Comments on: The Charlie and Barney Show: birth of a new American male?

By: Grant McCracken: The Most Interesting Men In The World - PSFK

Grant McCracken: The Most Interesting Men In The World - PSFK — Tue, 10 May 2011 16:35:00 +0000

[...] We have noticed hyperbolic males here before. Charlie and Barnie, characters in Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother, respectively, as played by Charlie Sheen and Neil Patrick Harris, respectively, are self-regarding males. But what marks them as males is not just the fact that they are self self aggrandizing, but a still deeper cynicism. [...]

By: The most interesting men in the world

The most interesting men in the world — Tue, 10 May 2011 14:39:56 +0000

By: E. L.

E. L. — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:31:43 +0000

Shameless narcissism a step up in evolution? Really?

By: peter spear

peter spear — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:03:11 +0000

can’t say i’ve seen that show, but have marveled at it’s success from a distance. (That’s not true. as an american, i’ve lost my ability to marvel).

But I couldn’t agree more with the notion that the American male and the ideas of masculinity are in flux at the moment. i think what’s fascinating about TV as a mirror to masculinity is that, for the most part, content on family/comedic TV has historically been directed (by advertising at least) towards a neutralization of traditional masculinity for a female audience. (i’m open to this being patently wrong)

I also think that feminism and identity politics of the 90s has created an environment where masculinity is almost always a detriment of power – the brutish, helpless neanderthal that would die without the ingenuity and stalwart instincts of a strong woman.

By: mega-much

mega-much — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 14:03:30 +0000

I agree.Charlie Sheen is patetic.Here in spanish culture knows like a ‘chulo’.(a man who lives for prostitutes)But the other rol(Barney)maybe is worst.

By: Pramila

Pramila — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 17:57:23 +0000

Hi there,

My first time here…

my two cents worth : Maybe, just maybe Charlie and Barney are tolerable …even kinda likable cause they are ‘funny’ or made out to be – being witty may not come to a ‘Charlie’ in real life – but in reel life where lines are fed to him – he is funny.
and its human nature to like, to accept one that makes you laugh..

also unlike the character on The Office – the Charlies of the sitcom world have a “caring” side to them – of course revealed only when young nephews are involved – here the length of the sitcom, where the viewer gets conned into getting to know the ‘real’ charlie.
the english counterparts however usually have no such redeeming qualities.

By: Grant

Grant — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 14:20:08 +0000

Jaynie, perfect, I was wondering whether Wendie Malick (sp) in the new show Big Day might also qualify. Thanks! Grant

By: Jaynie

Jaynie — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 14:09:36 +0000

I’d offer that this is why Kim Catrall as Samantha on Sex and the City was such a shock of a character– in her portrayal of the even more rare Unapologetic Female.

Moreover, in her “balls to the walls,” sexually brazen attitude, she almost took on a Unapologetic-Male-As-Played-By-A-Female role even more so than carving out a new niche within her gender.

By: Tom Guarriello

Tom Guarriello — Thu, 04 Jan 2007 13:38:46 +0000

Oh…I think the nostalgic longing for “the good old days” is much of it, Grant. These guys seem to represent a species of wish fulfillment (for both sexes?) that we can’t get enough of.