Acronym aside, the plot for this South Boston based film is so exploitative that it was guaranteed to have some success. And it did. Other acronym responses come to mind but can’t be printed here. The story line presents as quite quaint. Bridgette Bird is a smart, young single mom living in South Boston who is trying to navigate life with a very unconventional family. As she struggles to make ends meet, she strives to create a better life for her son, Larry, and often finds herself making impulsive and immature decisions. The program is a fresh, raw, and honest comedic look at co-parenting, motherhood and female sexuality. “SMILF” is adapted from Frankie Shaw’s Sundance Film Festival Jury award-winning short film.
And Frankie Shaw cashed in on her portrayal of a vulnerable single mother from South Boston. She celebrated the success of her Showtime comedy series “SMILF” — after two 2017 Golden Globe nominations, one for Best Actress, Television Series Musical or Comedy and the other for the Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy, the show was picked up late last year for a sophomore season — with the $2.15 million dollar purchase of a 1930s Monterey Colonial residence in the hills between L.A.’s Los Feliz and Silver Lake areas.
On behalf of our neighborhood, Councilor Ed Flynn has spoken out against the after effects of this exploitation. “The proud mothers I know from Southie, who work so hard for their families and our community, have told me they find it unwatchable as it is a degrading, crude, and inaccurate portrayal of their life,” Flynn said in the statement. “I’m tired of Hollywood making a profit off of these abysmal shows that in no way capture the real lives, character, and contributions of the people of South Boston.”
Here is Councilor Flynn’s Statement:
Dear friends,
In recent weeks, many of my constituents have relayed to me their disgust with Showtime’s TV Show “SMILF” and its depiction of the people of South Boston. The proud mothers I know from Southie, who work so hard for their families and our community, have told me they find it unwatchable as it is a degrading, crude and inaccurate portrayal of their life in the neighborhood. At the same time, I noticed advertisements for the show featured at bus shelters around the city. I’m tired of Hollywood making a profit off of these abysmal shows that in no way capture the real lives, character and contributions of the people of South Boston. Public resources should be used to lift people in our community up and not at the expense of denigrating single mothers. As a result, I reached out to officials from the City of Boston and they have kindly agreed to remove these advertisements. Thank you to those of you that brought this to my attention. – Ed
