Republicans vs. Democrats TV: Lefties want comedy, right wingers like work

[CF DolFan]

I think it's pretty obvious that much of the vocal Hollywood endorses the Democratic nominations so it's always a surprise when I seen anyone remotely related endorsing a Republican. Well, I saw that "man's man" Mike Rowe was stumping for Romney so I got to looking and found this article.  It's one of those things I think I knew but it reinforces my opinion. I think a lot of it has to do with the influences of the 18-30 demographic versus the older generation who's priorities are different. Granted many people stay liberal but for many others priorities do change and so I think you see the world differently ... even in entertainment.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/12/06/republican-vs-democrat-tv/

Republicans vs. Democrats TV: Lefties want comedy, right wingers like work -- EXCLUSIVE

by James Hibberd
Tags: Television, News, Television
Comments 1008Add comment


Republicans don’t watch MTV’s Jersey Shore. But they dig ABC’s Castle.
Democrats don’t like Discovery’s Deadliest Catch. But they swoon for NBC’s Parks and Recreation.
Those are a few of the findings from an annual research survey by Experian-Simmons that measures the consumer preferences of various political ideologies. In a report prepared exclusively for EW, the company calculated some of the favorite — and least favorite — TV shows of political partisans. (Specifically: the report measures which shows among the survey group were watched by the highest concentration of self-identified “Liberal Democrats” and “Conservative Republicans.”)

In the findings, “sarcastic” media-savvy comedies and morally murky antiheroes tend to draw Dems. While serious work-centered shows (both reality shows and stylized scripted procedurals), along with reality competitions, tend to draw conservatives.

Focusing on well-known cable and broadcast original entertainment series (rather than, say, sports, music, news, repeats), here’s who wins the 2011 prime-time primaries:

LIBERAL-DEMOCRAT FAVORITES:
– The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report (Comedy Central): As you might expect.
– 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation (NBC): Literate media-savvy comedies score high among Dems in general, notes Experian-Simmons senior marketing manager John Fetto. “Sarcastic humor is always a hook for them,” he adds.
– The View (ABC): Shows that skew female tend to do better among Dems, while male-friendly shows tend to do perform higher among Republicans.
– Glee (Fox)
– Modern Family (ABC): Last year, the progressive Glee and Modern Family scored surprisingly strong among both political leanings. Among conservatives this year, the shows still do fairly well, but have dropped out of their top ranks.
– It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX)
– Treme (HBO): GOP Kryptonite. Not only a Dem favorite, but so unpopular among Republicans that the report scores the show with a “*”  because not enough conservatives in the study group had actually watched it.
– Cougar Town (ABC)
– The Late Show With David Letterman and The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (CBS): Dems favor late-night programming, with one big exception that we’ll see below.
Also in the mix: The Soup (E!), Aqua Teen Hunger Force (Adult Swim), Raising Hope (Fox), Saturday Night Live (NBC), The Office (NBC), Project Runway (Lifetime), Shameless (Showtime), Parenthood (NBC), Conan (TBS).

CONSERVATIVE-REPUBLICAN FAVORITES:
– Swamp Loggers (Discovery) and Top Shot (History): Gritty documentary-style work-related reality shows on cable index really strongly with conservative Republicans. Swamp Loggers is particularly polarizing.
– The Bachelor (ABC): They also tend to gravitate toward broadcast reality competition shows.
– Castle (ABC): Ranks fairly high among Dems, too.
– Mythbusters (Discovery)
– Only in America With Larry the Cable Guy, American Pickers, Pawn Stars, Swamp People (History): If you’re a Republican candidate looking to raise money, put ads on History.
– The Middle (ABC): Does well among libs, too.
– The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC): “Did you hear about this? Yeah, this is true: Jay Leno is the late-night choice among conservatives… “
– The Biggest Loser (NBC)
– Hawaii Five-O, NCIS, The Mentalist (CBS): Popular crime dramas — except the left-wing Law & Order franchise — tend to draw a conservative crowd.
Also: Dancing With the Stars results show (ABC), Man vs. Wild (Discovery), Auction Kings (Discovery), Wheel of Fortune (syndi), Top Gear (BBC America).

[fyo]

I think you're spot on with the age-issue. Add gender to that and I'm not sure how much is left.

[bsfins]

Huh,out of every one of those shows listed...I only watch Two of those shows regularly,a lot of them I've never seen one episode.

Top gear on BBC America...Oops I see Mythbusters too...

(Got Bored with Pawn stars,and Pickers...They're constantly on, and I started being right too much with how much they would offer,and how much they would get the item for..)

[Fins4ever]

Here is a good list of how many Hollywood'ers lean

http://www.foxnews.com/slideshow/entertainment/2012/09/26/celebs-left-right-conservative-liberal-mike-rowe/?intcmp=features#slide=1

Agree on the age issue. 

I admit, I have never followed politics very closely....at least until a couple of years ago, but it  seems to me neither party is like they used to be. I don't remember the GOP being conservative and wanting smaller government and do not recall the democratic party being for big government and fiscally irresponsible.

[Dave Gray]

I like a smattering of both sides.

I'd say that it's true, though.  For scripted shows, I much prefer the stuff from the liberal list.

[Buddhagirl]

The only thing I watch on the Republican list is the Mentalist because that guy is hot.

[Dave Gray]

The only show I'm really surprised about is Mythbusters.

I love that show, but it's also very pro-science and pro-skepticism, both things that don't go over so well with the GOP base.

[CF DolFan]

The only show I'm really surprised about is Mythbusters.

I love that show, but it's also very pro-science and pro-skepticism, both things that don't go over so well with the GOP base.

That's a biased liberal answer based on one exaggerated answer to one question.  If you were to ask many Christians, they would tell you science only helps to confirm faith. There are many Christian men and women of science.

I don't think the lists are exactly correct but I also don't think most people are "all" anything. I think the biggest thing to come from it is the general types of shows people watch.

Just curious.... Has anyone in here who considers themselves liberal ever watched Duck Dynasty? That's one of my favorite shows.

[Dave Gray]

^ I don't buy that.  It wasn't meant as a slight either. 

I didn't mention Christians, specifically, but I don't think it's way off base to suggest that the hardest-core of the GOP don't respect the scientific method (the heart of what Mythbusters is about) compared to more liberal thinkers.

...With the view of global warming and evolution alone, both regarded as scientific truths within the scientific community as the two greatest examples as rejected by the far right.  On top of that, I'd say that higher education and intellectual curiosity as a virtue, and which Mythbusters certainly promotes, are seen as lukewarm at best on the conservative side.

Again, I'm not saying you are like this, but I think that the GOP base are definitely not champions of the cause of science.

[Buddhagirl]

For some reason I read Duck Dynasty and thought it was maybe a soap opera version (a la Dynasty) of Duck Tales. That would be awesome!

I was REALLY disappointed when I googled it. So, no. I do not watch it.

[bsfins]

I don't know what I am...but I have watched Duck Dynasty,kinda funny,it reminds me of a lot of people I know..Happy,Happy,Happy...

I don't agree with alot of the stuff they say,but the show is ok...

[bsmooth]

Bullshit list. Not one mention of the Fox News shows that get high ratings, at least as high as the Daily Show and Colbert Report.
Also I find it funny that the dumbest shows on tv production wise, i.e. reality shows, are extremely popular on the conservative side. This line is a joke "While serious work-centered shows (both reality shows and stylized scripted procedurals), along with reality competitions, tend to draw conservatives." It is fake "reality" tv, that is highly scripted for the outcome.

What does this mean in the big picture? Absolutely nothing.

[JVides]

^ I don't buy that.  It wasn't meant as a slight either. 

I didn't mention Christians, specifically, but I don't think it's way off base to suggest that the hardest-core of the GOP don't respect the scientific method (the heart of what Mythbusters is about) compared to more liberal thinkers.

...With the view of global warming and evolution alone, both regarded as scientific truths within the scientific community as the two greatest examples as rejected by the far right.  On top of that, I'd say that higher education and intellectual curiosity as a virtue, and which Mythbusters certainly promotes, are seen as lukewarm at best on the conservative side.

Again, I'm not saying you are like this, but I think that the GOP base are definitely not champions of the cause of science.

C'mon Fau,  how can you say this?  If the Republican "base" includes big business, and big business is largely comprised of highly educated people, then how again would the GOP not espouse the virtues of education?  Also, not buying that global warming is entirely due to fossil fuels doesn't mean you don't believe in the scientific method.  The Earth has cooled and warmed many times before, without the aid of fossil fuel exhaust, so I think one could be pardoned for being skeptical as to the far-reaching and devastating effects that the left (or Hollywood...or are they the same thing?) would have you believe are around the corner if we don't all ditch our cars and start riding our bikes more.  Skepticism is not the same as a lack of respect for the scientific method.

On the issue of evolution, people of faith (which, shockingly, includes people on the left) have a problem with the argument that evolution denies the existence of God.  That is an issue of faith versus science, not contempt for the scientific process.

[Dave Gray]

^ I don't mean to discredit any of you who support the GOP.  I'm not saying, or even suggesting that you, personally, do not respect higher education or science.

But I do stand by idea that the base of the GOP tends to go the other way.  You may be able to nitpick studies to dispute global warming, but it is overwhelmingly accepted by the scientific community.  The same goes for evolution.

But it's greater than that.  The GOP insinuates that the highly educated are somehow eggheads.  They disparage things like college professors.  Mitt Romney speaks French, but hides it.  There are major issues with textbooks in Texas, which feeds the rest of the country, because the hard right GOP is screwing with the curriculum. 

I'm not saying that sensible Republicans are anti-science, but the fringe of the party, which is more and more in charge these days, from where I sit, definitely is.

[bsmooth]

C'mon Fau,  how can you say this?  If the Republican "base" includes big business, and big business is largely comprised of highly educated people, then how again would the GOP not espouse the virtues of education?  Also, not buying that global warming is entirely due to fossil fuels doesn't mean you don't believe in the scientific method.  The Earth has cooled and warmed many times before, without the aid of fossil fuel exhaust, so I think one could be pardoned for being skeptical as to the far-reaching and devastating effects that the left (or Hollywood...or are they the same thing?) would have you believe are around the corner if we don't all ditch our cars and start riding our bikes more.  Skepticism is not the same as a lack of respect for the scientific method.

On the issue of evolution, people of faith (which, shockingly, includes people on the left) have a problem with the argument that evolution denies the existence of God.  That is an issue of faith versus science, not contempt for the scientific process.

No, there is a large section of the religious population that is against science because it disagrees with what the Bible says. There are scientists who have faith. Believing in science does not make you an atheist. I find it is the faithful who are asking for science to prove a negative.