Quick run-down: Jesse
is a Texan girl who goes to New York to make it in the entertainment business
(acting or singing not sure which) and ends up being a nanny.
I really don’t like this show for so many reason, but a big
part of it is the many, many jokes about how some characters look and dress. The worst being the very ugly rival nanny
named Agatha, who’s rather mean-spirited, in contrast to the main girl Jesse who’s
very beautiful and supposedly very sweet.
However, when Agatha and Jesse take jabs at each other, Jesse always
puts down Agatha’s appearance rather than calling Agatha out on her bad
behavior. The heroine, Jesse, takes the
low road to cheap laughs by making fun of Agatha’s snaggle tooth, calling her
the beast in Beauty and the Beast, etc. (not exactly as “sweet” thing to do). This constant focus on Agatha’s appearance
(which she has no choice over) rather than her actions (which she does) is sending a direct message to our kids (especially girls). That what we do isn’t as important as how we
look, and if you are pretty, you are good and if you are ugly, you are bad.
Not good.
Quick run-down: Two
teenage girls become dancers on a TV show called Shake It Up Chicago.
My daughter just started this one, but I haven’t seen as
many problems as I’ve seen with Jesse (although that could change), but this
one episode really aggravated me. The
two main girls imagine their future without each other, and each of them ended
up as fat in their nightmarish futures.
Of course there were other issues of not having a great job or a husband
(maybe, I can’t really remember), but the jokes that carried through the rest
of the episode all focused on them being fat, like the worst possible future
these girls could imagine was being a little overweight. What kind of message is that sending to our
daughters? How does it make those girls
who are a little overweight feel?
I know these are just television shows, but when what is
implied on TV is reinforced in real life, our impressionable, young children will
internalize it. I know, Disney Channel,
you’re not the only one who is sending these messages to our daughters, but if
you put a little more thought into your programming and stopped going for the
cheap laugh, you could be that one bright spot on the television that does it
right. Think about it.
~MaryAnn
This kind of thing drives me crazy. Is it so difficult to find writers who can come up with something meaningful for the characters to deal with? Humor not based on mocking others? Or the idea that everyone has to be in a romantic relationship. I know a lot of great books and great writers who do much better.
ReplyDeleteIt drives me nuts too. It really just comes down to the writers not putting enough thought and creativity into the shows. Honestly, everything about these shows is just sloppy. I think Disney is just out to get a quick buck thinking that kids don't know any better than to watch these contrived shows. Disney could do so much better.
DeleteOver the summer I almost completely banned Disney channel at my house. Within a week, my kids started getting along SO much better. It was almost incredible. I agree with you so much about the body image issues. I've got a teenage daughter, and the pressure on her is intense.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of respect for other people in general is infuriating. The one notable exception is Phineas and Ferb, which is not only the funniest show ever, but also features characters that are kind and accepting of each other (usually).
Oh yeah, there is a lot of lack of respect on these shows. I didn't want to get into all the harmful racial stereotypes that make me cringe. But they are there especially in Jessie. I really, really hate that show.
DeleteWe love Phineas and Ferb. That is a show done right. It just proves that if Disney puts a little effort into it, they can come up with awesome funny shows that promote the right messages.
Nick is just as bad. My kids started watching the Haunted Hathaways, and the whole premise of the episode was how girls are bad at science, but it's okay because they're pretty.
ReplyDeleteAnd we aren't watching it again.
There's definitely good shows out there, on Disney, and nick, but you have to be mindful of the message they are sending to the viewers. Especially on shows aimed for children.
We haven't watched much Nick (outside of ATLA), but thanks for the heads up. That episode of Haunted Hathaways sounds horrible.
DeleteI know there are good and bad shows on all channels. I just wish that these channels aimed at children would put a little more thought into their programs and the messages that they send, so I wouldn't have to be so mindful of what my kids are watching, so I could parent just a little less and write more. But that's not going to happen.
You know which channel doesn't really let me down? PBS.
ReplyDeleteWatching Arthur or Dragon Tales would probably still make me feel better on sick days. Always positive messages. =)
Yes, My kids love PBS, and so do I. They have wonderfully creative shows that teach kids great things. My kids know so many animal facts from Cat and the Hat and The Wild Krats. Truly great programming.
DeleteI have to say as a mom of only boys, I often wonder if I'd be able to handle this kind of thing. Recently I left the house on a Saturday morning to get my hair colored, and as I was leaving my 9-year-old said "Why dye your gray hair, Mom? You should be PROUD of how LONG you've lived." I just laughed, but then on the way there I kept thinking that would be so much harder to explain to a girl - to someone who was going to grow up and face the same beauty expectations. It seems like as much as women have made progress in gaining respect for our intellects, we haven't made a whole lot of progress when it comes to still also being judged on our looks. It makes me sad to hear how young that starts on TV shows aimed at young girls.
ReplyDeleteWhen I get my hair colored, my daughters tend to ask when they can color their hair. My oldest wants red hair, my youngest wants blue.
DeleteI think our society does tend to worship good looking people both male and female, but women seem to get more pressure to look good and stay young. I know my husband doesn't worry about looking older like I do (he doesn't dye his hair). I too am sad to see these messages being sent to young girls. I think I'm just now starting to realize how much being bombarded by these messages has affected me, and I hate to see this being done to my girls too.
Self-worth should come from who we are and what we do, not what we look like.