I’ve just been reading the recent “King of the Hill” and “Hee Haw” threads (one of which I suspect was inspired by the other). In both threads there are some posters who have assumed that “Yankees” can’t appreciate that type of humor or that the show isn’t/wasn’t even broadcast outside of the south. Of course both threads disprove those ideas. But I found this very interesting because I’ve been making a somewhat opposite assumption. As a child I enjoyed “Hee Haw”, and as an adult I enjoy KOTH. But a small part of me has always felt slightly guilty about it because I thought that the people that are being stereotyped would be offended by such shows! I thought that maybe, in a small way, I was perpetuating the negative stereotypes that so many southern and rural people complain about. Instead, I was laughing at the same things they were. How many of you held the same misconceptions? Did you think that only “good ol’ boys” like yourself could enjoy these (and similar) shows and that “snooty east coasters” like me would turn their nose up at them? Or did you, as a “Yankee” think that these shows were created by northerners to make fun of the south and that southerners would find them offensive?
As a northerner I don’t see the “sterotypes” presented in KOTH as exclusivly southern. I’ve never spent more than a day or two south of New England, so I don’t know how prevalient those character types are in the south, but in the deep north of Vermont many people are as much a “redneck” as the characters on those shows. Just with different accents.
I know I would embrace it if I came from the South. Wacky behavior is ALL OVER TV. Do people in New York really know a ‘Kramer’ DEAD ON!? No one in real life can take on the exact characteristics of a ‘George’, of course there are people who can relate. Even Jerry and all his girlfriends are exaggerated for comic value. It now seems that the personalities of TV characters, as likable like Hank, could be offensive, just because we aren’t used to humor that takes place in area’s we aren’t used to seeing on TV. This is, however, a character, and it’s more entertaining to watch an exaggerated versions of people a lot of us know from one point or another.
Only most people who grew up in the South were, quite honestly, just observed a whole different cast of characters. There aren’t a lot of shows set in the South these days, so it’s nice to see something certain southerners can relate too, and still be entertaining enough for all to watch.
To me, the locale of the show is only a part of the appeal. The Texas in-jokes are funny to a Texan, but I think the show wouldn’t be that much different if it was set in Minnesota. Just change the accents, make the hot weather jokes into cold weather jokes, and poke fun at Minnesotaisms instead of Texasisms. Every area has its own quirks and particular brand of town weirdo (Dale), and decent folks like Hank and crew aren’t too different wherever you go.
Well, maybe one guy. 
In Vermont, rednecks are called “woodchucks”.
Ya, but only the elitist rednecks call themselves that.
I don’t find it offensive. I know plenty of rednecks (and I could probably be counted as one myself) and many of the things I’ve seen in KOTH are pretty close to truth. That’s one reason I find it amusing. What I do find mildly offensive is the assumption by some people that all rednecks are ignorant morons. But I usually let it pass without a fuss, content to live in my blissful state of ignorance.