Week Five: Response 5.4

Cite a few of Pozner’s examples of racial or ethnic stereotypes in reality TV.  What is problematic about broadcasting these depictions of “reality” into homes nationwide? 

Week Five: Response 5.3

Pozner argues that intelligent women are often framed as pretentious or intimidating before being eliminated on reality TV.  Cite one or two examples to either support or refute this observation.

Week Five: Response 5.2

The average American woman is overweight according to the CDC, and yet the media is saturated with women the CDC considers underweight.  How does reality TV figure into the complex relationship women have with their bodies? 

Week Five: Response 5.1

Pozner cites a significant drop in the number of university students who are critical of reality television.  What do you account for the shift away from critical viewership?  And how does Pozner respond to the claim that reality TV is just “mindless entertainment”?

Week Four: Response 4.4

Describe the work of Kristina Wong and Margaret Cho as Asian American female comedians.   Does the work counter racism and sexism in mainstream media, or are they reinforcing certain stereotypes through their satire?

Week Four: Response 4.3

Lugo-Lugo dissects the complications of L’Oréal creating a foundation shade purported by Jennifer Lopez to be ‘100% Puerto Rican’, noting how Latinas are often presented racially rather than ethnically.  When they are presented ethnically, they are usually described as one homogenous culture.  What are the specific truths about race and ethnicity when looking at Latinas in the U.S.?  Cite an example.