I'm saying we don't know. As for experience with WB last time I flipped to that channel everybody was black the big news here for me was that they're no longer trying to be the broadcast BET.

[discostu]

I forgot about that ep, with the brilliantly lifted speach from Gamesters of Triskellion. Thank God I first watched that one on tape, I was laughing so hard I missed the next 5 minutes and had to rewind.

[RAT Patrol]

Whenever I flip to WB everyone is gay. Nevertheless, my opinion, based on information from reliable sources I completely trust, is that this show bashes homeschoolers. it is their right to do that. But facts are facts.

[discostu]

See I missed that era complete. I take a wait and see attitude. We all though HotC was going to totally make fun of us, then we found out Johnny Fever was in it so we gave it a shot. It was actually a pretty true show, of course part of what made it so true for me is that the redheaded poetry chick looked almost exactly like the redheaded poetry chick at my school that I was obsessed with.

[dansangel]

The rats are attacking all conservatives.

No doo-doo. It's about time we launched a similar counter-attack. Totally non-PC, down and dirty. I'm tired of letting all this *stuff* slide!

[ladylib]

Who cares? Nobody is going to watch this loser of a show, except for a home schooling family or two for a couple of laughs (and representatives of the teachers unions of course, hoping against hope that there will be some kind of mystic message that the populace will embrace, LOL).

After the first 15 minutes, the NEA will decide to take out the garbage, turn on the dishwasher, and perhaps do their nails.

[LiteKeeper]

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