Hung

When a girl hooks up with multiple partners she is deemed slutty. When a boy hooks up with multiple partners he's a "champ". The societal gender norms make "Hung" a comical and interesting show rather than a pathetic, depressing show. If Ray had been a woman, turning to prostitution in order to support her family, she would have been seen as gross.Yes, Ray is desperate but the fact that he's a man portrays the prostitution in a more positive light. It is socially acceptable for men to be promiscuous, so getting paid to be promiscuous... he's a genius! Furthermore, women prostitutes in television and films are seen way more than male prostitutes. The unlikely combination of a single dad prostitute is perceived as less likely to be a reality, thus the show has a comical tone. This outlandishness, thus not a reality, thus not sad is also seen in"Weeds". Nancy Botwin, a single mother tries to support her family by selling marijuana. Nancy is not a young male crack addict of the ghettos, but rather a mother in the fancy suburbs. The juxtaposition is comical rather than pitiful. American gender norms allow for "Hung" to be funny, but if the tables were to be reversed and a single mother were to turn to prostitution, she would be deemed as lowly and pathetic.