The Man Show
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this half-hour comedy variety series proceeds from a central view of women and relationships between men and women that is almost entirely negative and demeaning. At times, the series is satirizing such a negative point of view; other times, it seems to willingly participate in it. Women are almost always objectified and sexualized, and are depicted as standing in the way of men, who are simply seeking the opportunity to drink beer and watch sports at their leisure. Scantily-clad women and drinking feature heavily in every episode.
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What's the Story?
THE MAN SHOW is a comedy-variety series that attempts to provide a "safe place" where men can enjoy jokes centered around topics supposedly close to their hearts. These topics include sexy women, beer, sports, and television. Taped sketches and parody bits are interspersed with in-studio segments featuring cold beer for the studio audience, music, and visits from cheerleader-type models known as "Juggy Girls." Created and hosted by Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel in its most popular incarnation, the show attempted to satirize the traditionally male point of view, even as it also seemed to glorify it.
Is It Any Good?
It's impossible to deny that Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel are tremendous comic minds. Their work on television and radio is frequently smart and incredibly observant of human experience and behavior. Part of their impact as comics comes from the fine line they walk between satire and reality -- as they mock, they frequently embody the types of people they are mocking.
That's frequently true on The Man Show, a co-creation of Carolla, Kimmel, and executive producer Daniel Kellison. Sharp bits, such as a taped clip of a tent set up at a street fair to promote ending woman's suffrage, expose the hypocrisy and foolishness of those they aim to mock. Other bits, including the notorious Juggy Girls, seem to do little more than promote the same small-minded and bigoted viewpoints they are supposedly mocking. With questionable content and mixed messages, it's a series best avoided by children and teens entirely; for adults, it may not be worth the mental effort to separate the chauvinism from the satire.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how the show depicts women. Is it a flattering portrayal? What makes it so unflattering?
Does the show glorify drinking too much? Why or why not?
TV Details
- Premiere date: June 15, 1999
- Cast: Adam Carolla, Jimmy Kimmel
- Network: Comedy Central
- Genre: Comedy
- TV rating: NR
- Last updated: February 25, 2022
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