What's in a name?

In about an hour, Fox is debuting their newest comedy with Jaime Pressly of "My Name is Earl" fame. While I don't plan to watch the show, I was alerted to it by an over-sized, electronic billboard blaring the program's tacky title past rush-hour traffic.

I find it hard to believe that a network executive actually came up with and approved the name for this prime time comedy  -- "I Hate My Teenage Daughter."

Is it meant to be humorous? Ironic? Over-the-top to draw viewers and/or ratings?

Early reviews have not been kind so I'm guessing that despite the "catchy" title, the program may hit the skids before we figure out who actually hates whom in this family romp.

Many (many) years ago, I actually was a teenager and someday, I will actually have a teenager daughter of my own. And while I fear I may, at times, share the title's controversial sentiment, I still find it jarring and tactless. Yes, it's just a television show and probably a bad one at that, but must they really stoop so low? Even the movie "Mean Girls" which was about just that, didn't offend so blatantly right off the bat. As the mom of young kids, it's all I can do to minimize the use of words like "hate" and I certainly don't need them plastered all over the highway while I drive carpool.

Headline-grabbing labels like this may get attention in the short-term (I'm blogging about it so that's obvious). I may not be a teen anymore but as a mom, I find it insulting and sad that a title like this made it past the censors.