History Main / DeepSouth

* Any segment involving Alana "Honey Boo-Boo" Thompson on ''ToddlersAndTiaras''.

* Played straight in ''Gone with the Wind.''

** However, many people seem t forget that the film is based off of a book written by an author from Atlanta, James Dickey. The protagonists themselves are also Southerners, though from the city. Dickey himself is possibly one of the most esteemed authors and poets Georgia has ever produced.

* ''AmericanGothic'' (the show, not the painting: that one takes [[DownOnTheFarm rural]] [[FlyoverCountry Iowa]] as its inspiration)

* ''InTheHeatOfTheNight''. Virgil Tibbs is arrested because he's black. When asked what people call him his response is, "TheyCallMeMisterTibbs".

* Some countries has a local version of this stereotype:

** In Mexico, this could be inverted as the ''Deep North'', as Mexican Northerners has similar stereotypes as their American peers, except they tend to be more outspoken than their countrymen from the rest of the country.

Any part of the region that is not rural, backwoods, mountains, or bayous shows up on TV as merely TheCity or {{Suburbia}} with an accent. The sprawling metropolises of {{Atlanta}} and Charlotte might as well not exist. And while Nashville and UsefulNotes/NewOrleans do exist, they're not without stereotypes of their own: N'awlins being a [[ItsAlwaysMardiGrasInNewOrleans party city]] with the occasional vampire, and Nashville only known for CountryMusic despite its diverse population, large healthcare industry, and PunkRock scene that rivals the country one in size. As far as writers -- largely based in Southern California -- are concerned, the only true South is the Deep South. And any old state down there will do. Mississippi, Georgia, Virginia, [[CriticalResearchFailure Maryland]][[note]]Maryland was a slave state for much of its history and banned interracial marriages until well into the 1960s; but it was founded by Roman Catholics (who historically have been a minority in the South), stayed in the Union during the Civil War, and in more recent times has attracted a diverse immigrant population from many countries throughout Europe, Asia, and Latin America. For these reasons and others, it is often hard to determine whether it should be considered a Southern state or a Northern state; a Northerner will tell you it's Southern, a Southerner will tell you that it's Northern, and a Marylander will tell you that it's [[TakeAThirdOption Maryland]].[[/note]]...what's the difference?

This scenario is also used to depict [[ValuesDissonance the differences between it and the ''relatively'' liberal North (note that the US is very conservative compared to most of the rest of the Western world --the fact that the UK and possibly Canada are seen as conservative countries really has to say--)]]. Ironically, in the days when Puritanism was widespread in New England, [[StereotypeFlip the South would often be looked upon - usually by New Englanders, of course - as a land of moral laxity and even debauchery]]. It's worth noting, for example, that Christmas was celebrated as a public holiday in the South long before it was in New England, which the Puritans insisted had to be observed purely as a religious holiday because of the pagan origins of most secular Christmas traditions.

->'''Sam Donaldson:''' ''Governor Clinton, let's be frank. You're running for president, yet your only experience has been as the governor of a small, backward state with a population of drunken hillbillies riding around in pickup trucks. The main streets of your capital city, Little Rock, are something out of ''ComicStripLilAbner'', with buxom underage girls in their cutoff denims prancing around in front of Jethro and Billy Bob, while corncob-pipe-smoking, shotgun-toting grannies fire indiscriminately at runaway hogs.''\\

->'''Sam Donaldson:''' ''Governor Clinton, let's be frank. You're running for president, yet your only experience has been as the governor of a small, backward state with a population of drunken hillbillies riding around in pickup trucks. The main streets of your capital city, Little Rock, are something out of ''LilAbner'', with buxom underage girls in their cutoff denims prancing around in front of Jethro and Billy Bob, while corncob-pipe-smoking, shotgun-toting grannies fire indiscriminately at runaway hogs.''\\

This scenario is also used to depict [[ValuesDissonance the differences between it and the ''relatively'' liberal North (note that the US is very conservative compared to most of the rest of the Western world)]]. As an example; while pre-marital sexual encounters and casual one-night stands are common nowadays, sex is SeriousBusiness down there, with Southerners still firmly believing on the golden rule of "marriage before sex", so do ''not'' try to knock up one of the local girls there, or you will [[ShotgunWedding be married to her for the rest of your life]] (Southerners are ''extremely'' averse to divorce). If the girl in question is a typical SouthernBelle or a [[TheDukesOfHazzard Daisy Duke]], you are a really lucky guy; but if she is not any of these (as in most of cases), you'll have to marry anyways; if you try to run away, they ''will'' stamp you out. (Ironically, in the days when Puritanism was widespread in New England, [[StereotypeFlip the South would often be looked upon - usually by New Englanders, of course - as a land of moral laxity and even debauchery]]. It's worth noting, for example, that Christmas was celebrated as a public holiday in the South long before it was in New England, which the Puritans insisted had to be observed purely as a religious holiday because of the pagan origins of most secular Christmas traditions.)

This scenario is also used to depict [[ValuesDissonance the differences between it and the ''relatively'' liberal North (note that the US is very conservative compared to the rest of the world)]]. As an example; while pre-marital sexual encounters and casual one-night stands are common nowadays, sex is SeriousBusiness down there, with Southerners still firmly believing on the golden rule of "marriage before sex", so do ''not'' try to knock up one of the local girls there, or you will [[ShotgunWedding be married to her for the rest of your life]] (Southerners are ''extremely'' averse to divorce). If the girl in question is a typical SouthernBelle or a [[TheDukesOfHazzard Daisy Duke]], you are a really lucky guy; but if she is not any of these (as in most of cases), you'll have to marry anyways; if you try to run away, they ''will'' stamp you out. (Ironically, in the days when Puritanism was widespread in New England, [[StereotypeFlip the South would often be looked upon - usually by New Englanders, of course - as a land of moral laxity and even debauchery]]. It's worth noting, for example, that Christmas was celebrated as a public holiday in the South long before it was in New England, which the Puritans insisted had to be observed purely as a religious holiday because of the pagan origins of most secular Christmas traditions.)

This scenario is also used to depict [[ValuesDissonance the differences between it and the ''relatively'' liberal North (note that the US is very conservative compared to the rest of the world)]]. As an example; while pre-marital sexual encounters and casual one-night stands are common nowadays, sex is SeriousBusiness down there, with Southerners still firmly believing on the golden rule of "marriage before sex", so do ''not'' try to knock up one of the local girls there, or you will [[ShotgunWedding be married to her for the rest of your life]] (Southerners are ''extremely'' averse to divorce). If the girl in question is a typical SouthernBelle or a [[TheDukesOfHazzard Daisy Duke]], you are a really lucky guy; but if she is not any of these (as in most of cases), you'll have to marry anyways; if you try to run away, they ''will'' stamp you out. (Ironically, in the days when Puritanism was widespread in New England, the South would often be looked upon - usually by New Englanders, of course - as a land of moral laxity and even debauchery. It's worth noting, for example, that Christmas was celebrated as a public holiday in the South long before it was in New England, which the Puritans insisted had to be observed purely as a religious holiday because of the pagan origins of most secular Christmas traditions.)

This scenario is also used to depict [[ValuesDissonance the differences between it and the ''relatively'' liberal North (note that the US is very conservative compared to the rest of the world)]]. As an example; while pre-marital sexual encounters and casual one-night stands are common nowadays, sex is SeriousBusiness down there, with Southerners still firmly believing on the golden rule of "marriage before sex", so do ''not'' try to knock up one of the local girls there, or you will [[ShotgunWedding be married to her for the rest of your life]] (Southerners are ''extremely'' averse to divorce). If the girl in question is a typical SouthernBelle or a [[TheDukesOfHazzard Daisy Duke]], you are a really lucky guy; but if she is not any of these (as in most of cases), you'll have to marry anyways; if you try to run away, they ''will'' stamp you out.

* ''SongOfTheSouth'' became Disney's RedHeadedStepchild film due to its portrayal of [[UnfortunateImplications happy sharecroppers]] (idealizing Reconstruction-era racism in the DeepSouth). The movie contains [[MagicalNegro Uncle Remus]] stories about Br'er Rabbit [[BriarPatching ("Please don't throw me in the briar patch!")]] and gave us the EarWorm "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah", which incidentally is the ''only'' part of the film in the past couple decades that Disney has allowed to see the light of day in America. Defenders of ''Song of the South'' are quick to point out that the film isn't intended to be a sociopolitical tract, and for the most part focuses on folktales about animals who only come off as [[SpaceJews Space Negroes]] because a black man is telling the stories.

Do ''not'' try to knock up one of the local girls there, or you will disappear, or, at the very least, [[ShotgunWedding be married to her for the rest of your life, whether you like it or not]]. Sex is SeriousBusiness down there.

So ''don't'' complain about the war overseas, ''don't'' admit that you think ''QueerAsFolk'' was groundbreaking, ''don't'' try to explain how [[UsefulNotes/{{Neo-Paganism}} Paganism]] has nothing to do with devil worship, and ''don't'' go out to the secluded farm house when your car breaks down in the rain... Unless the [[SacredHospitality Southern Hospitality]] is being played up, that is.

* ''NoCountryForOldMen'', following in the tradition of FlanneryOConnor, portrays a South that's barren, lawless and ridden at the seams with uncontrollable violence (or rather, it uses the South as a means to portray the entire world this way). The actual non-criminal characters, however, are mainly GoodOlBoys (and girls).

* FlanneryOConnor lived in this trope.

Compare FlyoverCountry, as both regions might as well be Jupiter for screenwriters from the coasts, and OopNorth, which often receives similar stereotypes in British media (though most of the "hick" sterotypes are associated with any rural settings and never urban areas, generally TheWestCountry will have the greatest amount of them). Contrast SweetHomeAlabama. For the vicious horror-themed version, try TheSavageSouth or SouthernGothic.

Compare FlyoverCountry, as both regions might as well be Jupiter for screenwriters from the coasts, and OopNorth, which often receives many similar stereotypes in British media. Contrast SweetHomeAlabama. For the vicious horror-themed version, try TheSavageSouth or SouthernGothic.

* Averted in ''GoldDigger.'' The Diggers family lives in Atlanta, but it's treated pretty much like any other big American city.

** However, many people seem t forget that the film is based off of a book written by an author from Georgia, Atlanta. The protagonists themselves are also Southerners, though from the city.

** Mosly averted in her ''Ballad'' series, set in the area where Kentucky, Tennesee and North Carolina all meet.

* Subverted in ''[[Literature/BimbosOfTheDeathSun Zombies of the Gene Pool]]'', which is set in Tennessee. Jay Omega worries that he and his fellow professor-slash-girlfriend Marion have stumbled upon a diner like this. Then a big bearded man comes up to the table and starts intimidating Jay...until Marion tells him to knock it off. It turns out, the "redneck" is a Joyce scholar professor and a friend of Marion's who wanted to have a little fun at the expense of yet another "''{{Deliverance}}'' sucker" as he puts it.

[[caption-width-right:298:[[Series/TrueBlood Mullets]], [[Film/{{Deliverance}} banjos]] and stills galore!]]