Honey Boo Boo has become a pop culture phenomenon. The world has been following the antics of Honey Boo Boo (known as Alana Thompson) and her family from the pits of hell for the past few weeks on TLC. The family gained an unparalleled level of sleeper hit success on TLC and became overnight superstars. The controversy surrounding this inbred family has been rampant, with many referring to them as the Jerry Springer Kardashians. We think Bruce Jenner should be Glitzy, Honey Boo Boo’s pig, but we’re cray-cray like that. Reality television success is not based on the amount of controversy one is able to create, but it is based on the cold hard facts that a mumbling kid and her Wes Craven invented family have stolen the hearts of America.
The world has been privy to some of the strangest characters, especially with the dawn of trash television shows like Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake. The titles of these shows have been as outrageous as “Prostitutes on Ice” to “Bruce Jenner: A Narcoleptic or an Idiot?” – Oops, no, that isn’t Jerry Springer… The invention of reality television back in the late 90’s pushed the envelope ever so slightly with each new show. The Osbournes became one of the first trash talking mega hit families and skyrocketed the entire family to stratospheric levels. The Kardashians swung around and changed the entire blueprint of celebrity obsession. A few lesser known reality television shows popped up, including the exploitative Teen Mom series and the sometimes disturbing Toddlers and Tiaras. Here Comes Honey Boo Boo is a spin-off from Toddlers and Tiaras and has garnered some of the highest television ratings in TLC’s history – even outshining the infamous Chaz Bono documentary.
What makes this show so popular? Is it the cute factor? Is it the horror factor? Is it the sub-commentary? Whatever the case may be, Honey Boo Boo has become a mega hit and the child star will achieve unparalleled fame for the rest of her life. In the latest episode of the show, Honey Boo Boo’s mom June had to remove the socks from her mangled “forklift foot” which was driven over by a forklift and is a horrific mess. The moment June pulled the sock off, gnats were surrounding the foot. This might have been one of the most disturbing scenes in the history of television. We closed our eyes and said our happy words, “Kardashian, Kardashian, Bruce, Kardashian.”
The brilliance behind this show is that it is not trash talking television or Oprah-esque life changing material, but that it is a voyeuristic look at a dysfunctional family without boundaries. There’s a striking appeal to watching a family like this, because it brings a sense of normalcy to one’s own life. The show has been criticized by certain viewers as being the epitome of trash television, but strangely, Honey Boo Boo’s life has become such a success, that critics of the show have changed their opinion and lauded it for its social commentary. Several of the family members are convicted felons and one of them is a registered sex offender. The familial history and genealogical tree is rife with young birth and inbreeding.
Yes, we doubt Here Comes Honey Boo Boo will be going anywhere anytime soon. See it as the Bruce Jenner of television – without it life would never be a box of chocolates.
Let us know in the comments below what you think of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Is it trash television? Are you watching the first season? We would love to hear from you!
Image Credit: TLC
