From gay pigs to teenage pregnancies to the Redneck Olympics, Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is TLC’s (yes, that’s The Learning Channel) newest phenomenon. Viewers tune in every Wednesday to watch the precocious child say things like, “Mama, this life jacket makes me look like a chunky lemon!” and “When my belly hurts it’s usually gas. Or too many chicken nuggets.”
The six-year-old former Toddlers and Tiaras star isn’t the only colorful figure in her self-proclaimed “redneck” family living in rural McIntyre, Georgia. We meet her mother June Thompson, also known as “Mama,” her dad Mike (“Sugar Bear”) along with her sisters Lauryn, 12, (“Pumpkin”), Jessica, 15, (“Chubbs”) and Anna, 17, (“Chickadee”) who is eight months pregnant during the pilot of the show. Honey Boo Boo chronicles daily events in the Thompson family’s life, such as a muddy trip to the redneck games, extreme couponing, date night with Mama and Sugar Bear and preparations for Honey Boo Boo’s pageant competitions.
In episode two, Sugar Bear buys a pig as a means of comfort after Honey Boo Boo loses yet another pageant. For some silly reason, the pig’s sexuality is called into question and Honey Boo Boo immediately runs to her pet’s defense stating, “He can be gay if he wants! You can’t tell that pig what to do!” In the end, the squealing pig causes chaos for the entire family who doesn’t seem to consider that owning a barnyard animal might be kind of an imposition on their daily lives. The pig, which slept in a toddler playpen, is given away in episode four.
While many viewers have found the show to be entertaining and in good spirits, others have condemned TLC for mocking and exploiting the family. Some say it extends offensive stereotypes pertaining to life in the Deep South. Others say it not only mocks and exploits the family, but also small town people in general. Nearby residents are outraged about the way their area of Georgia is being portrayed. The show has shots of dumpsters, junkyards and road kill. Many people want to see more of the town’s positive qualities such as local businesses. Despite their displeasure, many locals acknowledge that the show has publicized McIntyre, Georgia, which could potentially increase tourism.
Although some articles are concerned the show will prompt the fall of civilization, the family’s confidence about their station in life shines like a thousand dollar pageant dress. They frequently state to the show’s audience that they are who they are and they don’t give a crap about what you think. The Thompson family invites the viewer to laugh along with them. This is a family that seems to be genuinely enjoying themselves. They do not get embarrassed, which is refreshing. The family’s love for each other is apparent and is heartwarming to see in an age where we are drifting further and further apart from one another. They are a twisted, modern day Brady Bunch that rarely spends a moment apart. They coupon, they mudslide and they fart to lose weight. Despite the shenanigans that occur on a constant basis, June does seem like a very dedicated and conscious mother. When dealing with her daughter’s pregnancy, she’s practical and understanding and even offers viewers some words of wisdom: “All that boy wants to do is get in your biscuit.”
The behavior on the show is so watchable that when the 2012 Republican National Convention aired, it was Here Comes Honey Boo Boo that received higher ratings. Insert the “look how stupid America is” comment. What this show does do well is it offers the rest of the nation a peek into a subculture of American life that has never really been shown on a reality TV show. Some networks such as Bravo have shows about wealthy people throwing money around and usually backstabbing everyone. Now, in this economy, most of America does not want to watch a show where women in technicolor cocktail dresses throw twenty dollar drinks at each other. The average American wants something they can relate to or something they can look down upon. Enter Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Whether people love or hate the show is irrelevant as ratings are consistently high each week. As Mama herself says, “Some say they love the show, others criticize it, but they know everything about it. We call them closet fans.” With ratings that high viewers should expect a second season and the haters better “redneckognize” that Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is here to stay.
