Filmed
mostly in and around the family's hometown in rural McIntyre, Georgia, United
States, “Honey Boo Boo” is the perfect example of child exploitation – a horror
story posing as a reality television programme.
A
reviewer for Forbes criticised TLC – the network airing the programme, as
trying to "portray Alana's family as a horde of lice-picking, lard-eating,
nose-thumbing hooligans south of the Mason–Dixon line."
The Guardian also criticised the attempt to portray the Thompsons as
people to "point and snicker at," saying, "None of the women or
girls who participate in the show seems to hate themselves for their poverty,
their weight, their less-than-urbane lifestyle, or the ways in which they
diverge from the socially-acceptable beauty standard."
June Shannon herself has been condemned for her daughter's diet, which
includes "Go Go Juice," a mixture of Red Bull and Mountain Dew that
contains as much caffeine as two cups of coffee. The mix is used to get her
daughter ready for pageants. Shannon has responded to this criticism saying.
"There are far worse things... I could be giving her alcohol."
She has also been praised by Mother Nature Network for her "keen
business sense" with which she feeds her family on $80 a week by clipping
copious coupons, playing Bingo, exploiting road kill, and acquiring
child-support cheques from each of her four children’s fathers.
Despite all this, it has proven popular with viewers, pulling in record
ratings for the channel in the US. Discovery
Networks International will launch TLC in the UK and Ireland on Tuesday, April
30, and Honey Boo Boo will be among the exclusive content premiering on the
channel.
Weight
for me tomorrow. Paul
Paul Lambis is the author of “Where is Home?” – A journey of hilarious contrasts.
For more information on Paul Lambis, and to order his book online,
visit www.paul-lambis.com
No comments:
Post a Comment