guthriedm15's blog

Through Ballard’s article, she shows us that she has wrestled with the idea of comedy and icons centered around stereotypical characters from the Appalachian area because that is where she is from. She seems to believe that it may be offensive to paint these pictures for the rest of society to see. She even brings up the fact that this sort of “oppression” would not be tolerated by any other minority within America.

At the conclusion of the article, Ballard finally admits that she understands “the joke” that icons like The Beverly Hillbillies paint for society. Ballard concludes that the characters “hold mirrors to the face of society” through wisdom, common sense and honesty. In a way, these depictions of people from the Appalachian area are not all bad; these depictions are even good in many ways.

I tend to agree with Ballard’s conclusion. The Appalachian stereotype has always hit home with me because I grew up in an area where I was surrounded by people like that; furthermore, many members of my family fit that stereotype. Interestingly, the people that may be directly offended by the hillbilly icon are the ones that are watching shows like The Beverly Hillbillies and buying “redneck” themed attire. They take pride in who they are. They understand the joke because they often fit that outward stereotype (not to imply that they are simple). Many of them, in my experience, do not see this sort of humor as oppression; put simply, they see the joke as funny.