Are You A Yuppie?

A&E’s hit show Duck Dynasty is one like no other. Ever since the premier of the show, Duck Dynasty and the Robertson clan have become instant celebrities. Not only have they built their duck call company, Duck Commander, into a multi-million dollar empire. They are taking reality television by storm. Over 11.8 million people tuned into their season premier of duck dynasty, setting a new cable television record (Bennett, March 13, 2013). Ducky Dynasty series is focused on the Robertson’s close knit family values, their family run company, and their down-to-earth redneck nature…despite the fact that they have more money than they know what to do with. Along with all of these storylines, there is an ongoing theme of masculinity and what it means to be a “real” man.  

Throughout the show, Phil Robertson, the original founder of Duck Commander, refers to the other men who appear to be “unmanly” or do “unmanly” things as yuppies. In Phil’s terms there are many different definitions or traits that can classify one as a yuppie. For example if you shave your beard you could be considered a yuppie. If you don’t act or like to do “country boy” type of things... you’re a yuppie. In other words, if you in any way act like a “city boy” you’re not a “real man” and therefore a yuppie in the eyes of Phil Robertson. This is a big deal because Phil’s opinion is held up above all others. He is the head of the household and leader of the Robertson family.

In the newest season’s first episode, everyone is planning a wedding for Phil and Kay. Willie, Jase, and Jep’s oldest brother, Steve, comes to help out with the wedding. The whole time Wille, Jase, and Jep make fun of Steve and give him a hard time because he doesn’t have a beard. In the eyes of the Willie, Jase, and Jep, a beard establishes how manly a guy can be. Without one at all equals little to no masculinity.

 During the most recent episode Quack O’ Lantern, the Halloween special, Willie and Jase’s wives try to get the husbands to dress up for their Halloween party. However, the wives want the men to dress in couples costumes. Willie and Jase, being the manly men that they are, tell their wives that if the dress up in a couples costume that they might as well hand over their man card. When they get to the party, Jep, Willie and Jase’s younger brother, is dressed up with his wife in a Raggedy Ann and Andy costumes (make-up and all) and they all make fun of him and question his manliness.

            In another episode, everyone at work makes fun of Willie for being overweight. It soon becomes a big bet that he won’t be able to lose the weight. Jase walks into Willies office and witnesses him using a shake weight. This makes Jep question Willie’s manhood, and asks him what he’s doing… If he is going to lose weight, he needs to be a “man” about it. He takes Willie to his house so Willie can chop wood outside, and tells him that’s how real men do it. At the end of the episode Willie goes to a yoga class with his wife Korrie.  When he’s in the middle of the class Phil walks in and again questions his manhood. It’s a never ending battle for these brothers to prove how masculine they can be.

            Another example of the hyper masculinity exemplified in the show is when Willie’s daughter Sadie brings her boyfriend home. Willie goes into protective mode while Jase keeps testing the limits with Willie. When Sadie’s boyfriend shows up at the house, Willie is standing there holding a shotgun waiting to meet him for the first time. Willie is doing this to install a little fear into the boyfriend. The Robertson brothers then take him out into the wilderness to go hunting. Once Willie found out that he was a good shot with a gun, knew his way around the woods, and wore camouflage, and he was accepted among the brothers to date Sadie.

            Every episode of Duck Dynasty has recurring incident or conflict revolving around the characters viewpoints on masculinity. The show in some ways is almost a how to guide in becoming a man. According to Laura Bennett, “Duck Dynasty makes being a man seem as straight forward as a punch in the face” (Bennett, March 13, 2013). Through the show, the Robertson’s have made a blueprint in what they consider manly traits are. In order for you to be accepted as a man in the Robertson clan, you need to wear camouflage, grow beards, love to hunt, fish, shoot guns, be a real “country boy”, and don’t get caught up in all the modern distractions that there are in everyday life.

Works Cited

Bennett, Laura. (March 13, 2013). Duck Dynasty and the Hyper-Masculine Redneck Reality Show. http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/duck-dynasty-season-premiere-breaks-cable-records-with-11-8-million-viewers/.

Andreeva, Nellie. (August 15 2013). Duck Dynasty Season Premiere Breaks Cable Records With 11.8 Million Viewers. http://www.deadline.com/2013/08/duck-dynasty-season-premiere-breaks-cable-records-with-11-8-million-viewers/.

Ryan, Maureen. (March 6, 2013). Duck Dynasty And The Robertson Clan: The Formula For Their Success. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maureen-ryan/duck-dynasty_b_2820874.html

Paskin, Willa. (August 14, 2013). Is This Americas Best Family Sitcom? The “Guided Reality” Show Duck Dynasty Returns. http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/television/2013/08/season_4_of_duck_dynasty_reviewed.html