Post World War II, labor unions entered something loosely called the Golden Age: a time where blue collar people had pride, community, and financial stability still evident in the inflection of tone those who lived through these years have when they discuss the “good old days”. Now, blue collar jobs are losing five employees for every two who join the workplace, and college applicant rates are at an all time high. The blue collar / redneck / working man doesn’t garner anywhere near the same respect he once did— so why? Though this is a multi faceted event, there’s an argument to be made that in mainstream media, “Blue Collar Comedy” is not a topic where the working man is respected or can form community, but rather a genre of content created and consumed by those middle class & upwards, used to punch down on those who work with their hands. My intended audience is broad, for blue collar families and outsiders alike: for those who work with their hands, I wanted this to be a bit of a ‘call to action’ (emphasized with a question asked in the end of my podcast), and for those unfamiliar with this topic, I wanted to educate on both the history of workers and give them a more current insider glimpse.
