TV Journalist Robin Scherbatsky of How I Met Your Mother
RIZWAN 1 Gender Confusion and the Female Journalist: TV Journalist Robin Scherbatsky of How I Met Your Mother Fatima Rizwan Master’s Thesis USC Annenberg 4/1/2013 RIZWAN 2 Contents 1. Abstract 2. Methodology 3. Literature Review 4. How I Met Your Mother: The Series 5. Robin Scherbatsky: Tomboy Childhood 6. Robin and the Image of the Female Journalist a. Louise “Babe” Bennett, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936) b. Hildy Johnson, His Girl Friday (1940) c. Murphy Brown, Murphy Brown (1988-1998) 7. Robin, Family, and Fluff 8. Robin, Alcohol, and the Image of the Journalist 9. Robin, Romance, and the Image of the Female Journalist 10. Conclusion 11. How I Met Your Mother Episode Index 12. Episode Index 13. Bibliography 14. Endnotes RIZWAN 3 Abstract The female broadcaster provides one of the most stereotypical images of contemporary journalist in popular culture. Often, female journalists are portrayed as vivacious, ruthless, and driven individuals who must compete fiercely to survive in a man’s profession. Robin Scherbatsky (played by Cobie Smulders) of How I Met Your Mother is depicted as an attractive Canadian journalist with a tomboy past on the highly popular television series. Scherbatsky struggles to break free from covering stereotypical “fluff” stories, a genre that is common to female broadcast journalists. While she maintains a rugged and unemotional facade, she is still very womanly and vulnerable in both her career and personal life. This study will examine Scherbatsky’s dichotomous character, compare her image on the series to that of other female journalists in popular culture, and analyze her influence on the current stereotype of female broadcasters.
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