Number One Combo Extra Value Meal:

A look at Contemporary American Families

“Here’s a story, of a man named Bradley, born in Florence, Alabama ‘til this one day he met this lady, born in Chicago, Illinois, got married, moved to California, had three kids. Been together forever, now we live as the Bradley Bunch, the Bradley Bunch, that’s the way we all became the Bradley Bunch.”

The year was 1982, the day was December 3^rd. On a pleasant Friday afternoon, at 4:51 pm I was born into this world. Not only was I brought into this world; I also became part of a family. My mom told me my birth was easy and smooth.

“May I take your order please?”

“Yes, can I get the number one combo, that includes one stay-at-home beautiful wife, a side order of the perfect, beautiful, most popular, honor roll daughter, and one large order of the captain of the football team, handsome, and all round perfect gentleman son. For dessert, I will have a two story suburban home, with an award winning golden retriever running around in the backyard.”

“Sir with that order for an extra thirty nine cents I can give you a white picket fence, would you like it?”

“ Oh ok, I’ll take it.”

“Drive to the next window to pick up your order.”

“I hope she won’t forget anything”

“Here is your food sir, have a nice day!”

“Let me just check and make sure she did not forget anything. Ok I see my beautiful wife, perfect daughter, handsome son, there is good old Spot running around, I see the white fence. Oh what is this, wow a coupon redeemable for a newborn baby who is potty trained and does not cry, I love my life!”

How nice would that be?  The perfect “American Family” just one stop away, at your nearest drive thru.

This concept of the “Perfect American Family” was conveyed to Americans primarily through the media. The early sitcoms always included a white family with the following: a mom, dad, and two innocent children. Time has changed the way families are. Today this outdated conception of family would of course be ideal for today’s families, but highly unrealistic.

Families have been around forever. The way family is understood differs from person to person. There are two categories that people can be classified under when dealing with family, blood related or non-blood related. That is it, there is no in-between. Now, from those two categories many are included.

We belong to different families. The immediate family includes your birth parents and any siblings. Extended family is any family related by blood. (Cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents are all examples of extended family) When people marry there is the in-law family, which is similar to your extended family, except there is no blood relation. Another branch of non-blood family are the God-parents (good friends of the parents) Family that is adopted over time becomes apart of the family. Friends that you have known four years, friends of your children, who are always at your house, are sometimes considered family. Legally adopted family is also family. A dog or even another close pet could be considered family as well.

Inspired by the real life of comedian Bernie Mac, The Bernie Mac Show is a new primetime comedy about a man with unique views of parenting. On The Bernie Mac Show, the character Bernie played by Bernie Mac and his wife Wanda, played by Kellita Smith, never wanted to raise children of their own, which is why they never had any. Bernie’s life is great, he is a stand-up comedian and his wife Wanda recently got promoted to vice president of a major corporation. He has a nice house, a new car, and lives in peace and quiet. When Bernie finds out he has to take care of his sister’s kids, Vanessa, 13, Jordan, 8 and Bryanna, 5, he immediately finds his “old school” ideas of discipline and child-rearing colliding with society’s politically correct notions of how children should be raised. Bernie subscribes to the school of tough love. “In order for us to live as a family, we need to set down a few ‘house’ rules. First rule: It’s my house. Don’t get me wrong, this is our home. But it’s my house. Mi casa es mi casa. Second rule: In my house is all my stuff, and you are not to touch my stuff without my permission.” That is how Bernie greeted his new family. However, in trying to do the right thing, he does not always do the right thing. In one episode Jordan was having trouble with a bully at school. Bernie gave him advice so he could protect himself, but in the end Jordan became a bully. By subscribing to the school of tough love, he thinks he is getting the upper hand in his newfound family.

The idea of this show fits the mold of many of today’s American families. He has accepted kids from his blood related sister, brought them into his home with his family, and tries to make his nieces and nephew feel like close family. It is not Bernie’s fault that his sister could not handle the pressures of parenting, but Bernie, being the good hearted person he is, attempts to make this whole family thing work out for the best.

A recent episode depicted it was a very hot day, and Bernie’s pool had just gotten drained. The kids became very irritable and started to cause problems. Bernie decided they needed some much-needed attention and is convinced by his wife to take them to a water park. On the way there, they cause even more problems. Frustrated by their actions, Bernie takes them back home and locks them in their room. Just when Bernie thought they day could not get any worse, the air conditioner breaks. Trying to escape the heat, the kids throw water balloons at each other in the house. Bernie becomes even more upset and punishes them even further. For revenge, the kids lock Bernie out of the house when he goes outside to pay the air conditioner repairman. He tries battling his way back in, but all his attempts fail. Jordan and Vanessa take their battle against the heat to extremes when an all-out water war ensures and Bernie finally realizes that the war he started actually is just plain good family fun.

This show is a good illustration of how families are. The Mac family consists of Bernie, his wife Wanda, their two nieces, and one nephew. There is no blood parent living in the house, but Bernie and Wanda are in the roles of parents, which is very common in today’s society. These types of living arrangements were unheard of in the sitcoms of the 50’s. Bernie, like many adults today will accept children that are not theirs but raise them as if it were. Helping family members out in the time of need is a positive action one can take part in.

The definition of family is like a child growing up, it changes over time, then one day the child thinks he or she will stop and then next thing that happens he or she begins to change once more. We have seen that time has changed the definition of family. Years ago, the idea of family was a mom, dad, and two perfect children. The Bernie Mac Show, along with many contemporary TV sitcoms, shows how this definition changes. The family may now be a father and daughter as shown on the hit show One On One, or it could be a more traditional family as depicted on 7th Heaven, with a dad, mom, children, dog and suburban home.  

The Bernie Mac Show is a prime example of what today’s typical American Family is all about. That is, finding common ground between parents and children, as they try to raise the children to the best of their ability. As Bernie shows, his methods for dealing with his family is obviously not by the book, but he simply tries to provide for those kids, just as most American parents in today’s society do.

            What will the definition of family be like when I am a parent? Or when my children are parents? Will it go back to the family life of the 1950’s? Is the sitcom’s family ideal to our lives? Does family have to be based on blood? Do sitcoms affect the way we model our lives? Would any one enjoy a life of Beaver Cleaver? How do parenting roles play a part in the idea of family? Who can say who or what makes up a family? What about those who have no family, where do they fit it? What is a typical American Family?

In today’s fast paced society, it is hard to slow down and really take a look at our family and analyze it. We do not get to pick and choose the cards we want, we can only play with the cards we are dealt. In a perfect world, things would always work out for the best, the perfect family would be as easy to get as ordering that number one combo extra value meal.

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