Reality Television

Oddities of Culture

Contributions by Gordon Alley-Young, Andre Cavalcante, Elizabeth Barfoot Christian, Nicole B. Cox, Rebecca M. Curnalia, Matthew P. Ferrari, Julie Haynes, Leandra Hinojosa Hernández, Christopher Mapp, Pamela L. Morris, Charissa K. Niedzwiecki, Leslie Rasmussen, William C. Trapani, Laura L. Winn Edited by Alison F. Slade, Amber J. Narro, Burton P. Buchanan

Publication date:

13 November 2015

Length of book:

284 pages

Publisher

Lexington Books

ISBN-13: 9781498532167

Reality television remains a pervasive form of television programming within our culture. The new mantra is go big or go home, be weird or be invisible. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Duck Dynasty, for example, are arguably two of the most compelling reality television programs currently airing because of their uniqueness and ability to transcend traditional boundaries in this genre. Reality Television: Oddities of Culture seeks to explore not the mundane reality programs, but rather those programs that illustrate the odd, unique or peculiar aspects of our society. This anthology will explore such programs across the categories of culture, gender, and celebrity.

Introduction: Reality Television in Popular Culture
Alison F. Slade

1. Portrayals of Masculinity in The Discovery Channel’s “Deadliest Catch”
Burton P. Buchanan

2. “I Was Born This Way”: The Performance and Production of Southern Masculinity in A&E’s Duck Dynasty
Leandra H. Hernandez

3. You Better ‘Redneckognize’!: Deploying the Discourses of Realness, Social Defiance, and Happiness to Defend Here Comes Honey Boo Boo on Facebook
Andre Cavalcante

4. Are you ready for your 15 minutes of shame? Louisiana Lockdown and Narrative in Prison Reality Television
Elizabeth Barfoot Christian

5. Bravo’s “The Real Housewives”: Living the (Capitalist) American Dream?
Nicole B. Cox

6. Frugal Reality TV During the Great Recession: A Qualitative Content Analysis of TLC’s Extreme Couponing
Rebecca M. Curnalia

7. Bigger, Fatter, Gypsier: Gender Spectacles and Cultural Frontlines in My Big Fat American Gypsy WeddingGordon Alley-Young8. Odd or Ordinary: Social Comparisons Between Real and Reality TV Families
Pamela L. Morris and Charissa K. Niedzwiecki

9. The Lolita Spectacle & the Aberrant Mother: Exploring the Production and Performance of Manufactured Femininity in Toddlers & Tiaras
Leandra H. Hernandez

10. Manifest Masculinity: Frontier, Fraternity and Family in Discovery Channel’s Gold Rush
William C. Trapani and Laura L. Winn

11. Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew: A Wicked Brew of Fame, Addiction, and Cultural Narcissism
Christopher Mapp

12. ‘Born’ Survivors and their Trickster Cousins:Masculine Primitive Ideals and Manly (Re)Creation on Reality Television
Matthew P. Ferrari

13. Catfished: Exploring Viewer Perceptions of Online Relationships
Leslie Rasmussen

14. “‘I See Swamp People:’ Swamp People, Southern Horrors and Reality Television”
Julie Haynes

Conclusion
Amber J. Narro

About the Contributors

The success story of reality television, even with its oddities, is a reflection of American pop culture. Reality Television: Oddities of Culture is largely beneficial to communication scholars. The authors of this volume examine the strange aspects of what is considered "real," and how and why Americans are drawn to this genre of television. The book paints a picture of the odd, yet popular subject matter in a way that has not been previously portrayed.