"The Real Beverly Hillbillies" slammed as demeaning to country folk [A new, CBS reality tv show]

AP ^ | Jan. 8, 2003 | AP

[summer]

POSTED: Jan. 8, 2003 9:15 a.m.

WHITESBURG, Ky. (AP) - An Appalachian advocacy group placed ads in some of the nation's largest newspapers Tuesday, criticizing a proposed CBS reality TV series that it says is demeaning to rural people.

The show, which is being called "The Real Beverly Hillbillies," places a poor Appalachian family in a Beverly Hills mansion. Casting for the show is being conducted in the Appalachian states of West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.

[summer]

CBS seems to me to be playing it two ways here -- on one hand, they're sticking to a script used for ages, the "fish out of water" story. However, on the other hand, as they well know, I think CBS wants to get this message out to voters:

"Remember folks, we've got [GW and] a bunch of country bumpkins running our nation now!"

In short, some not-so subliminal political advertising from CBS, IMO...

More links HERE.

[lexington minuteman 1775]

The philosophy of Hollywood seems to be its okay to make fun of some folks, but I bet if you pitched a show with a similar scenario, say a poor black family out of some urban ghetto into a mansion in Beverly Hill, a few would get quite wrankled at the idea.

[SandRat]

IMHO anytime the "oh-so enlightened" Hollywood crowd get a dose of the "you can't do that you're belittling me with a racial/ethnic/economic stereotype" that they've been jamming down our thoughts, the better for all of us. Enjoyable too! He-he-he-he!

[Will_Zurmacht]

i think they should move the "ignorant hillbillys" to a big white house in washington dc...oh, wait, we tried that

[angcat]

They make fun of the Italians all the time.

[Dakotabound]

Someone suggest to CBS that they do the exact opposite: Take a liberal rich family and put them in the hills of Appalachia. Would have to be liberal, because the conservatives would buckle down and do the work.

"Imagine the episode where Dad has to kill the chicken, and mom has to pluck it. And the kids have to eat it."

[rface]

I'd go vist my Grandparents when I was growing up. Watching the Beverly Hillbillies was not allowed......and you were supposed to call people from West Virginia "Mountain Folks"

Ashland, Missouri

[upchuck]

KY FReeper ping and a big BUMP!!!

[1riot1ranger]

Who is playing Ellie May????????

[upchuck]

Someone suggest to CBS that they do the exact opposite: Take a liberal rich family and put them in the hills of Appalachia. Would have to be liberal, because the conservatives would buckle down and do the work.

That show would for sure be more interesting than what they've got planned. Moving up is so simple. Moving down is a bitch.

[Vinnie]

How about a 'reality' resurrection of Green Acres.
Take some Hollywood millionaires and place them in an ordinary family house. They would have to cook, wash the clothes, mow the yard, fix the car, drive, grocery shop. And the worst, eat tuna casserole.

[Archangelsk]

I've got an idea, as "The Real Beverly Hillbillies" is being run, concurrently run a show - call it "OhmyGod, We're Dirt Poor!" - which takes a wealthy family and puts them into a poor, Appalachian community or urban ghetto and forces them to try to survive. Any guesses as to which show a majority of Americans would tune into?

[pad 34]

"Imagine the episode where Dad has to kill the chicken, and mom has to pluck it. And the kids have to eat it."

Better yet, shoot some Squirrel, skin it up, stew it slow. “Dad, this doesn’t taste like Mc Chicken”. UMmmm, Good!

[Vigilantcitizen]

It doesn't bother this country boy that CBS and the rest of the media like to make fun of poor, rural people.

When city folks from Atlanta drive all the way out here to pay way to much for fresh veggies, they get made fun of too.

[summer]

I was thinking that since Al Gore is not running for president, and he claims he still has the ambition to serve the people, and, he's obviously looking for a tv gig, maybe he should move in with the rural family who once rented a house from him and work for them. Then, around the dinner table, while the fmaily discusses the newest leaky pipe or whatever, Al could give try out his newest take on the current international scenario, for their feedback.

[summer]

fmaily = family

[summer]

Re your post #2 - It was called "The Fresh Prince of BelAir." Another show was: "The Jeffersons."

[summer]

(The Jeffersons moved up to the upper east side of Manhattan.)

[Archangelsk]

You beat me to my idea. :-)

Actually, there was a PBS show that did exactly that, "The Frontier House". They took four families, put them in Montana and turned back the clock to 1880. Then they told them that they have six months from Spring to Fall to get ready for the brutal Winter for that part of the country. A panel of historical experts then evaluated their efforts and told them whether they would survive the harsh winter conditions. According to the experts the wealthy family, who were quite conservative, would not have survived. This wasn't based on food stores, but on the fact that they didn't pile enough firewood to last the winter. The experts said that it took a minimum of six hours a day to cut enough wood to survive the winter and they simply didn't do enough.

[summer]

I've got an idea, as "The Real Beverly Hillbillies" is being run, concurrently run a show - call it "OhmyGod, We're Dirt Poor!"

Here's another idea: Instead of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous," they should do a show called: "Lifestyles of the Poor and Innocuous."