"Starting from the birth of sitcoms, fathers are pretty much universally morons," writes Hanna Rosin in a piece for Slate.com. The latest crop of sitcoms, though, showcases dads who are a stark contrast to the bumbling Stu Erwin, on The Trouble With Father, or Fred Flintstone, or even Homer Simpson, she adds.
Newer shows present happy stay-at-home dads, or successful businessmen who are more than just a source of comic relief. Some even depict mothers in the bumbling role usually reserved for fathers.
NPR's Neal Conan talks with Rosin, the founding editor of Slate's Double X blog, about the evolution of fathers on screen and what those changes reveal about our society.
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