Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Inept TV fathers
Continuing my theme about fathers. Last Sunday was fathers day which we celebrated by going camping and eating a lot of meat. We even threw in a few short hikes at Standish-Hickey State Park. On one hike Eve saw a river, stripped naked and jumped right in. Arjun managed to fill the hood of his sweatshirt with pebbles and dirt. A nice weekend away.
The point to this rant is the portrayal of fathers on TV. Inept, bumbling, buffoons who are obsessed with sports and hod rods. So I have to admit that I enjoy sports and cars, but that is not the be-all and end-all of my life.
So fathers like...
- Tim Taylor (Tool Time)
- Al Bundy (Married With Children)
- Arthur Spooner (King of Queens)
- Ray Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)
- Peter Griffin (Family Guy)
... just make me want to punch the writers in mouth. Most of these dads can't change a diaper without injuring themselves. In fact the stereotype has been extended to do the following:
- Get hit with a soccer ball in the groin
- Prat falling on everything
- Always in over his head with being a father + husband at the same time
- Get nervous and bumble around women perceived to be hotter than his wife
- Generally pushovers
- Wears sports jerseys ALL the time
- Make a mess in the kitchen while reheating a pizza in the microwave
- Drink excessive amounts of beer
- Basically incapable of handling anything without adult supervision
What is wrong with the powers that be and the writers in TV land? Can they never have a normal dad who loves his wife and kids? Well, I'm that normal guy. I used to be the guy who put his career and ambition ahead of everything. Now, I have a one year old and a three year old depending on Tricia and me to expose and polish all the facets of their personality. Can I do it? Well, I try my level best.
Enough with the inept dad already. It's not funny anymore. All it implies is that the woman's job is to run the house and manage the kids, whereas the father provides slapstick comic relief. Sexist and not even original anymore.
The point to this rant is the portrayal of fathers on TV. Inept, bumbling, buffoons who are obsessed with sports and hod rods. So I have to admit that I enjoy sports and cars, but that is not the be-all and end-all of my life.
So fathers like...
- Tim Taylor (Tool Time)
- Al Bundy (Married With Children)
- Arthur Spooner (King of Queens)
- Ray Barone (Everybody Loves Raymond)
- Peter Griffin (Family Guy)
... just make me want to punch the writers in mouth. Most of these dads can't change a diaper without injuring themselves. In fact the stereotype has been extended to do the following:
- Get hit with a soccer ball in the groin
- Prat falling on everything
- Always in over his head with being a father + husband at the same time
- Get nervous and bumble around women perceived to be hotter than his wife
- Generally pushovers
- Wears sports jerseys ALL the time
- Make a mess in the kitchen while reheating a pizza in the microwave
- Drink excessive amounts of beer
- Basically incapable of handling anything without adult supervision
What is wrong with the powers that be and the writers in TV land? Can they never have a normal dad who loves his wife and kids? Well, I'm that normal guy. I used to be the guy who put his career and ambition ahead of everything. Now, I have a one year old and a three year old depending on Tricia and me to expose and polish all the facets of their personality. Can I do it? Well, I try my level best.
Enough with the inept dad already. It's not funny anymore. All it implies is that the woman's job is to run the house and manage the kids, whereas the father provides slapstick comic relief. Sexist and not even original anymore.
