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Introduction
Ugly Betty made a splash when it first debuted in commercial prime-time television (ABC) in the fall of 2006 as a dramatic comedy (or dramedy). Centered on a Latina character, it became the most watched new show in its first night, drawing 16.3 million viewers (Consoli, 2006b).1 Since its debut, Ugly Betty has won numerous awards, including two Golden Globe Awards in 2007, and has enjoyed high ratings, especially among college students (Story, 2007). Its main character, Betty, was lauded by then US Representative Hilda Solis, who labeled her a "role model for young Latinas" (Barney, 2007).
What makes Ugly Betty such a unique television program is its portrayal of Latino/as. First, the show places Latino/as center stage, by having a Latina as the main character (Betty Suarez) and by featuring several other Latino characters (Betty's family members). In this way, it counters the overall scarcity of Latino/a characters on network television, including on shows that have a lone Latino/a character playing a supporting role (Children Now, 2004; Hoffman and Noriega, 2004; Greenberg and Mastro, 2008). Ugly Betty is also unique in that it presents to its viewers a diverse world through a multi-ethnic/multi-racial cast of characters. In so doing, it counters the trend in television programs that depict a racially or ethnically homogeneous world by showcasing a family of a specific race/ethnic group, with no, or only token characters from other groups (Entman and Rojecki, 1998; Hoffman and Noriega, 2004).
Although Ugly Betty at times reifies stereotypes of Latino/as, more often it subverts, complicates and destabilizes common stereotypes. Overall, the program clearly presents Betty's Latino family in a positive light - as functional, close and supportive - and avoids the all-too-common stereotypes of Latino/as as lazy people, gang bangers, criminals or the like.
Considering the popularity of Ugly Betty and the fact that it breaks the mold through its extensive presentation of Latino/a characters, as well the positive quality of representations, it is essential to analyze this television show, and there are many lenses through which to do so - cultural studies, communication and media studies and television studies are some of the more typical approaches used to analyze TV programs. In this article, however, I examine Ugly Betty with another...