Anyone feel that "Real Housewives of Atlanta" stereotyped the city? (Alpharetta: home, school)

[DAS]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

The housewives shows are always stereotypes. But then so are others.

I know the real estate shows on HGTV bore the hell out of folks, but I do watch some of those like "House Hunters" when I'm eating dinner. Beats the news, most nights. Well, those shows are just as bad. Whenever they show an episode of a couple in Texas or North Carolina looking for home, 9 out of 10 times - bingo - White. A Florida couple looking around? Poof - they speak Spanish! The Atlanta home seekers? Yep - almost always Black. You have to watch a few episodes to pick up the trend, but it's there. It's no wonder people who live in other regions stereotype other regions like they do - shows like this make it look like only one group of people live in each area. It's grossly inaccurate.

For example, the OC and NYC "housewife" shows from what I've seen, have zero black women in them. I think one of them had a woman who was Latino (?) once, but otherwise, White women. I find it hard to believe that in all of Manhattan, and all of Orange County California, there were no other women who were Black, Latino, Asian, etc., who were well-to-do "housewives" to feature on those shows?

I live in NYC and post on the NYC forum and I just wanted to comment on some things mentioned in this post and on other things also in the thread.

When they show Atlanta on HGTV's house hunters, it is so nice for us in NYC to see young professional Black, or any other race person buying nice homes for a reasonable price. We don't have that option in NYC no matter what racial group(s) we belong to. Everything cost much more here. NYC salaries average about $46K, excluding wall street executives and other higher salaries that would throw this average out of line.

For a New Yorker to see a Black women with the NYC housewifes, would be something that would definitely look very phoney. NYers may interact together, and live in some of the same neighborhoods, but for the most part it is still segregated, especially close friendships. Not always, but more often than not. So that is a realistic portrayal, on what may otherwise be an unrealistic show for most NYer's.

Although there is a small percentage that may live this way. They would not have much interaction with real NYer's other than the ones that they employ, or that service them in some way, ex: cab drivers, building maintance people, restaurant employees etc.

We would expect Atlanta Housewives to be just as realistic a portrayal of Atlanta and its surrounding area residents, as the NYC Housewives is to NYer's

[atlantagreg30127]

Originally Posted by DAS

We would expect Atlanta Housewives to be just as realistic a portrayal of Atlanta and its surrounding area residents, as the NYC Housewives is to NYer's

But .... it isn't. LOL

[DAS]

Originally Posted by atlantagreg30127

But .... it isn't. LOL

That is my point, the NYC Housewives is not realistic, so we would not expect Atlanta Housewives to be realistic either.

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by RoslynHolcomb

I don't watch reality t.v., certainly I've always felt that in Atlanta money is everything. It's the major reason I've never cared for the city. I don't see Atlanta as working class. Perhaps compared to LA or NYC it might be, but certainly as a southern city it's anything but working class.

A few months ago I posted a few thoughts about why I think Atlanta is so often disrespected by the city critics and snobs of various stripes and I mentioned its perceived lack of 'grittiness' as a vague but key factor in this. This business about Atlanta not having a working class feel to it gets right at this issue in my view.

When we think of what a great American city ought to be we usually think of a certain grittiness as being essential. I'd argue that grittiness largely comes from a well-established working class environment which Atl just historically hasn't had. Btw, LA is a city with a very definite working class feel to it. Just drive up and down a boulevard like Olympic or Venice, not to mention parts like Anaheim and Long Beach, and you can almost scrape off the grit from your shirt. Don't believe me? Go rent the 80s cult movie Repo Man with Emilio Estevez. Wonderful depiction of working class anomie and angst in LA.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by lilmusket

why do they call it "the Real Housewives of Atlanta" when none of them live in Atlanta? They are all up in Alpharetta and Sugarloaf areas.. none of them live in Atlanta.

Sheree actually lives on Long Island Drive in Sandy Springs...my friend is her neighbor and nearly fainted when she saw her on the show! Apparently she is a very sweet person IRL.

[J2rescue]

Originally Posted by WilliamM

Too funny. I think they hit the mother lode with the Atlanta version. It was the real stuff and damn near blew up their black box.

Hey, anybody hear how the ratings were nationwide for the show? Seems it was a hit here, but I'm curious about outside Atl.

I've read that it was Bravo's highest rated show since "Quere Eye". I'm not sure if that means reality shows or all shows on the network but they've already announced a second season of "Atlanta Housewives".

I'm just amazed that the show has garnered so much attention with the seemingly endless number of reality shows around these days.

But why are some taking it so seriously? Its a reality show!!!

[WilliamM]

Originally Posted by J2rescue

I've read that it was Bravo's highest rated show since "Quere Eye". I'm not sure if that means reality shows or all shows on the network but they've already announced a second season of "Atlanta Housewives".

I'm just amazed that the show has garnered so much attention with the seemingly endless number of reality shows around these days.

But why are some taking it so seriously? Its a reality show!!!

Funny you ask that. Reminds me of what my mom used to say about movies and shows when I was a kid: that's just make believe, it wasn't real. But this IS real! Or IS it actually? That's the question. It's a wacky crazy age we live in.

[CMMom]

The "real" housewives of Atlanta show would probably not be all that interesting to the average viewer. It would include scenes of women freaking out over where their kids are going to go to preschool, bitching about their husbands who play too much golf, and lining up to get the kids signed up for summer day camps around town. Not nearly enough drama to keep people interested. I know a lot of housewives and (aside from one drama at the local country club), I've never heard of anyone having a catfight or having affairs with "Big Poppa" types. There would, however, be lots of SUV's and early morning soccer games (sans makeup).

BTW, I'm not busting on housewives, because I am one (at least part-time). It's just that Bravo wouldn't find real life nearly entertaining enough!

[AtlantaGuy404]

I understand that many aspects of the show were done purley for entertainment and meant to envoke a strong reaction to viewers. But I thought that the producers could have still made it dramatic and entertaning without making Atlanta look like a place for women who don't want to work and for men who use money and material items to entice those women.

[atlantaATL]

Originally Posted by lilmusket

why do they call it "the Real Housewives of Atlanta" when none of them live in Atlanta? They are all up in Alpharetta and Sugarloaf areas.. none of them live in Atlanta.

Because thats the metro area of atlanta and everyone considers those areas to be atlanta even though there not in the city limits when everyone ask me where i am from i say atlanta Not marietta because they may not know what i am talking about