American Hoggers

Thanks America, another of your finest shows is heading to a UK station near you.

Honestly I do not understand why this genre of programme is so popular. It's just another roll of indistinguishable televisual wallpaper that purports to be a 'reality show' but is in fact no more than poorly contrived BS.

This time we're supposed to be interested in pig herders. Whoop de do. It really doesn't matter whether it's pork bothers, inbred motor cycle mechanics, a bounty hunting transvestite or the aesthetically challenged making millions from abandoned storage lockers - it' all the same. The scripted perils and pitfalls are exactly the same across all these shows, only the setting changes.

This latest incarnation should only serve to reinforce the message that the programmers will do the bare minimum required to fill the gaps between the adverts.

It is a real shame that this breed of 'reality TV' has all but killed the fly-on-the wall genre. I'm sure a genuine documentary these days would be dismissed as not interesting enough, without the scripted arguments and confrontations. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that programmes like American Hoggers and its ilk are are so very dull. If they are going to make this stuff up why make every character detestable and each episode as boring as the last? I've gone for a very generous 2 stars as the production company does at least know which end of the camera to point at the subject matter. But please, no more of this stuff.

Jerry Campbell is the grumpy old man who is a legend in his own mind. He leads a family business hunting down feral hogs with the help of his son Robert, his firecracker daughter Krystal, and friend Lea Penick. Most of time they fight. Sometimes they run off on their own. Sometimes there is competition like Ronnie Creek. Sometimes they hire some help with varying degree of usefulness.

This is an A&E "reality" TV show. The reality is somewhat questionable. It's fun to see them hunt hogs. It's also fun to see the family squabbles. Although both do get very repetitive. It's more a diversion than anything actually good. Also there is a tendency to get girls with big boobs whether it's Krystal or Lea or some girl they hired to replace them. It's not anything bad. It just needs to figure out how to keep it from getting too repetitive and boring.

If this show is on, ill open up the 19th part of me, and operate the remote control with my elbows as slinky (elk cheese) hangs from my kraft cheese pizza. If one were to ever tell (hog gatherer) jerry campbell that a black hole could make a rose disappear or that someone stole your wallet, he'd spring the hood of his jeep and check his corvette engine. His focus would be unmistakably strong, like all he wants are the simple times, where he put out a cigar with a running shower or lays around thinking he should brush his teeth.

I watched it for the chics in skimpy tank tops and tight jeans. The hog hunting end of it was a complete joke. The show is supposed to about hog extermination or elimination. All they were doing was hunting them for sport style. Them darn hogs breed faster then they could catch'em that way. The only way to get even close getting rid of them for a property owner is to catch them in large traps by the dozens at a time. Then shoot'em all in the head while they're all together then haul'em off.

Even hunt'in for sport no one bothers to tie up a hog and keeing it alive. They're are always killed in the process.

I like this show a lot, especially Lea Penick. It shows a family and friend(s) doing what needs to be done to help control the feral hogs. What I don't understand though is why so many of the people that hire them just don't sit up at night with a rifle and scope and try to take out the damn pigs. If it was my place and it was even semi-legal I would shoot them myself. I do realize that that not every person is equipped mentally and/or physically to do so, plus some of the people obviously have ranches to run or other business requirements that prevent them from going after the hogs themselves. Feral hogs may be smart but they can be baited and shot,trapped, or even poisoned (depending on the circumstances).