#ConservativeTVsucks
Do we need more conservatives on TV? | The Tylt
Do we need more conservatives on TV?
After it was announced that the "Roseanne" reboot would feature a Trump supporting main character, the revival set records with 18.1 million viewers for its premiere. Donald Trump Jr. and others praised the show for embracing conservative viewers by offering an "alternate viewpoint." But critics argue conservative-leaning TV shows tend to suck because they often punch down. Do you think we need more conservatives on TV? 📺
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Do we need more conservatives on TV?
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Donald Trump Jr. applauded the "Roseanne" reboot, praising the "alternate viewpoint" it offered to what is typically on TV.
Wow amazing. Congrats @therealroseanne. If you’re not too busy already maybe work in a late night show too... seems there’s some demand for an alternate viewpoint. #Rosanne https://t.co/JNaLjxS0fs
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) March 28, 2018
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Others were happy to see a working-class family at the center of a TV show.
I grew up in a town where the current median household income is 45k. I didn't appreciate it at the time, but #Roseanne really repped working class folks who are not perfect, who are stuck in their small town bubble, but who also are open to progress.
— Lauren Modery (@Hipstercrite) March 27, 2018
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Even critics of Trump were excited to see the show represent conservative characters as a more accurate reflection of America right now.
I'm interested in seeing it. Roseanne is a Trump supporter, but the rest of the family is not. I think that can demonstrate conversations that people need to have. If people could talk politics they would be less likely to buy into the extremist crap that gives us Trump.
— Shayna Grissom (@ShaynaGrissom) March 27, 2018
But others are refusing to watch the TV show. Roseanne Barr is an unapologetic Trump supporter, and the Trump administration is threatening to destroy our democracy as we know it. Normalizing Trump on a sitcom isn't what we should be doing right now.
Pass. Not the type of representation in TV shows I'm looking for, thanks. https://t.co/4XSp8hri1T
— Juan Carlos Gomez (@JuanCG1123) March 27, 2018
Furthermore, Roseanne's personality IRL is vile. She calls Parkland students crisis actors and furthers wild conspiracies. She is dangerous.
— Ira Madison III (@ira) March 28, 2018
But finally, whenever networks and newspapers want to depict struggling, working class people in America they're ALWAYS white and always Trump voters. There are POC in that same situation who voted for Hillary and we never hear their stories.
— Ira Madison III (@ira) March 28, 2018
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But the premiere episode of "Roseanne" opened with massive ratings. Clearly there is an audience that wants to watch conservative stories play out on screen.
BOOM: @RoseanneOnABC opens with MASSIVE ratings: 18.2M viewers and a 5.1 rating among adults under 50. That sound you hear is @therealroseanne laughing all the way to the bank....
— TV MoJoe (@TVMoJoe) March 28, 2018
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Great show! Everyone is sick of the endless Trump bashing shows (including CNN) today. #Roseanne is a genius and is showing both sides in a funny way!
— Angelo Pappas (@Angelo_Pappas_) March 28, 2018
Conservatives have long had a difficult time finding success in Hollywood, in part because conservatism often clashes directly with the things that make art and comedy so valuable. As Judd Apatow puts it:
I know who I am as a storyteller: I want to feel hope about people's abilities to incrementally learn. This is related to the reason why you don't see movies and television about Republican and conservative ideas—because Republicans are trying to present themselves as correct, as clean, as Mike Pence–y. Unlike them, I want people who actually evolve.
When you see Mike Pence, you think there's a lot going on inside that guy. At least I do. But the problem is that Mike Pence will not tell you that... that's why there's no incredible, hysterically funny show about conservatives, because they're too concerned about trying to present themselves as correct. They're all going, I'm not neurotic. I'm not a disaster in any way. They don't admit how lost they are. There's something dishonest to me about that; it's living a lie.
Conservative TV would just mean normalizing bigotry and hate to many. No thanks.
Please don't mention Roseanne to me.
— Amene (@Ange_Amene) March 28, 2018
It's an attempt to normalize bigotry to white people who have these same white people as close friends and family members.
We black folk been knew.
Shows like this are why y'all have a hard time accepting and confronting.
