I've come to believe that a whole lot of the tv viewing American audience just feel comfortable with stereotypes.

Pretty women whoring and slutting it up? Men want to believe they are out there and women believe that if they just slut it up and little and get a boob job - their man won't stray with all those slutty hawt whores.

Pretty people having sex or seeming to have sex - always an audience.

As far as stereotypes go - look at the "reality" shows. The Marry a Whatever - always a bunch of women willing to get catty on film fighting for a resource, I mean, man. Stereotype anyone? The Men competing for One Woman - not so big a hit. We don't stereotype men sniping at each other to win the trophy.

How about the Beauty reality shows - we LOVE to see pretty people acting shallow 'cause, you know, that's the stereotype.

And the wife swap "reality" shows? Ooh! Love the hoity toity soccer mom swaps with the Louisiana shrimper wife. Hoity learns to relax and enjoy life a little. Backwoods gal learns that ejukatin' the rugrats is a good thang. Yah! Stereotypes and a happy ending.

Television will continue to sell us crap, and the same crap just wrapped up differently, as long as the viewing public buy it.

Is it really that hard to get good writers and come up with an interesting and intelligent concept? I guess that is hard work and so much easier just to sell the idea of sex.

@jack and jill

Yeah - you are quite right. Most of the other step'n'fetchit stupid ethnic/gay stereotypes are verbotten now. The tv "shows" I was thinking of are really revelling in stereotypes surrounding women. A lot of it caters to our idea of class as well.

I loathe those real house wives shows and the date a BillionMillionSingleCuteDad-aire shows. Talk to a woman who was a teen in the 50's - that is where the stereotype came from in many ways - you know, that women are too competative to be real friends.

I've wondered if it is some sort of passive aggressive backlash on women. Yeah - you might be doctors and lawyers and dectectives but what you women really are is hawt babes who will do anything to get the guy with the sports car . . . this stereotype still exists and is being catered to on TV.

Where did the post go from Jack and Jill?

I saw nothing bad in it? Couple of links to other places?

I like the writers at Salon and have been a paid subscriber for some years now - but Salon needs to look at the articles it has regarding women - almost ALL deal with sex. Of course, those do get the most traffic.

How 'bout some analysis of this and what is going on in our society regarding women? I mean - think about it - this last election - an important one - had one party picking a woman and specifically tarting her up for votes. That says alot about what a whole lot of people expect of the female gender. It seems more important to be young and hawt than it does to be intelligent and competant.

Whoring for entertainment tv shows - just a continuation of a slide.

Why not write about that?

Along with putting down the fashion magazines, the other thing that women should do to feel better about themselves is to not read nor watch nor listen to any self help book, tv show or guru.

It is the same old bunk - the problem is YOU and I have just the fix you need dear.

Hell - maybe this is something we women should emulate men in - they don't digest magasines that tell them they don't measure up, or provide "10 things that drive her wild" and "10 things she'd like you to do but won't ever say" articles, and sure as hell don't read self help or understanding women books.

And overall? Men seem to feel pretty good about themselves.

We should trash the trash and be as obliviously happy as they are!

While there may be a plethora of conflicts that leave women with a lesser sex drive, one the main ones is the interest or non-interest the man shows toward her.

If a man can't be bothered to at least talk to a woman and only expresses interest in sex in that 15 minutes between brushing their teeth and rolling over to sleep . . . give me a break! Sex is then just a woman servicing a man - one more chore in a day of other people's demands.

Disinterest is a turnoff. Must be a convenient feature not needing to feel desired, but for crying out loud Men, how much effort does it really take to make a connection with your "loved one" before you brush your damned teeth? Send an email - chat about something other than work - its a big interesting world out there - don't leave all the connection work to the woman.

(okay - brushing teeth is a good thing - treating sex like a before sleep ritual - not)

I have always found this gop-conservative fear of the Fairness Doctrine funny. It's like admitting shout radio has been near pure propaganda and that they would be no where without it.

humour, respect, affection, humour, touching, expressions of desire, humour, being fascinated by politics/nature/art/music/psychology/life_in_general, love, and most of all humour.

It is amazing how sexy that is.

@dick dworkin

"men are not designed to take a serious ongoing emotional or social interest in women who have no sexual interest in them"

Chicken or egg?