MANswers - TV-MA

Crude Q&A show demeans women, glorifies drinking.

TV Rating: TV-MA Network: Spike Genre: Reality TV

Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that, without question, this show is not for kids. It's essentially an informational program of the "you've got questions, we've got answers" variety, but the questions are strictly of the type pondered by drunken college guys ("Can taking a dump kill a guy?" "How long can a guy live on beer alone?" "How can you get your girlfriend to be less bitchy?"). High schoolers may find it hysterical, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea to let them watch a show that objectifies women, talks about bestiality and masturbation (and more!), and glorifies drinking.

Families can talk about what it means to treat other people with respect. Does this show treat its subjects respectfully? Does it matter whether those subjects are willingly participating in the issues and events the show covers (dwarf tossing, for example)? What messages does the show send about sex, alcohol, and other hot-button issues? Do you think producers hope teens will watch? Why or why not?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: Scout Davidson

MANSWERS is like the bastard stepchild of MythBusters and The Man Show, only with more porn stars and midgets. It's not the worst show on television these days (hello, MTV!) but it's definitely not the thing most parents would want their kids watching.

It has a theoretically interesting premise -- giving honest answers to the kind of outlandish questions conjured up by drunk college guys -- and you might even laugh a few times (in a completely horrified way). But if you're a parent looking for shows to watch with your kids -- or to let them watch on their own -- you can go ahead and stop right here.

Need specific reasons? Here's a list of what you might see in just one episode: rapid-fire jump-cut editing, loud squealing rock guitars, wiggly shots of pneumatic girls in bikinis and lingerie, and a guy posing the age-old question "Which animal is most like having sex with a woman?"

Leaving aside the grammatical shortcomings of such a question, in that particular segment, the producers of MANswers thoughtfully suggested options like pandas, unicorns, ostrich, and sheep before posting a disclaimer reminding viewers not to actually have sex with animals. All of this was followed by interview with an actual doctor who states that 82 men in her study admitted to performing bestiality and that many of these men declared that it "feels better than actually having sex with a human."

Other burning questions tackled by the show include "How drunk can a dude get in one night before he dies?" (Answer: 18 beers = .40 blood alcohol level), "How can you make your girlfriend less bitchy?" (Answer: semen contains hormones that function as anti-depressants), and "What's the furthest a dwarf's ever been tossed?" (Answer: 12 feet, 9 inches). But the most important questions for discerning parents, is likely to be: "What else is on?"

Teens bound and determined to watch stupid-funny shows would do (somewhat) better with MXC and Celebrity Deathmatch.

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Content		CS	adults	kids
Content
Sexual Content Topics of discussion include bestiality (one episode seriously addresses the question of which animal someone would have sex with if they wanted it to feel most like sleeping with a woman), masturbation, sadomasochism, and much more. None of these things are shown graphically, though there are plenty of images of very scantily clad women cavorting, crawling on top of guys, having their butts slapped, mimicking oral sex, etc. Talk of having an erection, "bagging chicks," and "getting it on with a hot babe."
Violence Some of the questions the show addresses can involve dangerous situations -- bear attacks, falls, etc.
Language Constant references to women as "bitchy." Other words include "damn" and "ass" stronger expletives, like "f--k," are bleeped.
Message
	Social Behavior The series' attempts to provide "educational" material revolve around offering "scientific" evidence of points they want to prove (i.e. a study about what it's like to have sex with different animals) and bringing in talking heads to speak authoritatively. The show's consistent, almost subconscious belittling of women is stereotypical and misogynistic; their bodies are appreciated (and how), but they're written off as being hopelessly "bitchy."
	Commercialism Potential for product placement.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Segments cover subjects like excessive drinking ("how long can a guy live on beer alone?") and how to spot a narc while buying drugs.