Parents' Guide to

My Big Redneck Vacation

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

North meets South with stereotypes, but friendship, too.

TV CMT Reality TV 2012
My Big Redneck Vacation Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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What's the Story?

MY BIG REDNECK VACATION is a reality series featuring the Clampets, a down-home Louisiana family who spends a month-long summer vacation in the exclusive New York Hamptons. The members of this close-knit extended family, who have spent most of their lives in the deep South, find themselves out of their element when they move into a posh $4.5 million rental in the exclusive village of East Hampton. In-between etiquette classes and wine tasting events, the down-home gang shows the upper crust some rural Southern hospitality while demonstrating how they loosen up and have fun. Throughout it all, host Tom Arnold offers his thoughts using his unique brand of humor. There are lots of awkward moments, but the experience gives the Clampets and their upscale neighbors the chance to open their minds to new experiences, embrace their differences, and make new friends.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The show offers a voyeuristic chance to see how people from a very different cultural background make sense of (and slightly adapt to) a community where wealth and class is central. It relies on stereotypes about the rural South and generalizations about the Hampton community for laughs, but also manages to show the willingness of the Clampets and the people they meet to learn from each other.

There are some funny moments, but unfortunately, none of them come from Tom Arnold, whose role as host seems completely unnecessary. But if you can get past this, you'll find that the series is entertaining. It also has some surprisingly positive moments.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the term "redneck". What stereotypes come to mind when you hear the term? Do shows like this one reinforce or reject these generalizations?

  • How realistic do you think this show is? Are the Clampets exaggerating their behavior to make for good television?

TV Details

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