Oh good grief. I had no idea what on earth you were talking about - Honey who?? Just watched 3 short clips and wish I could erase all that from my brain. What is wrong with people? There has to be a reason people would do that (besides $$) and a reason people would watch, but nothing will ever make me understand either one.

I know dlm- I feel kind of bad for starting this thread and also about my goiter comment!

Nancy, don't feel bad about starting the topic, HBB has been all over the news! lol.

And I'm sure a lot of other TV shows beat the conventions.

I watched the whole 30 min. of HBB, and what I find sad is she wants to be this beauty queen but she's clearly overweight right now and getting heavier, while her mom lets her eat junk food all the time!

I hope they're socking away a lot of money because Boo Boo is in for a rude awakening.

Ironically, this show is on The Learning Channel. lol

**Ironically, this show is on The Learning Channel. lol** Oak you HAVE to be kidding!!! Really?

Oh, Nancy - do NOT feel bad. You started a topic, not a war! I've just been living happily under my rock with no cable TV - and I'm often quite glad about that!

lol is right, oakley! Wasn't jon and kate plus 8 on TLC too? And what did we ever learn from that!

I never heard of this show until this post. I was going to see if there was a youtube vid on it but so far that doesn't sound real appetizing. Curiosity may get the best of me though.

Appetizing it is not, quite the contrary, lol�.

I'm so skeptical of all "reality" shows, believing that they're scripted to a very high level and not "real" by any means. However, there's something disturbingly recognizable about Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Child that makes it seem like the family could very well be portrayed just as they are. It makes me sad for the children. They're cast as uncouth, ignorant rednecks - and that's something that will follow them for years. It seems a very unfair and limiting thing to do to a child.

Absolutely SunnyCottage. I think it's horrible that this family is being exploited in this way, especially that little girl. Incredibly sad.

Oh I don't know. If they are wise with the money and she doesn't get too scarred, it could be a nice college eduction fund. Lots of ways to look at it but in general, it's horrifying, of course.

I hadn't heard of her either until this thread and googled images. What an eyeful.

I could not take the curiosity and watched a youtube video called Honey Boo Boo sugar high (I think that was the name). How sick, the moms at the pageants were giving all their kids those long paper things filled with sugar and dye, kind of a kiddy crack to boost them up. Boo Boo gets a big drink concoction with sugar and probably caffeine by the looks of her afterword. The moms are all teaching their kids they need some sort of crutch at a young age. How sad is that.

This is the first I ever heard the name. After reading all your posts, I won't be watching either and won't even check it out on Youtube. Thanks for the warnings!

If no one watches, the child can't be exploited.

Yeah this is more entertaining and its only 24 seconds.

Here is a link that might be useful: How to piss off a frog

A friend told me the show was very funny so I taped one episode, the one where they weigh themselves and go to a waterpark. I think I watched about half of it and turned it off. Yuck!

We dont have a tv so i havent seen any commercials---I didn't know anything about the kid until I read this here and googled it. What an appalling family! Unfortunately, the idea of bettering oneself has now become exclusively about money-- not about education, manners, or culture. These people are the lowest order of lower class and I very much doubt they will be saving any of their windfall for the child's college education. I would be surprised if she makes it through high school. The entire group seems not like actual people, but more like intelligent opossums or raccoons, or some other type of foraging animals who just happened to find a house to live in.

kswl - I am so intrigued whenever you mention you don't have tv. We watch very little ourselves, but I like having it when I want it!

As for HBB, I had heard the name but know nothing about her. I've never seen her show but I also didn't watch either of the conventions. That doesn't mean I don't care about the election though.

tina

For those who've never seen HBB, you really should check her out on YouTube. It will blow your mind!

Kswl, I read they're socking away the money, but I highly doubt it will be used on education.

I didn't know this until the other day, but Mama BooBoo children are all from different fathers. Their teenage daughter is unmarried and has a baby. AND...she's not even married to Papa BooBoo.

All those girls need to go to charm school, or their future is doomed.

Oh, what I found disgusting is the show begins with Mama BooBoo farting. There is NOT enough money in the world to make me do that! lol. THAT is the role model those girls have. Sad.

Oakley, I heartily agree that higher education is not a probability for this child. A poster upthread made the comment about the "exploitation" aspect of this show, saying the child might comes it all right if the show eventually funds a college education for her--- and I think that is wildly optimistic!

Tina-- with iTunes and acorn tv I am able to watch the two shows I really like, Downton Abbey and Foyle's War, so i don't really miss anything. We have streaming Netflix now for movies inside, and this Thursday are installing a movie screen outside, so I watch really as much as I want or need. But I am usually about five years behind learning about pop culture shows like this one .... Not a bad thing at all :-)

We don't have cable or satellite either, so I had never heard of this. Next time I swear I am not looking!

I am not opposed to TV, we just find between Amazon and Netflix that we can get enough to watch and no commercials.

Makes sense KSWL. Like most here, my husband and I lead full (okay busy!)lives. TV is just not something I am willing to make much time for. To be honest, there is not alot on that either of us really enjoy. Last season I did get interested in Revenge and will probably keep up with that again when the new shows start. We do have a satellite, and on days I work, I must have on my (local) morning news! I generally see a few minutes of Today on those mornings also and that is enough to keep up abreast of what is going on. Like you, I am usually behind on current shows and even movies.

Boop - I'm not opposed to TV either, it's just not a priority in our house. Too many other things I'd rather spend the time on.

tina

Oakley, haven't you heard? It's no big deal to have kids from 3 different fathers nowadays, and it's becoming even more mainstream, so as far as that goes, Honey BooBoo is coming up in the world! LOL! Even though I don't don't know any personally, there are so many HBB's out there, they are not alone, and probably think they are normal even though, they are are the extreme end. But, what is normal? Not having a TV in your house is going to the other end of extreme and is not "normal" either. I guess that doesn't count if you can watch shows on your computer though.

Everyone has their own "normal" and who are we to judge what that is, right? I think they are a happy and even though I certainly can't wrap my head around the weird things they do, to each their own-at least, that is what we are being forced to think by freethinkers. Live and let live...no matter what the cost. They actually seem happy to me. Not everyone cares about being the educated, high-powered professional, some people just want to live out their lives day to day and not worry about keeping up with everybody else. I use to really look down on people who lived that way, but there is something to be said about not caring what other people think, and just enjoying your life.

There is one of my husband's sisters that lives in another state, who is SO not like the rest of the family. They are certainly not financially well-off, and the kids did have a go at college, but never made it through the first semester, but, I have to say, they are such a close family and seem so very happy on the few occasions we see them (once a year) that I have told my DH, as long as they have enough money to get by, they are happy, that's fine with me. They just don't fit the mold of being in the professional world. Hard for most of us to understand, though.

In saying all that, (more than I wanted to say-ha) I only could watch one episode, and please tell me HBB is not from Oklahoma!! LOL!

Olliesmom said:

"Everyone has their own "normal" and who are we to judge what that is, right?"

Right :-)

I completely agree that "normal" is relative and everyone has the right to carry out their lives in the way that makes them and them alone happy. However, I still think it's a terrible thing to subject children to ridicule, and that is exactly what Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Child is doing. People aren't tuning in because this is a charming family with adorable children. People are tuning in to watch a train wreck. And that is where those children weren't given a choice in the matter.

SunnyCottage said:

"I still think it's a terrible thing to subject children to ridicule, and that is exactly what Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Child is doing. People aren't tuning in because this is a charming family with adorable children. People are tuning in to watch a train wreck. And that is where those children weren't given a choice in the matter."

That's absolutely true, Jen. However, we, the public, have a choice not to watch the train wreck, especially when it involves children. As long as the ratings are up, these shows will exist.

Perhaps it's my age, but I don't understand the popularity of these reality shows. Schadenfreude perhaps.

However, we, the public, have a choice not to watch the train wreck, especially when it involves children. As long as the ratings are up, these shows will exist.

And I completely agree with you! Maybe I just don't put much faith in my fellow man, though, because I think that people do tune in to these shows precisely because they enjoy the spectacle, and derive pleasure from feeling "above" what is generally considered to be the lowest common denominator.

I can't stand reality shows either. I will never understand the popularity of the ghastly Jersey Shore enterprise. Don't even get me started on the Kardashians ... The popularity of this type of "entertainment" makes me think that we are truly living in an Idiocracy (if you've seen that movie, you know exactly what I'm talking about ... the most popular television program in that movie was something called "Ow! My Balls!").

Give me Doc Martin any day. When I do need a dose of "reality", I thoroughly enjoy watching American Pickers.

Sunny Cottage said:

"Maybe I just don't put much faith in my fellow man, though, because I think that people do tune in to these shows precisely because they enjoy the spectacle, and derive pleasure from feeling "above" what is generally considered to be the lowest common denominator."

I agree with you, Jen. I find it to be very sad ....actually pathetic is a better word.

However, with that said, I am also guilty of it because I've seen threads here that have gone the way of a train wreck and I can't look away.

Sadly ... I think a good deal of it is just human nature.

jen, I totally agree too! I think it is sad how we are all getting accustomed to the reality shows! I do admit to watching all the Real Housewives shows, I know, it's my guilty pleasure! HBB was too far off the beaten path for me-kinda grossed me out really.

But, Jen, really and truly, those kids would have grown up that way anyway and not seen anything wrong with it. I do understand what you mean about exposing the kids to ridicule-but, I even see that in my son's school, but on a much lower viewer level, of course! Sometimes, I'm like (my valley girl talk-ha)..."Do you realize your son's pants should not be 5 inches too short?" or my personal pet peeve of having their kids go to school with a "birds nest" in the back of their hair, I'm mean, really-do own a hairbrush?? This particular one has parents who can definately afford some new pants, both mom and dad are professors at our University. And then, wonder why he is outcast from the other kids. Parents don't care means the kids don't care-most of the time.

Olliesmom said:

"Do you realize your son's pants should not be 5 inches too short?" or my personal pet peeve of having their kids go to school with a "birds nest" in the back of their hair, I'm mean, really-do own a hairbrush?? This particular one has parents who can definately afford some new pants, both mom and dad are professors at our University. And then, wonder why he is outcast from the other kids. Parents don't care means the kids don't care-most of the time."

No child should be an outcast because their pants are too short or they have a "birds nest". That is horrible. What parents should be teaching their children is not to judge another by what they are wearing or because their hair is not perfect. Again, probably human nature....but very pathetic.

True, marlene, and as an adult, I am having the ill-thinking about the parents of the child, I would certainly never say anything. Kids that age are learning how to filter what they say, and, of course, my son knows better to say anything! But, some kids are not taught that for sure, leaving the said child up for ridicule.

I see a big difference in children being teased/ridiculed by classmates and children being paraded on television and being viewed with disgust by adults. I feel that is what's happening with little Honey Boo Boo. My heart really does go out to that child. She has no choice.

"My heart really does go out to that child. She has no choice."

My heart goes out to any child who is paraded on television or is ridiculed in school (or anywhere else). A child who is teased or ridiculed in school has no choice either. I am not disagreeing with you, Jen. I am just venting my sadness for children.

Olliesmom, I can tell from your posts that you are raising your son to be respectful and a gentlemen. I wish every child had that benefit.

I just don't understand why people watch cr*p like that. If it didn't have an audience, it would cease to exist. Same with buying mags and papers like National Inquirer. The paparazzi would have to find another line of work if those rags weren't purchased.

Sorry to sound so high and mighty. Those kind of things just rub me the wrong way.

I think we're really all in agreement here ... just expressing and venting our concerns. I too absolutely feel for any child who is teased. I guess the thing with HBBC is that she's being ridiculed on such a large scale. And the thing is, she's a cute little girl with a very vibrant personality. That could be presented in a much more positive light, but instead the producers of this show (and the parents, apparently) choose to denigrate the child by depicting her as extremely uncouth.

Ollie, I bet there's a slew of Honey Boo Boo's and their families in SE Oklahoma. I hear it's dangerous down there. lol. Too bad because it's THE prettiest part of OK, with all the mountains.

BooBoo is used to this because she's been on the pageant circut since she was tiny. Now she's just getting paid for it.

I do watch a few reality shows, but it's because Hollywood cannot come up with anything good anymore!

I will not miss an episode of Survivor and Big Brother. I hated BB at first until a friend convinced me to keep watching for two weeks and never miss a show. It comes on 3 times a week. By then I was hooked.

Also, I watch Housewives of Beverly Hills. I love seeing their homes and how they dress. I'll catch the last half of The Apprentice but skip the first half on purpose.

I record those shows and watch them late at night when I nestle in bed.

I was telling my dh just yesterday I wish Hollywood would start making historical dramas, both on TV and movies. Instead it's crime show after crime show. Ugh. But they're popular!

When I saw one preview of the show my first thought was not exploitation, but child abuse.

Maybe they should have an episode at the Four-Seasons Maui like "Modern Family" did....

aAAAAAaAaaAAuuuugugggghhhhh!!!!!

Now I've done it...they probably will...((( shudder )))

I'd rather see Sofia Vergara getting out of the pool than that Mom!!

Faron

I'll be straight forward Faron. If I arrived at the Four-Seasons and that family and the cameras were staying at the resort, I would be demanding that the FS find me comparable rooms elsewhere. Same for Kardashians and any real housewives of ...

BooBoo is used to this because she's been on the pageant circut since she was tiny. Now she's just getting paid for it.

And all of it is a horrible thing to subject a child to. Maybe she is "used" to it, but that's only because the adults in her life have obviously forced it on her. No doubt Big Mama would claim that BooBoo wants to participate in all of this ... Baloney. Besides, children don't get to "make the rules" for how they want to live ... at least not in any responsible family.

"BooBoo is used to this because she's been on the pageant circut since she was tiny. Now she's just getting paid for it."

That is an eye rolling, head shaking statement.

**What parents should be teaching their children is not to judge another by what they are wearing or because their hair is not perfect.**

I absolutely agree with you Marlene. You must have missed the other GW threads about the HBB show - it's not just children who need to be taught kindness and acceptance.

I agree with that also Rilie, but I didn't realize we'd had other honey boo boo threads???

Call me crazy, but that name "honey boo boo" is stuck in my head. Last night I called the pup, you go it, HONEY BOO BOO! It is cute LOL.

tina

LOL Tina....I have been calling my kitten "Honey Boo Boo" also.

It wasn't on the decorating forum, but another one here at GW. The little girl has been called 'repulsive' and 'homely' and 'illiterate trash' and it was implied that her family should be 'neutered' so 'people of this ilk' don't populate the country. When I voiced my objection, I was called a "rightie", lol.

Well Marlene, it's the God's honest truth! I'm not saying it's okay so don't put words in my mouth by implying I'm fine with the show, because I'm not. Her parent's are using her up and down, left and right for the almighty dollar.

Shaking my head and rolling my eye's.

Thanks for the info Rilie. "people of this ilk"????? You were right to voice your opinion!

tina

LOL, Oakley. I must admit I rarely read your posts. I was merely quoting Sunny's quote.

I would never try to put words in your mouth. LOL.

LOL, Marlene. Go back and read again. It was me you quoted, not Sunny.

But thank you for your kind words. Not sure what I did to deserve them.

It's Coliseum television, just like Springer et al.

People get off on watching people who are even more messed up than they are so they can laugh at them and feel superior, and the people who are on these shows don't care because any kind of attention is better than none and they are getting paid for it.