S2E9: TV Moms that Shaped Us: Clair Huxtable, Rosanne, Marge Simpson

Sonja and Vanessa consider TV moms who inspired American women in the 80’s and 90’s. Given the warm response to our pop culture episode in our first season (S1E10: “Madonna, Maggie, Diana, Cyndi & Sinead–Gen X Heroines”), we were excited to review some fictional moms from our youth.

Clair Huxtable of the Cosby Show, demonstrated how to raise five children, while looking fashionable and gorgeous, exuding educated elegance, wit, and feminist passion. Rosanne Conner, tutored us in unapologetic snark for Reagan era policies that left her working-class family forgotten in the dust. Rosanne raises 3 kids on part time jobs with intelligence, savvy, and resilience that lets laughter ring out defiantly in her home–every single day. Finally, the most long-lasting TV mom, Marge Simpson, in a nutshell, probably deserves sainthood. Marge is both a satire and a loving salute to pearl-wearing housewives of yesteryear. Let’s just say that June Cleaver never faced the challenges Marge does. What other TV mom can hold a candle to Marge’s 36-season (and counting) optimism, ingenuity, and long-suffering patience?

We look at all three characters as mothers whose stories partly shaped what we hoped we’d be as mothers. Why did they make an impression on us? What did their stories leave us expecting when we were expecting? And were these stories on the mark? Were any parts of the stories ultimately misleading or unhelpful? As we pursue these queries, Sonja shares a secret about bra burning, and Vanessa (tries) to sing the Enjoli commercial song.

REFERENCES:

NPR's Fresh Air Interview about the documentary We Need to Talk about Cosby

Article from Slate in 2014 about Clair Huxtable: The Other Huxtable Effect

2018 Article about Rosanne in Meanjin Online: When Capitalism Saves Us from Ourselves