DarrenBarefoot.com

Absolutely awesome article, thanks! I wouldn’t have thought to look out for it myself. This sort of thing fascinates me.

Joe Pike Reply:
June 26th, 2009 at 2:36 am

Fascinates you? What? Why?

Jess Reply:
June 29th, 2009 at 10:44 am

Nah, it fascinates me as well. All the stuff that goes on behind the scenes in programmes like this. Really interesting article!

Eric Reply:
August 12th, 2010 at 2:47 pm

Maybe fascinating is the wrong word, but I would say it’s interesting in a sort of “Heh, that’s pretty clever!” kind of way.

I recently found out about this show through my sister, and just recently finished watching the fourth season. That show is the reason I’m considering getting cable, so I can watch the show in September for Season 5.

Never knew that about the pregnancies though. Although now that you’ve pointed it out, it is kind of obvious. But they do a pretty good job of drawing your eyes away from their bellies towards something more interesting ( or flashy ).

And yes, Neil Patrick Harris is amazing. Just bought “The Bro Code” ( by ‘Barney Stinson’ ) the other day at Chapters. Funny book.

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You forgot the eating contest where they didn’t hide Ali’s pregnancy and used it. They were also very tongue in cheek about pointing out the hiding.

the best was on frasier where they just kept making jokes about how daphne was gaining weight instead of covering it up. i enjoy these things in tv shows, when they give a little joke to the audience, they don’t take themselves too seriously.

Add to that – Lexi Grey on Grey’s Anatomy.

The writers seem to be using the same she’s-eating-so-much-she’s-getting-fat tactic like Daphne on Fraser. (Which actually really bugged me).

As for being Friends 2.0, I agree but I’m enjoying this one more, probably because I’m closer to their demographic. It’s also interesting how the Friends always drank coffee, whereas this crew is all about the booze.

The fact that Robin had few good lines after she started looking pregnant was more glaring.

I don’t think this really constitutes a gender roll’s type issue, to be honest. Although, I realize Hollywood is a grossly mysoginistic (I can’t spell that and I’m too lazy to google. :D) place, if the characters in these shows were not written to be pregnant, then it would be fairly obtrusive to the illusion they are trying to create.

Maybe I’m way off base here, but i think that if we are too quick to play the “gender discrimination” card, then it will devalue our notions, and make action less likely to be taken, when legitimate discrimination issues do arise.

darren Reply:
June 25th, 2009 at 8:19 pm

I just thought it ironic that often a workplace complaint is that women are expected to behave as men. And even here, in a network sitcom, they need to conceal a fundamental aspect of their femininity.

There pregnant !!!
How did that happen ???

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great! really remarkable that someone noticed that lol

They also did this sort of thing on The Nanny. I also think they did it in Seinfeld as well.

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Haha, amazing. I didn’t notice this at all, but seeing Lily standing behind the basketballs is indeed very awkward!

Femasculated of course ;)