Class Dismissed examines the role of television in the ways in which race, gender, and sexuality intersect with class, offering a more complex reading of television's often one-dimensional representations. The patterns inherent in the depictions of working class people are as either clowns or social deviants, stereotypical portrayals that reinforce the myth of meritocracy and have systemic social implications. By citing plenty of examples from today's sitcoms, reality shows, police dramas, and daytime talk shows, Class Dismissed links television's portrayals to negative cultural attitudes and public policies that directly affect the lives of working class people. A new media must be envisioned and created.