Am I a Democrat or a Republican? Let’s ask the TV!

Entertainment Weekly did some studying of partisan preferences in TV watching (through Experian-Simmons) — you know, the “Republicans like X, while Democrats rate Y as better.”  So it stands to reason, if their in-depth scholarly conclusions are accurate, I should be able to predict my political party from what TV I like to watch.

Let’s go to film …

In the findings, “sarcastic” media-savvy comedies and morally murky antiheroes tend to draw Dems. While serious work-centered shows (both reality shows and stylized scripted procedurals), along with reality competitions, tend to draw conservatives.

Well, I do like The Daily Show and Colbert Report.  Patrick Jayne (The Mentalist) is arguably a morally murky anti-hero, as are the protagonists on Leverage.

On other hand, I love Law & Order (US or UK), which is certainly a “stylized scripted procedural.”  There are some reality shows (around home improvement) and reality competitions (Iron Chef, etc.) I enjoy watching.

Maybe we better go to specifics from the article noting shows in particular that I like or dislike:

LIBERAL-DEMOCRAT FAVORITES:

• The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report (Comedy Central): Well, of course. As you might expect.
• 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation (NBC): I don’t watch comedies.
• The View (ABC): While “shows that skew female tend to do better among Dems,” I really don’t like The View (or any talk show of that sort).
• Glee (Fox) – Never watched it. Never had the desire to.
• Modern Family (ABC): Never watched it. Never had the desire to.
• It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX): Never heard of it.
• Treme (HBO): I don’t watch HBO.  We don’t subscribe to HBO. Reading about it, I have no desire to watch it.
• Cougar Town (ABC): Um, seriously no desire to watch.
• The Late Show With David Letterman and The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson(CBS): Though “Dems favor late-night programming” I don’t. I’ve never cared for late night variety/talk shows, and generally find them a very weak bang for the buck.
• Also in the mix: The Soup (E!), Aqua Teen Hunger Force (Adult Swim), Raising Hope (Fox),Saturday Night Live (NBC), The Office (NBC), Project Runway (Lifetime), Shameless (Showtime), Parenthood (NBC), Conan (TBS): Even the one here I have, on occasion, watched (SNL) is nothing I bother to record or go out of my way for; I probably haven’t seen it live in a decade.

CONSERVATIVE-REPUBLICAN FAVORITES:

• Swamp Loggers (Discovery) and Top Shot (History): It seems “gritty documentary-style work-related reality shows on cable index really strongly with conservative Republicans.” They really don’t with me.
• The Bachelor (ABC): I loathe this show, its concept, its execution, its very existence. They also tend to gravitate toward broadcast reality competition shows.
• Castle (ABC): Whew! This also “ranks fairly high among Dems, too.”
• Mythbusters (Discovery): Huh. Well, I enjoy it.
• Only in America With Larry the Cable Guy, American Pickers, Pawn Stars, Swamp People (History): I haven’t watched the History Channel since it stopped being about History.
• The Middle (ABC): Though this  “does well among libs, too,” I’ve never watched it.  Or heard of it.
• The Tonight Show With Jay Leno (NBC): See same response to the Liberal late-night shows …
• The Biggest Loser (NBC): See The Bachelor.
• Hawaii Five-O, NCIS, The Mentalist (CBS): I already commented on The Mentalist above.  My perverse fondness for Five-0 is discussed elseblog.
• Also: Dancing With the Stars results show (ABC), Man vs. Wild (Discovery), Auction Kings(Discovery), Wheel of Fortune (syndi), Top Gear (BBC America).

So those are the preferences — how about the averse?

CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN LEAST FAVORITES:

• Weeds (Showtime): Well, we don’t have Showtime, either, and no particular desire to.
• The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report(Comedy Central)
• South Park (Comedy Central): I’ve never found it nearly as witty as it pretends to be.
• TMZ (syndication)
• General Hospital (ABC)
• Family Guy (Fox): I feel mixed over this one — there are large chunks of the humor I like, but I’m just not a fan (and don’t watch it at all regularly).
• Dexter (Showtime):  I thought it was good, not great (watched on DVD).
• Jersey Shore (MTV): Everything I have seem about this show seems like nothing I’d want to actually watch.
• The Walking Dead (AMC):  Good show.  But not something we watch.
• Also: Divorce Court (syndi), The Big C (Showtime), Let’s Make a Deal (CBS), Bridezillas(WE), My Fair Wedding With David Tutera (WE), Don’t Forget the Lyrics (VH1).

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT LEAST FAVORITES:

• Swamp Loggers (Discovery)
• Dog the Bounty Hunter (A&E) and COPS (syndication): I find Dog to be an awful person.  I find the “slice of life” in COPS, though, to be fascinating, and an interesting look at some aspects of being part of the police.
• The Ultimate Fighter (Spike TV)
• The Price Is Right (CBS)
• CSI: Miami (CBS): I don’t watch it at all regularly, but the eps I’ve watched I’ve enjoyed.
• Kitchen Nightmares (Fox): I’ve never watched this on Fox, just on various food channels.  Is it the same, with Ramsay?
• Secret Life of the American Teenager (ABC Family)
• Ghost Hunters (Syfy), Ghost Adventures (Travel Channel) and The Haunted (Animal Planet): Gag me.
• Also: Operation Repo (TruTV), Swamp People (History), Hardcore Pawn (TruTV), River Monsters (Animal Planet), Deadliest Catch (Discovery), Only in America With Larry the Cable Guy (History), Storm Chasers (Discovery), Billy the Exterminator (A&E), Deal or No Deal (GSN), Forensic Files (TruTV), Dirty Jobs (Discovery).

So the answer is …

… well, I don’t seem to be much of anything.  Or I don’t watch nearly enough TV. Or … something.

(via Les)