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it is definitely a gender thing. to appreciate the appeal of Carlos Estevez in the eyes of the average american male, i think you have to take a look at the alternative "male role models" on network-television sitcoms. they don't exist. it almost seems as if the writers and producers of all American sitcoms are women, homosexuals, or standard issue LA/NYC effeminate men who passionately hate male stereotypes. Their characters and storylines take a huge, steaming dump all over anything masculine, and portray them as incompetent, insecure, weak, and ultimately apologetic about their maleness. The male lead character typically makes some clumsy mistake, and then apologizes for his political incorrectness, "seeing the light", so to speak. Carlos is unapologetic about his political incorrectness, his desire to sleep with as many women as he can without consequences, and the average male viewer eats it up. When the fantasy show crosses paths with reality, that just makes Carlos seem larger than life to some of these folks.
Carlos was right when he said his show was a "tin can". It is terrible, and I think the only reason it is successful is that he manages to inject 30 minutes of the male id into otherwise sterile network television. The first time I saw the show, I was actually shocked at how static and simple they made the characters -- Carlos never loses, and his brother never wins. All plots come back to the same concept, the contrast between Carlos being a man who makes decisions and gets results, and his brother who flounders around like a child and always fails.
that said -- i didn't spend an hour watching him blather on about himself. i just saw portions of the interview, and he seems drunk, arrogant, and probably on some llello, but I didn't see anything that struck me as bonafide "crazy".
it is definitely a gender thing. to appreciate the appeal of Carlos Estevez in the eyes of the average american male, i think you have to take a look at the alternative "male role models" on network-television sitcoms. they don't exist. it almost seems as if the writers and producers of all American sitcoms are women, homosexuals, or standard issue LA/NYC effeminate men who passionately hate male stereotypes. Their characters and storylines take a huge, steaming dump all over anything masculine, and portray them as incompetent, insecure, weak, and ultimately apologetic about their maleness. The male lead character typically makes some clumsy mistake, and then apologizes for his political incorrectness, "seeing the light", so to speak. Carlos is unapologetic about his political incorrectness, his desire to sleep with as many women as he can without consequences, and the average male viewer eats it up. When the fantasy show crosses paths with reality, that just makes Carlos seem larger than life to some of these folks.
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Excellent insight, one I hadn't considered (probably because I am a woman).
Relax. I am in a cheeky teasing mood today. Sorry if it made you cranky.
I'm not cranky at all; how vain of you to think that you could incite such a response in me. I thought you wanted a discussion, and when people have given it to you - see le roi - you ignore it. Maybe you should start a blog.
I'm not cranky at all; how vain of you to think that you could incite such a response in me. I thought you wanted a discussion, and when people have given it to you - see le roi - you ignore it. Maybe you should start a blog.
I thought Le Roi’s response was great! Le Roi sorry for the lack of acknowledgement, I thought your response was great.
Excellent insight, one I hadn't considered (probably because I am a woman).
thanks. i think alec baldwin's character in 30 Rock has many of the same qualities, the way that his character will reframe any discussion in very direct, nonnegotiable, alpha male terms, he just delivers it in more sophisticated packaging. the opposite, unwatchable end of the spectrum would be that show where Doogie Howser pretends to be a pimp.
Thanks for the reminder about Alec Baldwin's character on 30 Rock. I loved him on that show. I was trying to think of another male character in a sitcom who wasn't a bumbling doofus. Dramas tend to have lots of them--comedies, not so much.
thanks. i think alec baldwin's character in 30 Rock has many of the same qualities, the way that his character will reframe any discussion in very direct, nonnegotiable, alpha male terms, he just delivers it in more sophisticated packaging. the opposite, unwatchable end of the spectrum would be that show where Doogie Howser pretends to be a pimp.
I really think you nailed it. Well done!
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