Seriously, why do TV sitcoms feature a fat male slob and a hot wife

[LynneSin]

I was listening to Stern this morning and he actually read the article out there somewhere about how there are all these TV sitcoms that have a fat slob of a husband married to a hot chick. Some of the shows he mentioned by stars include Jim Belushi, Jason Alexander, Mark Addy, Kevin James and I'm sure there are others throughout history that we can mention.

So someone explain to me why our TV shows are like this? Other than Roseanne, you're not going to find that many TV shows where the wife was an average looking overweight woman (and even then by the end of the Roseanne series, Roseanne Barr/Arnold had gone through Plastic Surgery and serious weight reduction).

Suggestions?

[lil-petunia]

1. because the producers and script writers are fat slobs who dream

about having a hot woman just once in their lives.

[rfranklin]

4. The writers and producers are fat slobs who get hot babes...

Because they have money and connections that the hot babes covet.

[mac56]

21. Absolutely right.

The same reason George Costanza on "Seinfeld" and Ross Geller on "Friends" got laid much more often than they ever possibly could in real life. Fantasy wish fulfillment on the part of the producers and writers.

[RivetJoint]

2. Because it happens in real life as well

There are a LOT more hot women out there than there are hot men. Looks are more important to men than they are to women. Ergo, you find a nuumber of overweight guys (usually with money) married to attractive women.

[AIJ Alom]

3. Sex appeal and advertising.

The networks want to attract male viewers ages 18-45. The demographic that makes the most money (patriachial society) and spends the most. They understand that the female viewership is there, but attracting the testosterone driven males is difficult. Put a hot wife on television that a man can covet (even when the bible tells you, you shouldn't) and viola you attract male viewers.

[bratcatinok]

6. You're correct in your assessment but

you forgot one small part of it. Men control the remote control.

[AIJ Alom]

11. true. males do tend to watch more television according to studies.

[rfranklin]

7. A viola is a musical instrument...

What's the difference between a dead skunk in the road and a crushed viola in the road?
Skid marks before the skunk.

[RivetJoint]

8. Violas

are wonderful instruments! I learned to play in the 5th grade; they sound so much better than violins!

[mairceridwen]

14. word.

[AIJ Alom]

12. I always say viola. Frank Viola of the New York Mets was my favorite

pitcher for a couple of years, so instead of saying the French word, I always say viola (it's one of my unique habits).

[bobbieinok]

5. variations on the Flintstones

[Spinzonner]

9. Let me get this straight

You listen to Howard Stern and you're ranting about sexist images and standards in the media ?

Go figure ...

[RivetJoint]

10. Plus, when women are asked "what

is the top attribute that makes a man attractive to you?" The number one answer is almost always, "he makes me laugh." All those SITCOM guys are funny men, so women must be telling the truth about wanting men who make them laugh...we know they NEVER admit it's for money.

[Spinzonner]

13. Well, on "Third Rock from the Sun"

Sally determined it was the car.

[George W. Dunce]

15. 18-35 year olds are not watching

TV in the droves like they used to. The newest research says they are on line instead. 18-35's say they can get what they want on line, games news, sports, on their schedules, not the networks.

[meegbear]

16. It's like the movies from the 40s and 50s ....

where the doughy middle-aged guy with the greased back hair is scoring the 20-something babe. I never understood how they were together.

[Bronco69]

17. Why does he refer to the men as a

"fat slob of a husband" and he refers to the women as "average looking and overweight"?

[calico1]

18. Its mainly laziness on the part of

today's writers. The sitcoms of today are not near the quality of those of the 60's and especially the 70's when we had some of the best with great writing, great characters. Its just easier now to feed into the sterotype of fat husband, attractive wife and lots of stupid, lame lines.

[stopbush]

19. Simple: white males remain the power base of the USA.

Ergo, they are about the only targets left for serious derision.

Back in the 1950s, women were the targets: Lucy and Ethel, Gracie, et al. Even though they got the guys on occasion, women were held up as being stupid and laughable. As women gained more ground socially and politically, the caricatures stopped.

Nowadays, any perceived minority (women, gays, etc) is allowed a leg up on the status quo in sitcoms. The people in power are portrayed as the stupid people while the minority groups are portrayed as feisty and street smart. The white males are the uncaring, ignorant objects of derision.

Of course, the fact remains that they're running the sorry show.

If women as a group ever got their act together (they're the majority, after all), they could put us white males in our place...at which point the sitcoms would go after them instead of us! :)

[Wat_Tyler]

20. Objectification, naturellement.