Friday afternoon, and not a week too soon.

[lagilman]

Too much shite is really pissing me off (most recently, Hamburger Helper commercials where momma not only must make dinner for her family but teach them table manners and morals as well, while daddy's job is just to high five them across the table when they act up. Um. Even in the 1950's-that-weren't, daddy at least was shown coming home after a long day at the job, not just being Another Kid. I do NOT like the social implication there, and neither should parents of either gender.)

On the more amusing side, some weekend reading for us all: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2008/09/artistic-anguish.html

money shot: Writers tend to do two things really well: whine and inflate their own importance.

Why yes, yes we do. /Anthony Bourdain voice

And now I'm going to take my well-worn copy of Busman's Honeymoon and shove the kittehs out of the comfy sun-warmed spot, and chill for a few hours. Call me when the world gets its shit together, willya?

Comments

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

Since the 1950s-that-weren't, sitcom fathers have become more and more objects of ridicule rather than parents (with some notable exceptions: Cosby Show). Commercials do tend to take that meme and run with it. I try to avoid purchasing products from companies who seem to make commercials that indicate that only morons and imbeciles use their products.

[wyld-dandelyon.livejournal.com]

There's LOTS of ways that commercials provide [ahem] less-than-ideal role models.

[girasole.livejournal.com]

I have been thinking longingly of both Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon. They are comfort reads of the highest order.

[madmoravian.livejournal.com]

Ok, will do. But phones won't exist by the time that happens.

[fakefrenchie.livejournal.com]

That means we should call you never?

[signeh.livejournal.com]

If, for some reason, you should happen to be in Chicago this Spring, a local(and most excellent)small theatre company is doing Busman's Honeymoon. They've done Whose Body and Gaudy Night in previous seasons and both were delightful.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Ooh, really? When in the spring?

[infiniteviking]

Ah, Busman's Honeymoon... I haven't read that in far too long.

[vincam.livejournal.com]

Since I'm best buds with the DVR and I fast forward through commercials, I wonder what happened in this Hamburger Helper commercial that has so upset you.

[lagilman]

*shrug* I don't know that I'd say it "so upset me" as much as it pissed me off. Pretty much as I describe it: the woman (I think she's a former track star? i don't follow the sport so I don't know) is shown cooking up a fast and nutritious meal for her family, talking about how it's not just food, it's also the sitting-down-to-dinner, teach them which fork to use, how to behave" despite the fact that she's very busy, because she wants to be a good mom" voice-over, while the screen shows her cooking, and two kids and dad sitting at the table, joking around, eating, and high-fiving each other. After, dad gives mom an approving hug for doing all this so well. Nowhere does it mention what dad is doing while mom's busting her ass....

I was so turned off, emotionally, halfway through, I didn't really remember the specifics. The tone that came through quite clearly was "women must do all of this in order to be Good Mothers and Loved Wives."

Of course, just once I'd like to see a commercial where the guy is cooking, or cleaning, and it's not shown as a woman's wish-fulfillment fantasy. I know there are guys out there who are not incapable in the kitchen, who understand that it's their house and their mess too, who don't automatically assume that Wife=All Domestic Chores... so why can't MadAve show that reality, too? Otherwise, it risks becoming a cycle of monkey-see, monkey-assume....

[vincam.livejournal.com]

You're right, that is stupid. Especially since the way this relates to Hamburger Helper is that they seem to be apologizing for women who don't cook from scratch and serve up their crappy product. At the very least they should have shown dad, equally harried, helping out and let him take some of the responsibility for the dinner shortcut. And perhaps some of the credit for keeping the kids in line? Women aren't the only ones shortchanged by this.