# A man's role in sitcoms

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mans-role-in-sitcoms/207115>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [October 13, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mans-role-in-sitcoms/207115 "2003-10-13T04:20:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Qburn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/bc79bd/32.png) [@Qburn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qburn)\
**Post date:** [October 14, 2003, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mans-role-in-sitcoms/207115/21 "2003-10-14T21:50:24Z")

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Movies, too.

Robin William’s character in **Mrs. Doubtfire** was an incompetent parent until he became a woman.

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**Author:** ![Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Linus\_Van\_Pelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linus_Van_Pelt)\
**Post date:** [October 15, 2003, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-mans-role-in-sitcoms/207115/22 "2003-10-15T00:57:00Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by belladonna \*  
> \*\*I’m a woman and those offend me sometimes. Has anyone seen the new one for some type of flu vaccine where the mom is sick in bed and the dad proceeds to send the kids out into a blizzard in summer clothes, burns the food, destroys a couple appliances, and generally acts like a poorly-trained baboon? It’s so ridiculous–not only for portraying men in that light but also because it preys on women’s guilt over “making” the man be responsible for this stuff. I hate it, hate it, hate it. Basically, it should end with a big printed message on a black screen reading
> 
> “The inclusion of a penis has rendered the male body non-functional! All women must be forever vigilant against letting men do anything.” \*\*

In the case of adds, it’s all about selling the product and in this case, it’s by using a multi-pronged attack at their target audience (moms). First, knowing the common need that many people have to be needed, they make certain to confirm what some suspect - that their family would be lost if they aren’t functioning, even for a short period of time. Then, having confirmed that, they show that the men are not merely hopelessly incompetent, they’re almost criminally negligent as well. All the while, they’re using the image of the “supermom” who can have/do it all. And they use guilt/a sense of responsibilty to tie it all in a nice neat package.

Of course, they don’t actually say any of that and they make sure that it’s always done in a “humorous” fashion so that if someone complains, they can always say, “it’s just a joke!”. But the images still penetrate.

Is it somewhat dispicable? Sure, but it’s something that advertisers have been doing for a _loooong_ time.

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