Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Daily Show vs. Swamp Loggers

Entertainment Weekly commissioned a survey of the favorite television shows of liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans.

At the top of the liberal Democratic list: "The Daily Show."

At the top of the conservative Republican list: "Swamp Loggers."

Democrats favor snark and literate humor. Republicans favor work and literal reality.

I don't see a deep lesson in this difference. But I do think it reinforces the notion that there is some cultural polarization in America. This is not just a matter of official partisan positions, either. Pop culture shows a party, if not partisan, divide.

So now I have to go find out what "Swamp Loggers" is about. :-)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

How did you come out ?

Gruntled said...

I can only see clips on their website. The seem like ordinary guys doing a slightly unusual job. Is that appeal that the job is very masculine?

Kerri said...

I'd be interested in how this breaks down in terms of education-- are there conservatives who like snarky humor? (Stewart leans left, but he makes some good cracks at Obama, too).

Kerri said...

and I LOVE Mythbusters. So do the Throopers, and we're all pretty lefty. Interesting.

Natalie said...

I don't know about masculine...my mom loves that show and ice road truckers all of those. Its the danger and fascination of the way other people live.

And, on my end, I saw it very differently. I saw DS as NOT escaping reality (news, politics, current events) and SL as an escape (wow, I have a boring office job, but LOOK as what these guys do everyday!). I may be off though.

Kerri, yes, everyone loves snarky humor (just not directed at them). It's like asking if people bleed red! Read National Review, for one. Lots of snarky humor.

ceemac said...

So what would be the favored shows of Gruntled Centrists if they were included in the poll?

Gruntled said...

These particular gruntled centrists like "the Daily Show," "NCIS," "The Wire," and "The Rachel Maddow Show" most reliably. I can't stick with a comedy these days, though I could see the humor in "Modern Family." And reality shows never engaged me at all.

Anonymous said...

Really? Rachel Maddow. Don't ever call yourself a Centrist again. Lost your street cred...

Gruntled said...

Maddow is a liberal, for sure. But she also has a delightful excitement about infrastructure, which we appreciate.

Carlos C. said...

Maddow is one of the most uncivil mean spirited people on cable. And both sides are guilty. What surprises me is that a so called centrist like yourself would find her so delightful