Duck Dynasty and Me

Anticipation determines our perception. Sometimes something is built up so much that it can never live up to expectations. I finally saw "Gone With The Wind" when I was in high school after hearing over and over and over that it was the greatest movie ever. To say I was disappointed would understate things.

"Catcher in The Rye" was not hyped quite as much but when I finally read it, I shrugged. Not bad. So it has been with a lot of books I have read. My favorite movies are mostly those that I discovered on my own. My top ten movie list has a few blockbusters on it but most of the listings are obscure. Something to be said for connecting the dots.

So I was ready to be disappointed with "Duck Dynasty." It just could not live up to the hype. Turns out, this is one of those exceptions to the rule. I have only seen about a half dozen or so episodes but they are laugh out loud funny. They seem to have struck the right chord for reality television. Yes, they are pulling our legs but not with a vice grip that dislocates our hips and rips our tendons. There is a certain plausibility usually absent from reality shows.

Whereas, I do not feel a closeness to or familiarity with pawn shop clerks or tattoo artists or Jersey housewives, I feel like I grew up with the Duck guys. Sometimes we encounter a character who reminds us of someone we know personally. Each "Duck Dynasty" guy reminds me of a dozen people I have known. Yet, their characters are unique.

My absolute favorite episode so far is where the uncle (is his name Si?) picks out a poodle to use a s a bird dog. Spoiler alert: The poodle turns out to be a top notch retriever.

I have beheld the wondrous and the spectacular as I watched the magic box. But a poodle utilized as a bird dog--that just might move to the top of the list. "Duck Dynasty" does not disappoint.