NBC’s The New Normal – I’m Barack Obama

By: American Decency Staff

This week’s episode of “The New Normal” could have ended with the line, “I’m Barack Obama, and I approved this message.”

The New Normal, as you may recall, is NBC’s new sitcom about a gay couple, Bryan and David, who are having a baby via a surrogate, Goldie.  The cast is rounded out by Goldie’s 9 year old daughter as well as Nana, Goldie’s conservative, Christian grandmother – which of course makes her character a bigoted, racist, homophobe.   

The title of this episode was “Obama Mama” which might give you a clue as to the direction of the storyline.  In essence, this episode was a free 30 minute Public Service Announcement for the Obama reelection committee. 

Take Action!  Click here to hold accountable the advertisers supporting this blatant propaganda piece.

Advertisers include: Procter & Gamble (Dreft baby detergent), Old Navy, 7-UP, Microsoft, Capital One,  and returning hardcore sponsor, Campbell’s soup – advertising both their soup and a second ad for their product V8 juice.

The good news is that several repeat advertisers targeted last week, Arby’s Kia, and American Express, did not advertise this week.

On this episode, when the gay couple, Bryan and David,  find out that their surrogate, Goldie, is planning on voting Republican, they exclaim, “Mitt Romney!  You can’t be serious!”  You are carrying our democratic baby – our donkey fetus.  …

When Goldie questions the freedom to vote her own choice and conscience, Bryan states:  “This is America, d—n it.  You are free to vote for the black incumbent president of our choice.”  Later Bryan tries to find out if Goldie has changed her mind and asks her if she’s voting for Obama or for “the Mormon.”

When Bryan and David argue with staunchly Republican Nana, they tell her:  “But you’re voting for Mitt Romney which is the equivalent of saying the poor aren’t entitled to healthcare or the environment doesn’t need protecting.”

They of course then throw in the race card, assuming anyone who disagrees with President Obama is automatically a racist, saying:  “You know what I think this is about?  Obama’s black and you don’t like anyone that’s not like you.   …  Mrs. Forrest, I believe you are a racist.”

David refers to Nana as “small-minded” and calls her the “blond Imperial Wizard.”  Again, labeling Republicans as racists – this time equating conservatives with the Ku Klux Klan!

Later, at a dinner party where the table conversation seems to be taken directly from the Democratic party platform, Bryan points out to their group of liberal friends, “We have a real, live Republican at the table here tonight!”  His “partner” David says, “Quick, everyone, show proof of American citizenship.”  The group is incredulous and berates Nana for her conservative views, peppering her with questions such as, “So you think all Americans don’t have a right to affordable healthcare?”  And when someone chokes on a sip of water David comments that if Romney wins, “then we’ll just have to sit here and let you die.”

Nana replies that she doesn’t want the federal government making choices “that are my choice to make.”  To which the others gang up and respond:  “Unless it’s a woman’s right to choose.  Yeah, or the right to marry whomever you love.”   Saying, gay marriage is “a moral imperative.”

When one of their guests, who happens to be black, later admits that he is voting for Romney, The New Normal again portrays Nana as a racist, having her character state:  “Wow, a black Republican!  You know I’ve heard stories, I just never knew they were real.”

The show ends with its most blatant piece of propaganda yet when Goldie’s 9 year old daughter participates in a mock election at school.  When David and Bryan ask her who she voted for, she replies:

“I was leaning Romney for awhile … but Obama believes gay people should be treated like human beings and you guys are gay so that made me vote for him.”

Incredible!  This is the ultimate in bigotry – NBC and The New Normal’s Ryan Murphy telling millions of viewers that Romney and in essence all Republicans don’t think homosexuals are human beings??? 

Even many viewers on the left see this show as blatant propaganda and “preachy.”  Entertainment Weekly, in writing about the article, asked:  “… Can you believe NBC aired such a pro-Obama episode? Do you wish Ryan Murphy would go for more laughs and fewer Lessons? …” 

Here are a few of the online comments from the Entertainment Weekly article about this episode: 

I am confused was this a sitcom or a 23 minute Obama ad.

     (For the record, I'm Team Obama, but SERIOUSLY, write your sitcom.)

First of all, I want to say that I believe in everything this show stands for…that's why I wanted to watch it. I support LGBT rights and will be voting for Obama all the way; … However, I have decided to stop watching this show. It is WAAAY too preachy and Ryan Murphy makes it sooo obvious that he wants to push his political and personal agenda….

This show is absolutely terrible.   This will be the last time I turn in for Ryan Murphy's lessons of the week.   We get it. You love Obama, Republicans and Christians are pure evil, and everyone should be gay. Point taken.

I could only watch 10 minutes of this show last night.  Not everyone has the same political views.  NBC and Ryan Murphy need to keep politics out of sitcoms.  I watch tv at night for entertainment purposes only.  I get enough politics from watching the news.  I will not be watching the New Normal anymore.

I say this as a white Obama voter… Tonight's episode made me uncomfortable. The whole dinner party scene was too much for me. This show has such potential, but Ryan Murphy needs to cool his jets with his preachy lessons and the intense amount of bigotry from Nana  …

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