| ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. | |
| OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. | |
| NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
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.
MANSWERS 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.
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. 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 question for discerning parents is likely to be: "What else is on?"
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?
| TV rating: | TV-MA |
| Network: | Spike |
| Genre: | Reality TV |