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Alcoholism in Cheers

The belief of most of the Unites States used to be that alcoholics were mean spirited, good-for-nothing, lazy, wretched men who liked to fight frequently and swear in excess. With the stereotypical television drunkard being homeless, a gambler, or just a plain loser, this myth was perpetuated. The myth was perpetuated until Cheers came along. It gives unrealistic portrayals of alcoholics in politically correct and friendly ways. The alcoholics never hurt anyone or say anything offensive in the Cheers universe, and this is how the viewing audience is beginning to view alcoholism as a whole; not as a disease, but as a source of lighthearted humor. They are wrong, very wrong.
The audience sees the cast of Cheers drink their sorrows away on every episode. The bar patrons and servers do not react in a realistic way to the alcohol that they’ve been imbibing. They neither feel it’s affects immediately nor do they ever exhibit the signs of either an alcoholic or even a lifetime dri...

Posted by: Gelinde Cobbs

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