NOte to classes, I see that sociology is the most popular major here at UNT Dallas, in respect to that I am posting one column that has zip zero nada to do with accounting. Okay, so maybe I have posted some others but, just to keep things interesting, whaddya all think?
Ugly Betty, A Different Agenda
Jim Bowie, a Bold Adventurin’ Man!
Lead in to the TV Series Jim Bowie starring Scott Forbes, 1950s
Other than Jack Bauer, you may have noticed television is pretty short of bold adventurin’ men these days. It wasn’t that way when I was watching as a kid. Cowboys held sway back then, good guys wore white hats and the bad guys in black hats got shot, period, end of story. But now the media seems intent on portraying men as villains, and frankly, some of the women aren’t looking too good either.
The current case in point is ABC’s Ugy Betty. On the surface it’s a twist on the ugly duckling turns into a swan, Cinderella finds her man, Radar O’Reilley is really in charge here theme. But look a bit deeper, like trying to find a male character to emulate, and you will be pressed for answers.
Betty Suarez gets a job at hip Mode magazine. To counter the philandering ways of son Daniel Meade, dad Bradford Meade picks the homeliest gal in the building (Betty) as Dan’s new assistant. While Dad looks the Ivy League type, we find that Daniel has inherited his philandering from Dad. (Note to researchers, find that philandering gene!) Indeed Dad has alcoholic Mom committed to rehab and no one has seen Dad’s girlfriend for years.
Indeed, Dan couples with a different girl every evening. In case we missed the point, Dan even has Betty knocking on doors of various paramours trying to find his watch, lost in a tryst. Ah but Betty is bringing Dan around to his true calling, being a responsible heir to run Mode magazine.
Meanwhile Vanessa Williams has created her best role yet in Wilhemina Slater (think Joan Collins as Alexis in Dynasty). She is determined to take over the magazine. Her aid decamp is of course openly gay Marc. And there is a mysterious character, whose identity is finally revealed this week, scheming to help Slater achieve her goal.
In true soap opera fashion, Dan’s brother Alex has been missing for two years. But alas, the new fashion model on the runway is revealed to be-you guessed it, Alexis! Yep, Alex has become a gal, and of course since this is television, a great looking one, unlike most of the transvestite conversions in real life. And not to be content with Dan’s conversion to a bit less fooling around, we have an old college buddy appear who counts conquests like a contest, even daring Dan to better his count!
The only sympathetic male figure is, oh come on, someone told you-Betty’s father, Ignacio. We see Ignacio as the stay at home Mom and Dad, always keeping house for Betty, her sister Hilda and brother Justin. Note there are no complete Mom and Dad homes in the series. But it turns out the reason for the stay at home Dad role is, yep, Ignacio is an illegal, er undocumented, alien. But, when the Immigration worker finds him out, she starts falling for Ignacio and comes over to fix him supper. Just to keep things interesting, two guys are pursuing Betty, but there is not enough testosterone between the two to make even one Eddie Haskell (okay so I dated myself with that one).
So there you have it. Philandering Dad, confused sons, scheming women, alcoholic Mom, a bevy of women with their own agendas at Mode-Betty has her hands full. My point is that this series is one big but not so subliminal message. Men are bad, women are scheming, Dads don’t father, and the man that does is pursued by the law.
So, is television reflecting modern life, or shaping it-I report, you decide…..
Professor Elam 
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