Media representations

For this assignment, I have reviewed some popular media sources for their portrayals of older people and people with disabilities. The source I would like to focus on for this exercise, however, is a comedy show on FOX called Raising Hope. I have focused on the episode “Mrs. Smartypants” (Kirschenbaum, Mariano, & Gordin, 2012).

The most prominent representation of an older individual is the character of “Maw Maw,” played by Cloris Leachman, age 85. Maw Maw shares a home with her granddaughter Virginia, her grandson-in-law Burt, her great-grandson Jimmy, and her infant great-great-granddaughter Hope.

The main source of comedy for the character of Maw Maw is her dementia. She spends a great deal of her time in the background, with the comedy springing from her strange behaviors, obliviousness to the world around her, and flashes to the past. During the opening scene of this
episode, she is seen in the background of the shot, wearing her panties and bra on the outside of her clothing. The other characters, for the most part, ignore her.

She has temporary periods of “lucidity” where she takes a somewhat more active role in the plot. In this episode, for example, Virginia attempts to “catch Maw Maw while she’s lucid” to have Maw Maw tutor her in history. Maw Maw, accompanying on the piano, teaches her in song about the major wars of the United States. When Maw Maw is not in her “lucid” state, however, she is dismissed by the other characters. At one point, Virginia, Jimmy and Burt ask her to give them a math problem. When they do not understand the (legitimate) problem she recites, Burt asks, “Is she even lucid right now?

It is worth saying that Leachman’s performance as Maw Maw is genuinely funny. She is a supremely skilled comedic actor, and she appears to have a great deal of fun in the role. However, her character is seldom utilized as more than a joke or prop. The other characters ordinarily dismiss her, and occasionally use her, and I perceive no evidence of the show’s writers and directors having any level of self-awareness regarding this treatment.

Maw Maw’s dementia, too, is treated as a gag. The narratives I have heard of people with dementia and their loved ones, as well as my own experiences with my grandfather, paint a different picture. It can be deeply painful and frustrating both for the person with the condition and their loved ones. This is absent from the show.

I am not saying that they should paint Maw Maw as a tragic figure, or show only the difficulty and pain of living with dementia. After all, it is a comedy show. I’m not saying they should not feature a character with dementia, either. There is humor to be found in any situation in life. I would, however, like to see a more nuanced treatment of Maw Maw, one that does not completely brush aside the reality of her life, while still finding genuine humor in it. One that engages her more fully in the show instead of relegating her to the background until they need a gag. I think the show would be stronger for it.

References

Kirschenbaum, A. (Writer), Mariano, M. (Writer), & Gordin, E. (Director). (2012). Mrs. Smartypants [Television series episode]. In G. Garcia (Producer), Raising Hope. Beverly Hills, CA: FOX Broadcasting Company. Retrieved from http://www.hulu.com/watch/319434/raising-hope-mrs-smartypants