This message was self-deleted by its author

[G_j]

This message was self-deleted by its author (G_j) on Mon Jun 15, 2015, 11:54 AM. When the original post in a discussion thread is self-deleted, the entire discussion thread is automatically locked so new replies cannot be posted.

[bigdarryl]

1. It's a damn show for entertainment JESUS!!!

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. Yes, that's true. But this is actually a good, informative article.

And the point that people who don't know the reality of women's imprisonment in America will get a distorted picture is well-taken.

[SaranchaIsWaiting]

4. I agree with what you say

It's a great show with wonderful casting and writing. I would recommend it highly.
But as mean as it can get sometime on the show it's sugar coated for entertainment and not as documentary. Which is okay as long as people don't get lost in the sugar.

[B2G]

3. This article is aimed at the population

who are afraid to take the tags off their mattresses and might mistakenly eat detergent pods.

[TexasProgresive]

6. That's what limpberger said about his show.

Art is a powerful force to change opinions. Think 3's Company, All in the Family, Modern Family.

[SheilaT]

5. Anyone who expects an TV show to accurately portray reality

is at best confused.

[NV Whino]

7. First of all it's a TV show. It's entertainment.

Second, I think they've done a good job of sampling the types of women in prison and the types of their crimes. Once again, this is entertainment, not a documentary.

I think the show addresses every one of the issues brought up in the article. Tastee returning to prison is heartbreaking, and illustrates, with one sample, the lack of support for those who have served their time. Likewise, Piper in for a low level drug charge. Likewise the mothers and their children. Likewise the drug trafficking within the prison.

This show is designed to be entertaining and make people watch it. Would a heavily factual documentary get the same viewing audience and spread an understanding of the prison system? Probably not. In my opinion, this show, with its limited facts and mixed themes, does more to educate people about our failed prison system than any factual documentary ever could.

[B2G]

8. Next up from HuffPo: Scientists really aren't witty

The Big Bang Theory is a total lie.

[Iggo]

9. But Hogan's Heroes truly represents what it was like in a POW camp in WWII, right?

Come on, people.

[BeeBee]

13. You beat me to it! n/t

[mythology]

10. As long as Oz was still an accurate representation

I'm good.

[cwydro]

12. Lol! I was going to bring up Oz.

That show was the best.

And if it was sugar-coated, well...

[fishwax]

14. a good article

and not really at all (as most of the responses seem to assume/perceive) an attack on the show.

After 30 years, Americans are realizing that "getting tough on crime" is bad for America. No matter what punishment small-time drug dealers deserve, incarcerating them also punishes their children, taxpayers and American society as a whole. OITNB is helping to wake us up, but it is not perfect. The show underrepresents the nonviolent, low-level drug offenders, mothers and abuse victims who dominate our prisons. While it highlights prison mismanagement and the human stories of women behind bars, it could raise a more fundamental question: Is incarcerating these women worth $30,000 plus the damage done to the women, their children, and our communities?

[G_j]

15. agreed

I think some folks are just a bit sensitive about their favorite show. The article is meant to raise awareness of a terrible reality, IMO.

[Iggo]

17. The title of the article is ridiculous, so they're catching some righteous ridicule, is all.

Of course a comedy TV show about prison misrepresents prison. No fucking shit. Nobody but nobody thinks it's a true representation of prison. And the article never got near to explaining why it matters that a comedy TV show about prison misrepresents prison, or why a comedy TV show about prison should be a true representation of prison.

[muriel_volestrangler]

16. Wow - total prison population growth

[Bluenorthwest]

18. This article suffers from the hyperbole of the verbiage. I'm very sorry but a show with a central

figure who is in fact in for low level drug charges is not downplaying the fact that many prisoners are in for such petty involvement it is highlighting that fact. Piper, like Gaines, is set up by the actually guilty major players.

The article makes some good points about actual prisons, but I don't think this show is misrepresenting so much as telling specific stories. When you show a person in a situation in a film or tv show, does this author think there should be subtitles saying '63% of women in Federal Prison also have children' or do we just show the suffering of separation and let the audience assume that in a population of women who are mostly younger many of them also have children even if we are not spoon fed statistics about that?

Does the show claim to be a documentary? No it does not. Does it purport to be an authoritative source? Again, no it does not. It purports to be entertainment leaning toward the comedic. Audiences are very aware of the difference.

[applegrove]

19. I like the back stories of the inmates the best. They are good and informative. The raunchy stuff

not so much. Never thought it was realistic.

[ismnotwasm]

20. I can't even watch that shit

I've known more than one person, both female and male who've been to prison, I have friends who are part of post-prison education outreach, and my oldest daughter worked as a prison guard for about a year after getting out of the military, my SIL still works in the prison system so the show comes across as exceptionally stupid to me

[cherokeeprogressive]

21. That's it... time to ban fiction.

Documentaries only.

With real people (not actors) paid union scale.

No. More. Entertainment. True information only, presented in a totally honest fashion.