Many shows on television today contain an element of hegemonic masculinity. One excellent example is the FX Network show “The League.” “The League” is about five men and one woman who create a friend group surrounding their NFL fantasy football league. The masculinity displayed in this show is very similar to the masculinity displayed in the beer commercials that we watched in class this semester. Even though Jenny, the wife of another member named Kevin, is allowed into the group, the group is meant to be an escape from wives, girlfriends, and children in order to fulfill male comradery. This dominantly male group presents the idea that all groups of men want to avoid responsibilities by gathering together, watching sports, drinking beer, and making fun of each other and of others. Also, this fantasy league demonstrates the stereotypical male competitive nature. Unable to actually be professional football players, this group of men use this make believe competition in order to still fulfill a need for competition, even though the only rewards are the title of League Champion along with a trophy which the call Shiva. This display of competition shows that in groups of men, one male must assert his dominance by beating his friends in competition.
The character of Rodney Ruxin, played by Nick Kroll, exemplifies the stereotypical masculine quality of the “bullying” friend. Even though all the characters give each other a hard time, Ruxin seems to make the most demeaning remarks. For example, in Season Two, Episode In one episode, where Andre has been forced to grow his hair outrageously long, Ruxin gets him with this question, “Do you see yourself more as like, a rapist who does magic, or a magician who also likes to rape?” Even asking this question belittles Andre in a way that reinforces Ruxin’s masculinity. Ruxin not only remarks on the outward appearances of his friends, but also negatively burns his friends by emasculating them by calling them women or homosexuals. Ruxin even names his draft team, “Pete Top, Kevin Bottom.” Ruxin’s mocking of his friends presents that he believes that somehow being a woman or being a homosexual is inferior.
Jenny is the show represents the only female character. While it is praised that the group even let a woman into their circle, where most groups would not, she still represents many stereotypes. Many times the guys make fun of her for having a boyish body, which she responds to by joining in on their sexual comments.
This show uses sexist and racist comments in order to come across as humorous. Ruxin and Jenny are just two examples throughout the show, even though the show is filled with examples.
I would think this show would be quite popular there at football U..
The liberal with no sense of humor who wrote this is correct about one thing: the liberal hypocrites who wrote and performed the series hid behind racist and sexist humor, claiming they were being ironic, and that they were illustrating how awful these characters were….while (wink wink) we were encouraged to love them and laugh along with them. None of them had the guts to just embrace racist and sexist humor–the key, ultimately, to everyone getting over themselves and getting along. I look forward to some humorless liberal fascist coming along and retroactively “cancelling” this series and the people who made it–we love it when they eat their own.