31 replies to this topic

[Port]

Ok, I kind of blew off all the controversy over this show.  It's just a show, after all.  I still don't think it show's child abuse or child labor or whatever.  However, something on tonight's episode really hit me and made me angry.

Who taught these kids to chug rootbeer with soda shots as if they were binge drinking?  What adult in their right mind thought it would be a good idea to have these kids mimic out of control alcoholics with a mindless frat party at the saloon?  Did they think it was freaking CUTE to see these children acting like that?  I am incensed.  That was absolutely reprehensible.  What kind of freaking message does this send to kids and adults?  I am extremely anti-pc and I think we shelter kids way too much, but this went way beyond any acceptable line.  The message that the root beer was symbolic of alcohol was loud and clear and I bet I'm not the only one who was greatly offended by those scenes.  I just can't see kids actually doing that, especially dropping the shots of soda water into the root beer without some kind of adult instruction.  Who freaking sponsored tonight's episode, the American Liquor Association?  The Brewers of America?  I hope those organizations aren't real, that was sarcasm.  

Speaking as someone whose family has been very negatively impacted by alcohol, again I say I am majorly offended.  I don't even like to watch Big Brother when they go on their binges and will usually just read about what happened later on here, but to have kids miming that sort of behavior is despicable.  I've never written to anyone at CBS before.  Even when they cancelled American Gothic and Wolf Creek, both of which were original and unique and personal favorites, I never wrote them.  Now I will.  A network finally did something I find so reprehensible I'm writing a letter to them in protest.  I know it won't do any good, but it'll make me feel better.

So, what did you all think of that scene?  Please, even if you disagree vehemently, I want to hear your opinion.

[Rabbit1222]

I'm not saying that I agree or disagree with you.  I just wanted to add that when I was a kid, I used to pretend that I was drinking "beer" when I would drink IBC Root Beer (remember it came in a bottle shaped like beer bottles?).  I grew up in a home where drinking was a huge no no.  Not sure where I picked up the habit.  Maybe it was from TV.  These kids probably saw this kind of behavior on TV and wanted to emulate it.

[Baron]

I agree with you, however, I don't think any adults on the set put the kids up to it. My thought is one of the kids seen a parent or older sibling doing it and mimicked the behavior. When I was 15, I knew about things without ever doing them or even seeing them done. They could have saw it in a movie too.

As far as CBS airing it. I am not sure. If this was a segment on 60 minutes depicting children mimicking adult activities, nobody would say anything.

[CeCiMom]

I was infuriated by the scene.  I almost turned the TV off... I looked at my kids and they didn't have a reaction at all.  It quickly occurred to me that my kids had no idea what it was they were mimicking.  And, when my 8 years old asked if they did that to get fizz.   I felt better that at least my kids weren't being influenced by what was going on.  I chalked it up to the fact that my husband doesn't drink at all and I only drink occasionally (rarely, if ever, in the house.)

Nonetheless, it looked completely staged and more like an acting class "scene". IMO  I was probably 23 before I saw anyone put a shot glass in a beer and I find it unrealistic that  kids 8 - 15 would know how to do it, let alone do it.

[Baron]

I learned how to do that a long time before I was old enough to drink. I think I learned it from friends who learned it from older brothers.

[JFetch]

Kids mimic what they see in movies and tv. That's all they were doing. There is nothing wrong with kids being kids.

[echo]

I did find those bar scenes interesting with the use of the shot glasses dropped into the mugs of root beer. Not sure what to think at the moment. Need to go back and watch it again on the TiVo taking a closer look at how it was all edit together. Off hand seems very convenient for it to happen, but kids do  make a game of things they have seen adults do.

[Fuskie]

For me I think it started in elementary school when there would be contests to see who could chug a carton of chocolate milk fastest.

Fuskie
Who can imagine the kids simply pretending to be pioneers based on their images from westerns...

[Mendes56]

When I saw the party in the saloon, it did strike me as odd that the kids were dropping soda in the root beer and drinking the soda out of shot glasses.  I wasn't offended but I did wonder where they learned the behavior.  I suspect the older kids introduced it and it looked like fun.

[Port]

Thanks for the input everyone.  It's kind of a sore spot with me and I wanted to gauge reactions to see if I'm overreacting to it.  Glad to know I'm not the only one who was ticked by it, but also glad to hear other perspectives.

It still seems like it was staged to me.  As for kids mimicking being on 60 minutes, I think it might cause a problem.  Yeah, not in the sense that this scene would in a show, but in the sense that it would probably be sensationalized by 60 minutes or some other news magazine to say, "Look what we are teaching our kids, is this appropriate behavior?"  In that sense it would cause a stir and might be talked about.  I don't know.  I think it would be acceptable if it were shown on a news program to bring attention to it.  

I think my major problem is that it looked and felt so staged.  Being around kids a lot I don't find this type of mimicking typical, and maybe that causes a bias in addition to my own issues with alcoholism.

[Baron]

Well Reality TV has had to put up with constant accusations of staging. While, I don't argue it doesn't happen, I do not agree that everything is staged and the producers fix everything. I just don't beleive that. I could see the kids coming up with this idea completely on their own. One of the kids may have saw a movie or another adult doing it, and of course, the kids will want to mimick this behavior.

What I am saying, why assume? Forget how it looks. If we don't have some kind of evidence other than assumption, then we have no case.

[Polodar]

I dont know if they still make them but remember candy cigarettes? Kids love to act like adults. I was offended by the dropping of the shot glass into the mug though. That took it to another level. Wasnt that Sophia?

[FLYNWA]

i agree with most.

i too thought that the whole SALOON SLAMMIN SHOT GLASS DUNKIN was all staged and i do think that they were shown by an adult what to do.

They probably said...okay whoop it up just like in the real old west......hmmmm i wonder if in their pioneer book it says anthing about pizza and microwaves?!!?? or perhaps that is what made bonanza fail!!!!


nonetheless i like the show.  

I love the little jewish kid who makes up the craziest sayings ...unless again he is being coached.

I am also happy the young girl got a star as it is true its not just brute strength that makes a person successful.

[echo]

I love the little jewish kid who makes up the craziest sayings ...unless again he is being coached.

I don't think they are coached as to what to say. I am confident that this kids were well screened for their ability to express themselves articulately in ways makes for great reality TV. I wouldn't be surprised if a few of them have some background training\experience in the theater arts.

[JFetch]

I dont know if they still make them but remember candy cigarettes?

They still sell them because I saw them in a store the other day. They just aren't called candy cigarettes anymore. They still look like cigarette packs though.

[Sharonda99]

These kids come from all walks of life so it's possible that they saw someone in their home lives do it and are imitating that, like someone else said. Children are a product of their environment and so if they see someone doing stuff like this on a regular basis, they may think it's normal. Then again, like someone said, there are older kids there and maybe they put them up to it b/c it would be fun. It wasn't a good idea for CBS to show that, but I don't think that any of the adult production crew would stoop so low as to show kids how to do that (let's hope not anyway). It's not a good look for folks who are watching this with their children and the kids are watching this and thinking it might be fun to do, and then having to explain to your children why that isn't cool.

[TCS]

I only saw the show for the first time the other night. A little guy was missing
his family and girlfriend...so he went to the saloon to drink rootbeer to make
him feel better????  I thought what the heck????  I guess they have a saloon,
because the old west had saloons.  For KN why couldn't they have made it a
soda shop with a western theme.  Just wondering?

[WickedOne]

Gotta love TV. It's the equal opportunity offender.

[SCRebel]

I was already drinking and smoking dope by the time I was 14. It's not that uncommmon.

[Joah]

Although I wasn't a sinner like Rebel <winks>  .........I'm just agreeing that it's definitely not uncommon to do those things at an early age.  Actually more of the norm........ if we're talking 14 yo crowds

However, for these particular kids who seem younger...I'm sure they've either seen their parents or someone on tv do it.