ABC Redneck stereotypes fill sitcom 'Rodney'

The main character has a bad case of arrested adolescence.
NEW YORK (AP) -- The hero of "Rodney," Rodney Hamilton is a family man with two cute boys, a wife he loves, a Tulsa twang and a nagging dream: to be a stand-up comedian.
His challenge: to separate the serious pursuit of his dream from just having a good time telling jokes after hours at the Blue Goose Bar. That's going to be difficult for him, because he has a party-hearty streak of arrested adolescence.
Rodney is the sort of guy who, on a bet with his buddy, will stroll into the local Wal-Mart in the nude.
"You have a good one," the store greeter welcomes him, hardly blinking an eye.
"Kind of you to notice," Rodney quips.
Played by Rodney Carrington in this new ABC sitcom, he's also the sort of guy who will up and quit his job at the Fiberglass factory without telling his wife Trina, then slip off to the Blue Goose to hone his act.
In short order, Trina finds out, whereupon Rodney asks, "Is there ANYTHING you don't know?"
You bet, she replies: "I don't know how we're gonna eat, I don't know how we're gonna pay the rent -- and I don't know when you're gonna see me naked again."
What to expect
If nudity seems a recurring theme in the premiere episode, rest assured the naked truth is this: "Rodney" is tacky cornpone comedy thick with redneck stereotypes, then insulated with phony sentiment.
Even Trina's trashy, man-chasing sister (Amy Pietz) demonstrates a heart of gold: During a chat with Trina, she defends Rodney's crazy dreams.
"Well, I guess I better get out there," she says when she's done, now headed for a night on the town. "Those losers aren't gonna date themselves."
Love conquers all in the heartland, of course. And by half-hour's end, Trina (Jennifer Aspen) forgives Rodney and offers him her blessing to chase his show-biz dream.
Maybe he'll catch it. Stranger things have happened in real life: Stand-up comedian Rodney Carrington landed this sitcom, and, strangest of all, it got on the air.