As I wrote in Nana Diaries Part One, my mom has been visiting. In the evenings, she sits in the living room and watches her novelas (Spanish language soap operas) which air only on weekdays. She doesn’t have anything that she watches on weekend nights. I don’t watch a lot of TV but there are two shows I do watch on Sunday nights. One is Desperate Housewives (okay, I know it’s trashy but I’m hooked and it often has comedic value); the other is Brothers and Sisters (I really, really love Sally Field).
The first Sunday she was visiting, she sat down to watch Desperate Housewives with me. I started to explain who each character was. After about five minutes, she got up and left the room and didn’t return until the end of the show. She said something about the women on the show being descaradas which translates to something along the lines of disgraceful (literally meaning without face).
During the commercial break between the two shows, she came and sat down on the couch, once again. Then Brothers and Sisters began. It was the season premiere and they were recapping what happened at the end of last season. As some of you may know, the show Brothers and Sisters has a key character who is gay. In the last season’s final episode, the gay brother married his partner. When that bit of recap came on, my mom said, “Uuuggghhhh! They got married?” I nodded that they had and kept watching the show. I was so involved in the show, I barely noticed when she left the room and didn’t return. About half way into the show, I realized she hadn’t come back. That’s when I realized that it was the show’s handling of gay marriage that upset her about this show.
The second week, she didn’t try to sit with me for either show. She kept herself busy in the kitchen, going through boxes and boxes of photographs. I think we were both happier that way. I enjoyed my shows and she didn’t have to see anything that insulted her.
well at least she didn’t belittle your interest.. i am such a guilt monger tho,, i know i would have felt forced to stop watching them myself,, or not been able to enjoy them……
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Oh brother! I’ve seen some of those novelas! My mom AND dad are hooked on them! Some of their subject matter is just as racey! 🙂 But you gotta love ’em! I’m more hooked on those darn home improvement shows.
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Sigh. At least there’s no preaching going on!
Yeah, I was gonna say– like telenovelas are any less trashy??? Dang.
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LOL I guess trashy is in the eye of the beholder.
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