Bitter Clingers Have Taken Over Your Television, or How America Learned to Love the Duck Dynasty

Did you hear that? The shotgun blast heard ‘round the world? It happened when A&E Network’s hit reality TV show Duck Dynasty reached over 8 million viewers in its season premiere.

Like any gunshot, it got my attention. I tuned in to see what all the fuss is about and am now hopelessly hooked on this revolutionary bit of televised perfection. I quickly discovered that Duck Dynasty has very little to do with ducks or duck hunting, and everything to do with traditional American values and the current American condition.

Like all great television, Duck Dynasty works because it follows a proven formula. In the case of Duck Dynasty, that formula is the roadmap to realizing the quintessential American dream. Have a clever idea. Sacrifice. Work harder than the next guy. Make it happen. Earn your wealth the old-fashioned way. Pass the business and its blessings along to your children and grandchildren. Have fun. Never forget where, or what, you came from. Give thanks to God. Repeat.

Like most rednecks and hillbillies, the starring members of the Robertson clan of West Monroe, Louisiana, are as clever as the proverbial old swamp fox. And so are the development execs at A&E. With Duck Dynasty they’ve struck more than ratings gold. They’ve struck a vital nerve in contemporary American culture. And I think they know exactly what they are doing.

Each week millions think they’re tuning in to watch the crazy and entertaining antics of a bunch of rich rednecks with beautiful wives, powerful trucks, bountiful firearms, a knack for explosives and avoiding the drudgery of work, and an endless supply of homespun one-liners.

What viewers are really watching are the bitter clingers candidate Obama so famously disparaged at a San Francisco campaign event back in 2008, and the makers that President Obama denigrated in his “you didn’t build that” speech of 2012. If anyone in America clings to God, guns, and religion, and did build that, it’s the Robertson clan. And you know what’s probably startling to leftist elites? Instead of being bitter, the Duckmen are the happiest people in T.V. land. They rely only on themselves to solve their problems, not on the government. And as Robertson family patriarch Phil likes to say from the comfort of his recliner, “Everybody is happy, happy, happy!”

If annual sales, endorsement deals, and TV ratings are any indicator, the brand of Americanism these swamp rats are peddling is white lightning in a bottle. Down-on-our-luck, out-of-hope, and sick-and-tired-of-change Americans can’t get enough of Duck Dynasty’s message, or its messengers. They take us back to the ideals that really work in this country.

Another T.V. rule that proves key to Duck Dynasty’s success is “show, don’t tell.”

Duck Dynasty never tells its audience how to live their lives, what to believe, or whom to accept. Instead, Duck Dynasty shows you its core values. And those values translate to both a refresher course in what made America great, and an object lesson in the values it must cling to in order to weather the financial, political, and culture storms that currently batter the nation now.

For example, the Robertsons shamelessly teach their daughters and granddaughters how to handle a shotgun. They let their sons and grandsons experience the value of hard labor. They resourcefully bundle and sell a “mess” of fish they’ve caught in a friendly competition. They repair a worn-out barbecue grill instead of replacing it under a warranty to which they are entitled. They haggle for deals when they could easily pay the list price for anything they want. Most touching of all, grizzled old Uncle Si gladly allows his grand-nieces to paint his fingernails, apply lip gloss, and attire him in a dress for a real tea party.

Another beautiful thing about Duck Dynasty is that it never, ever mentions politics. I remember when that was the norm in America. I have no idea if the Robertsons are card-carrying members of the Tea Party, the Coffee Party (remember them?), or Obama’s perpetual campaign arm, Organizing for Action. I don’t care.

If I had to guess, I’d say that the crazy old uncle, Silas Robertson, is a Tea Partier, as he reportedly consumes nearly two gallons of this Southern staple every day from an ever-present jug.

If Duck Dynasty staked out a political position on either side of dead center, it wouldn’t enjoy anything like its current ratings success. Evidently West Monroe, Louisiana, is the place where viewers of Fox and CNN can actually meet in the middle.

Another redeeming value of the show is that the Robertsons are truly tolerant. They might not understand you or agree with your fashion, sexual, or political choices, but they’ll make you feel welcome, work to find common ground, and save most of the beard scratching for later.

I find the Robertson brand of tolerance more genuinely American than the liberal brand of tolerance that dominates American media and which, in my experience, means, “Be reasonable. See things my way.”

That’s not to say that the Duck Commanders accept the current state of affairs in this country. While Uncle Si can easily discuss the finer points of Star Wars and the Black Eyed Peas (both the band and the entree), his brother Phil often waxes philosophical on the perceived softness and helplessness of today’s youth, the wastefulness of modern culture, the destructive distraction of electronic devices, the oppressiveness of office work, and the restorative power of getting back to the woods — something most of his viewers have probably never done.

In the end, Duck Dynasty is just televised entertainment made to peddle consumer products at commercial breaks. Sure, the reality it presents is not entirely real. Many of the weekly scenarios feel like they’re lifted straight from an episode of I Love Lucy. But Duck Dynasty reminds us that a huge majority of gun-owning Americans use firearms responsibly and don’t need to be controlled, that the American dream still comes true if you only follow the formula, that you really can “build that” on your own, and that each days ends a little better when we return thanks to the One who provided it, and for the ones who make it worth living.

RE: What the hell is duck dynasty, it sounds stupid!

For those who don’t know, here’s a brief intro...

Duck Dynasty is a reality television series on A&E. It shows the lives of the Robertson family, who became wealthy from their family-operated business, Duck Commander, operated in West Monroe, Louisiana, which makes products for duck hunters, primarily the duck call named Duck Commander.

The Robertson men, brothers Phil and Si, and Phil’s sons Jase, Willie, and Jep, are known for their long, flowing beards.

The business began in a dilapidated family shed, where Phil Robertson spent 25 years making duck calls from Louisiana cedar trees. His son Willie is now the CEO of the company.

The family was previously featured on the series Benelli Presents Duck Commander and its spin-off Buck Commander, which aired on the Outdoor Channel.

The first season was released on iTunes and on DVD in July 2012 (the latter only available on Amazon.com through Manufacture on Demand). The DVD includes an option for Spanish subtitles.

On both iTunes and DVD, the theme song (”Sharp Dressed Man”) has been replaced by “Workin’ Man Zombie” by Minneapolis, MN band, The 4onthefloor. Amazon.com also released the series through Amazon Instant Video.

Cast

Robertson family cast members

Phil Alexander Robertson (born April 24, 1946): Created the Duck Commander duck call in 1972, and incorporated the Duck Commander Company in 1973. Phil has become a legend in Louisiana and in the duck-hunting world in general.

He played college football at Louisiana Tech University, starting ahead of Hall-of-Famer Terry Bradshaw, and was drafted by the NFL after his junior year. He turned it down and quit football because it interfered with duck season, and he was not interested in having “large, violent… men chasing me trying to stomp me in the dirt”. Phil is known for his dislike of modern technology (he proudly admits that he does not own a cellphone or a computer) and his concern that his grandchildren are becoming “yuppies”.

Marsha Kay “Miss Kay” Robertson (born December 21, 1950) is Phil’s wife. She married Phil at age 16. She is the mother of Alan (who previously worked with Duck Commander before becoming a minister but has since returned to the company; he is not featured on the show), Jase, Willie, and Jep. She loves cooking, so always has her entire family over for a home-cooked meal after a hard day’s work. (The meal setting is featured at the end of each episode, with Phil praying beforehand and Willie talking about the events of the episode).

Silas Merritt “Si” Robertson (born April 27, 1948): is Phil’s youngest brother, a Vietnam War veteran.

He works at Duck Commander, making the reeds that go into every duck call. Si is known for his storytelling, his constant use of the phrase “Hey!” and his ever-present blue plastic cup, which his mother sent him while he was stationed in Vietnam.

Willie Jess Robertson (born April 22, 1972): The third son of Phil and Miss Kay, and CEO of Duck Commander. He used his business degree (Harding University) to take Duck Commander from a family business to a multi-million dollar empire.

He is married to Korie Robertson, and they have five children. Willie does the majority of the narration on the show.

Korie Robertson (née Howard) (born October 24, 1973): is Willie’s wife and business partner. She also graduated from Harding University. She is the office manager of Duck Commander. Korie and Willie have known one another since she was in 3rd grade, and he was in 4th grade.

They married on January 11, 1992 when they were 19 (Korie) and 20 (Willie). They have five children: John Luke, Sadie, an adopted son named Will (called “Lil Will” on the show), Bella, and an exchange daughter from Taiwan named Rebecca.

Jason Silas “Jase” Robertson (born August 19, 1969) is Willie’s brother (the second-oldest of Phil and Miss Kay’s sons) and is in charge of the manufacturing aspects of Duck Commander. Along with other employees, Jase tunes the duck calls by hand. Many of the episodes feature the laid-back, self-professed redneck Jase doing something to aggravate the gung-ho, business-savvy Willie (such as turning a warehouse cleaning into a ping-pong battle).

Missy Robertson is Jase’s wife. She is often seen helping Korie and Miss Kay with ideas to expand the Duck Commander women’s line. Missy and Jase have three children: Reed, Cole, and Mia.

Jules Jeptha “Jep” Robertson is Phil and Miss Kay’s youngest son. He currently films and edits DVDs of the Robertson family hunting for enthusiasts worldwide and is often seen at Duck Commander and at family dinners. He is married to Jessica and they have four kids.

Jessica Robertson is Jep’s wife. She is often seen helping Korie and Miss Kay with ideas to expand the Duck Commander women’s line. Jessica and Jep have four children: Lily, Merritt, Priscilla, and River.

Other cast members

Justin Martin is an employee of Duck Commander; he is often given grief over his large figure.

John Godwin is an employee at Duck Commander. He has worked at Duck Commander since 2002, mainly building duck calls, managing supplies, and overseeing the shipping department as well as being the decoy technician.

“Mountain Man” (real name: Tim Guraedy) is a neighbor, and is the only semi-regular cast member who is not a Duck Commander employee (he operates his own air-conditioning repair business and co-hosts a local radio talk show on KXKZ[23]). He is known for talking very slowly. His real name has never been used on the show.

Linda Hammitt is a secretary at Duck Commander.

“Jimmy Red” is a family friend, featured on a few early episodes.

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