# Letter to CBS **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 28, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011 "2002-08-28T23:16:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/21 "2002-08-29T18:52:54Z")
“Jed!!!” ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/22 "2002-08-29T19:40:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Television is the first truly democratic culture - the first culture available to everybody and entirely governed by what the people want. The most terrifying thing is what the people do want. ~ Clive Barnes ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/23 "2002-08-29T21:46:44Z")
WV, I think it’s only fair to point out that NOWHERE in the yahoo news link you provided does it mention that the chosen family will be “southern.” It does mention “rural” and it does allude to the original sit-com which featured the word “hillbilly.” But, I repeat, it never mentions “southern” – the hook on which you hang your entire complaint, at least in your letter. That, of course, is not to say that they won’t go with a southern family; but that’s not to say that they will. Go to some nether corners of the Mid Atlantic and New England states and you’ll be amazed at how undeveloped they are. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/24 "2002-08-29T22:06:27Z")
“And hillbillies prefer to be called sons of the soil, but it ain’t happening! A-he hee!” /Dr. Hibbert ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2002, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/25 "2002-08-29T22:16:23Z")
Television… Nope, nothing interesting there yet. ---
**Author:** ![WV\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@WV\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WV_Woman)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/26 "2002-08-30T05:31:28Z")
**Turn your TV off for a week. You rob them of their power if you don’t watch.** Here in West Virginia we have trouble picking up the basic 3 stations. I can, if I can make the rabbit ears contort in unnatural positions. And I live in the 2nd biggest city in the state … hardly the middle of nowhere, so you can imagine what it’s like higher up in the mountains, down towards Logan/Beckley. The only show I watch faithfully is Survivor when it’s on. I know it’s disgusting, I know the people are void of meaning, but I love it. I also _love_ Law & Order, but almost never get a chance to watch it. I have this thing where if I can’t watch a show uninterrupted, I won’t watch it. With a 2 year old in the house, you can guess how often I get to watch my “stories.”’ Blockbuster, on the other hand, knows us by name. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/27 "2002-08-30T05:35:47Z")
Stix Nix Hix Pix. ---
**Author:** ![Mooney252](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7c8e57/32.png) [@Mooney252](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mooney252)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/28 "2002-08-30T05:56:01Z")
There’s all kinds of real-life dramas that they could do without a comedy sub-theme: - the trauma of going off to high school - the excitement of being a college freshman - mom decides to go off to college at age 30, with demanding school age kids and a husband surrouding her - reality meets the dad when divorce happens - dating as a separated spouse in their 30’s or 40’s Instead we get this. Or we get ‘Felicity,’ which is some crap representation of what life as a freshman is like. Sheesh. No wonder network TV continues to lose market share. ---
**Author:** ![Snooze35](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Snooze35](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooze35)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/29 "2002-08-30T14:22:06Z")
In case anyone wants to know where the Hillbillies “really” came from: [http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/atc/20020829.atc.05.ram](http://www.npr.org/ramfiles/atc/20020829.atc.05.ram) To think what John and Gilda could be doing now…_sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![racekarl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6bbea6/32.png) [@racekarl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racekarl)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/30 "2002-08-30T14:41:38Z")
Does WV in your username mean West Virginia? If so, your coming to the defense of southerners is sort of ironic 😉 ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/31 "2002-08-30T15:27:29Z")
Gee, WV, did you read my earlier post? Any reaction to my observation that NOT ONCE is it stated that a southern family will be chosen? Frankly, I think your whole complaint against CBS is a case of guilty until proven innocent. (And BTW, racekarl. You should be a little more careful about how you spell Virginia. And yes, I think it’s ironic too.) ---
**Author:** ![WV\_Woman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@WV\_Woman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WV_Woman)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/32 "2002-08-30T15:37:14Z")
Um … racekarl? Do you mean that WV _isn’t_ south? Oh really? Culturally it is … geographically it’s in the middle, granted. And stuyguy, yes I read it, but we all know it will be a family from the south. CBS isn’t going to pick a family from Boston Proper who just happen to be “backwards.” ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/33 "2002-08-30T15:44:48Z")
> [@](#): > > WV, I think it’s only fair to point out that NOWHERE in the yahoo news link you provided does it mention that the chosen family will be “southern.” From [ABCnews](http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Entertainment/reuters20020828_598.html) > [@](#): > > CBS spokesman Ender said, “The search will primarily be focused in mountainous, rural areas of Arkansas, West Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. But we wouldn’t rule out a family from other areas of the country as well.” So obviously they think of the south when they think “hillbilly.” The show is offensive, and **WV\_Woman** is doing the right thing in writing a letter to protest. I think the show would be an embarrassment to watch, and if I watched TV at all, there’s no way in hell I’d turn this crap on. ---
**Author:** ![jmpride62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@jmpride62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jmpride62)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/34 "2002-08-30T19:21:18Z")
And bringing up the rear… FOX! [http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/30/television.greenacres.reut/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/30/television.greenacres.reut/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![lurkernomore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@lurkernomore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lurkernomore)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/35 "2002-08-30T19:54:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lurkernomore \* > \*\*WV, > Wouldn’t that just be the Real Green Acres, except with Jews instead of WASPs? It may be coming. \*\* I was KIDDING!!! [http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/30/television.greenacres.reut/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2002/SHOWBIZ/TV/08/30/television.greenacres.reut/index.html) JM, I have no inside info or contacts, tho if they were at Fox, I wouldn’t admit it anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/36 "2002-08-30T19:58:49Z")
> [@](#): > > Why not “Real Beverly Toothless Hicks” or “Real Beverly Inbred Morons.” You might as well call it something like that, because those are precisely the images the word “hillbilly” brings to mind. ☹ Why didn’t somebody tell me? As for the rest of your letter, you tell 'em sister! ---
**Author:** ![Padeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@Padeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padeye)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/37 "2002-08-30T20:37:19Z")
I think the reason most of us look fondly on _The Beverly Hillbillies_ was that that the city folks were just as often played as fools against the Clampett’s common sense as the other way around. Jed was easygoing and laid back before the term was even invented. Heck, he was wearing the _Miami Vice_ look years ahead of its time. * * * Some folk’ll never lose a toe but then again some folk’ll like Cletus, the slack jawed yokel ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 8:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/38 "2002-08-31T08:07:25Z")
This has been one of my major piss-off points for years and years. I’m not sure if started when woman from D.C. who was enrolling her kids in our elementary school asked my mother if they taught the kids to read in the sixth grade, but I’d say that had a lot to do with it. Let’s face it, since the fat people banded together and it became uncool to make fun of them, folks from the rural south are the only ones you can promote negative stereotypes of and get by with it anymore. I’m appalled that anybody thought this was a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Dijon\_Warlock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@Dijon\_Warlock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dijon_Warlock)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/39 "2002-08-31T10:41:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*That Granny was a stitch! \*\* “Shut up, old lady. And stop kicking me there.” Rainier Wolfcastle, _Saving Irene Ryan_ ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2002, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011/40 "2002-08-31T12:05:32Z")
As much as I think the OP should get that boulder off her shoulder…I’d love to see a NYC born ‘n’ bred shipped off to, say, Argyle, Minnesota. I’m a farm chick, born ‘n’ bred, but through my military career I was afforded the opportunities to live or spend time in Miami, DC, and San Francisco. Those same opportunities allowed me to experience NYC, Boston, LA, Houston, and SD. In my civilian (and married-to-the-military) life/lives I’ve seen Chicago, Madrid, Sevilla, Minneapolis, and Honolulu. Taking **Ukelele Ike** or **Maeglin** or **Eve** or **Coldfire** and putting them in a rural community - a 20-minute car ride away from anything resembling what they know and appreciate - would have a much higher comedic value than taking a MTV/Sex In the City/Law and Order-watching People/Time- reading, or Today Show/Nightline-watching American and dropping him/her into LA or NYC. It’s a lot easier to get used to everything you want at your fingertips than to realize you have to get into your car and drive to pick up your pizza - or a quart of milk, for that matter. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/letter-to-cbs/126011.md?page=3)