The movie People Like Us shows blue collar people being glamorized by middle classes. One example was the “Hun Fest” in Baltimore and another example is the Yuppies who go to working class bars in the city and they call them “dive bars.” Both groups claim to be romanticizing and appreciating the blue collar life. However, when it’s finished, they go back to their middle class lifestyle and do not interact with these blue collar people. Do you find this to be condescending? Are they really making fun of these people? Furthermore, one of the speakers in the movie said that although racial and religious stereotypes are no longer accepted publicly, class stereotypes are still acceptable. For example, you could freely use phrases like “You’re so ghetto” or “That’s so white trash” and you would not get into trouble. Why do you think class stereotypes and prejudices are still acceptable in America today?
For more blue collar stereotypes visit the blue collar TV website
or Jeff Foxworthy’s website.
Or, watch this video called "Class Dismissed; How TV Frames the Working Class" from mediaed:
Can you imagine a mainstream comedian getting away with these jokes in a racial or ethnic or religious way?
I just thought I would show you this. Everyone knows Larry the Cable Guy as the redneck hick but here is a video of him before he was a redneck. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIWO5LgUZ28
ReplyDeleteThis also relates to the idea that it is extremely hard to change social classes. Relating to that Monopoly game, the lowest class was stuck. Even the other players laughed at how pathetic his situation was. There needs to be a better way out!
ReplyDeleteI think it is a little condescending, because these middle/upper class people did not grow up in these areas, and it is not right to exploit the people that they see in these "dive bars"
ReplyDelete