Disney Channel Rant

So, as I'm waiting for my little red light on my reader to change to green (I told you, the battery was DEAD!!)  I'm sitting in the same room as my children who are playing together like a little flock of angels.

Oh..who am I kidding?  They're fighting and getting into things that they shouldn't be.

However...my daughter is trying to watch TV.  She's old enough that the baby television shows (which Isaac would still watch, but won't admit to liking), but young enough to think that the majority of the crap that's out there is good TV viewing (and, admittedly, I may have a skewed opinion on this...as a person who enjoys things like The First 48 and LOST or just about anything on Discovery Channel).  However, Iman's current TV viewing habits have me more than a little perplexed.

You see, since I'm surrounded by children all day long, I tend to know a lot of the kids shows.  I've had posts before about children's shows that I hate yet I had not been introduced to a whole new type of show; they're geared towards tweens and they SUCK...I mean, horrible!

First of all, there's Hannah Montanna (or, as she's lovingly referred to in my home, Hannah Moncrappy).  I. Hate. This. Show.

Why? Well, thank you so much for asking...let me just clarify the many reasons for this pure hatred of all things Hannah:

1. The acting, like almost every other tween show, is pathetic.
2. The writing, like almost every other tween show, is pathetic.
3. The idea...the main idea of the show...is just wrong!  Why...why do they have to all be about being a rockstar?  Why do they have to be rich and famous?  Why do they have to wear trashy clothes and bat their eyes and act like fools around a) boys, and b) large groups of girls?
4. I won't buy into Hannah Montanna -- not the theory of it, not the pathetically materialism of it, not the "I'm going to dress my 9 year old like a wannabe hooker.  Nope. Not happening people!  In fact, I groomed Iman well.  I remember, when we were shopping for grade 1 clothing and I was shocked that we went from pretty little girl clothes, to Hannah Montana inspired trash.  A sales woman at Walmart was helping us (yes...it's true...they do have staff there!) and said "well, the Hannah Montana line is really popular"  and Iman, at 6 years old, looked up to her and said "Uh...we don't support the Hannah Montana empire." 

Next comes  The Suite Life of Zack and Cody  I hate this show for all the same reasons that I hate Hannah...except this one's worse.  It's filled with snotty rich kids.  There's twins (*shudder* -- I'm reminded of the damn Olsen twins off of Full House).  Yup...snooty twins who are terrible actors...except these ones are boys.

There's The Wizards of Waverly Place -- which is borderline with me.  Some episodes are okay, but some are not.  I'm still deciding on this one.

I'd just like to know why there can't be more shows like iCarly (which is not, by the way, on Disney, but on a Canadian tween channel called YTV)-- this show is about a fun and spunky teen who has a quirky family life but is down to earth, smart and polite.  She's not rich.  She's not rude.  She's not throwing herself at boys.  The show is centered around her unique family and her little web show that she puts on (no, not a creepy sexual thing) It's something that I could see my own kids doing...turning on a camera, doing stupid tricks like making milk come out of your nose, and having fun.  I like that she's smart and proud of it.  Too many of the other shows have their leading ladies dumb it up.  I think brains are good and ought to be emphasized a little more than the naked shoulder or barely there skirts (I don't care if you have opaque tights on underneath..not on my 9 year old!) -- oh...and why won't Disney Channel air this show?  Why is Disney grooming it's young women into such sexualized young women??

There's another show that's broadcast here in Canada on YTV network... it's called How to be Indie.  I really like this one too.  This show is about an immigrant Indian family and their daughter -- she's trying to find a way to maintain her culture and be Canadian.  Very cool.  It's borderline on the dumbness -- but when she acts stupid, there are usually repercussions to it (other than a concert gig)..and she learns that brains are better than trying to impress.

Okay...my little green light came on...off to read...let me know what you think of the Disney shows aimed at our young girls and the fact that teen pregnancy is not only on the rise, but happening to younger and younger girls....coincidence??