Keileen's+Media+Essay

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 * Keileen's Media Essay**

For this assignment, we were assigned to a TV channel and had to create a thesis based on that specific channel. I was assigned VH1 and chose to watch a reality show called //Basketball Wives.// This reality show creates stereotypes for a new kind of housewife. Instead of viewing housewives as women who take care of household responsibilities, the women are portrayed as glamorous, modern women. Through this essay I learned that although women are gaining independence in society, they wouldn't choose to be like the housewives from this reality show. The modern definition of a housewife is worse that one centuries ago.

A New Kind of Wife

//Basketball Wives//, a reality show on VH1, creates stereotypes for housewives. Housewives are old-fashioned married women who take care of household responsibilities. However, the women on this show are not in charge of their households and redefine the characteristics of housewives. They are not married to any of the professional basketball players; therefore the word “wife” is inaccurate. //Basketball Wives// creates a new type of glamorous housewife that is just as undesirable as the ones centuries ago.

//Basketball Wives// uses reality TV housewives to negatively portray the role of women in a relationship with a professional athlete. The motives and images that VH1 uses are perplexing because the main focus in “Basketball Wives” is women. Since the main focus is women, the show appeals to women viewers interested in love and drama. Although it is called //Basketball Wives//, the women are (ex) fiancés, (ex) girlfriends, or going through divorce. None of them are currently married to an athlete. This observation is interesting because the women are not basketball wives. Based on the show, the stereotype is that women involved with athletes cannot maintain a lasting relationship and are not serious about love. The housewives live an upscale life, but the incapability of having a successful relationship hurts their reputation. The producers designed the show to be this way because viewers are attracted to drama and make fun of the women’s lives. The women wear designer clothes, travel to Spain for vacation, and are financially supported by a professional basketball player, yet they complain about everything. In Spain, the ladies go to a famous Italian restaurant. The waiter kindly treats them to a cooked piglet, which is considered a delicacy. But, all of the women rudely make it clear that they are utterly grossed out and want it removed from their sight. In this situation, the audience is able to see their true characters. For example, one woman pretended to throw up and kept making gagging noises. While in a restaurant and in front of other people, this kind of behavior should be unacceptable from someone in the upper class ( "Back to Miami, Back to the Drama." //Basketball Wives//. VH1. 23 Jan. 2011. Television.). It paints a negative picture of the housewives and causes viewers to change their opinions about these modern women.

Instead of having a solitary role, the women on the show are more active. The housewives are portrayed as social butterflies that create a lot of drama. It shows that the relationship with other women is solely for gossiping purposes. Rumors about infidelity are quickly spread between these housewives and that affects the relationship between a man and a woman. A woman’s feelings waver when her best friend, whom she trusts the most, tells her that her fiancé isn’t faithful to their relationship. When she confronts her fiancé, he immediately denies that he is unfaithful and reassures her that he is true to their relationship. This is the beginning of entertaining drama that women viewers take pleasure in watching. Viewers are captivated by conflict and want to see what will happen next. Sometimes, the audience even knows the truth. Although the show portrays women who are extremely rich and live the good life, it is common for women to watch this show and make fun of it. Women don’t wish they are the housewives because the lifestyle VH1 portrays is unrealistic.

//Basketball Wives// shows a different side of masculinity because there are very few males who appear on screen. Usually, people would assume that screen time for women and men would be about equal because the show revolves around the basketball player. However, the men are talked about more than they are actually seen. The producers intentionally did this because the show attracts a female audience. Men would not want to watch a show about women bickering about other women and love. They would rather spend time watching a show in which they feel masculine, such as ESPN. On a one hour episode, a male figure only appeared once when he bought his girlfriend a $2000 pair of sandals. In a ten minute span and three different scenes, the women began gossiping about another person and boyfriends ( "Back to Miami, Back to the Drama." //Basketball Wives//. VH1. 23 Jan. 2011. Television.). They gossip about the infidelity between a couple almost meddling in their business. This creates a stereotype for professional male basketball players because it portrays the men as people who have money and date beautiful women. This assumption affects our view of success and masculinity by creating an unrealistic example. Even if these players are highly successful, they are used by women for reputation and money, nothing else. The only times the couples are together are when they are shopping with their girlfriend or at a party. Instead of being women who need to work hard for money, they are a new type of housewives who easily get what they want. The ability to be able to shop all day is a negative image just as bad as the housewives centuries ago who only stayed at home.

//Basketball Wives// creates a stereotype for women that is laughed at and looked down upon, but that is what makes the show entertaining. In today's society, women are gaining independence and have the freedom to choose who they want to be. Now that they have this independence they wouldn't choose to be like the housewives, but hope that they aren't like them. Women hope that they can be better than these women. For men, the show upholds a stereotype of masculinity and leaves the drama for women. //Basketball Wives// causes the women to think, “we are glamorous housewives.” They think they are a new kind of modern women. But in reality, women do not want to be like them because it might be worse than a housewife centuries ago.

**Media Paper**