The Implications: Always Sunny in Philadelphia as Humorous Narrative Critiquing the Sexual Exploitation of Women

• In Event: Media and Narrative Analyses of Women and Girls' Behavior

Abstract

Always Sunny offers a scorching critique of American society using humor and deviance to expose social cultural boundaries. The character narratives and humor provide an allegorical vehicle to expose deep inconsistencies and contradictions of American behavior and values. While the behaviors and attitudes of each characters are deviant, in fact criminal, they reflect deep-seeded elements of American society. Mac represents American masculinity and inherent homophobia. Charlie the exploited and “dimwitted” working class often used and discarded. Frank’s unscrupulous pursuit of riches and exploitive business practices offer an assessment of unfettered capitalism and greed. Dee’s preoccupation and pursuit of fame clearly critiques American’s pop culture obsession. But perhaps the ever “charming” Dennis provides the most cutting criticism of American culture as his character oozes male privilege and rape culture beliefs and behaviors. This paper explores the “implications” of Dennis’ sociopathic narrative as a humorous expression of American sexual exploitation and violence toward woman. The shows humor provides an important backdrop to expose these unspoken truths of social deviance. The characters themselves once commented, “It is weird because the situation really isn’t funny…but the laughing tells me it is funny.” In this manner humor provides a funny way to say something serious.

Authors

• Don L. Kurtz, Kansas State University

• Kevin Steinmetz, Kansas State University

• Mario Cano, Kansas State University