The Hillbilly stereotype is one of the most lasting stereotypes in American culture. Media representations of the “hillbilly” depict poor, dirty, uneducated and ignorant people living in a world of their own. These portrayals in literature, movies, tv shows, and music have created a hillbilly image that Americans associate with lower-class people living in rural regions like Appalachia. The stereotype is ambiguous and easily adaptable, which is both why it has been around for so long, and how it can characterize entire regions like Appalachia that have over 25 million people. The common acceptance of the hillbilly stereotype has also been influential to its pervasiveness. It is still socially acceptable to employ this stereotype and it is used by media powerhouses like Saturday Night Live and Barstool Sports and even found in the title of the popular tv show “The Beverley Hillbillies”. 

Below is an Image of “The Original Carolina Hillbilly”. Sam embodies the stereotype of an old, dirty Hillbilly that is too poor to afford suitable clothing. He is next to a sign that is advertising himself as a hillbilly, supporting the idea that the stereotype is socially acceptable. His long, raggedy beard and crooked smile reveal the stereotype that hillbillies cannot afford proper physical maintenance such as a haircut or dental work. The background is desolate with woods and a run-down house, reflecting the depressing living quarters of sam and other hillbillies alike. He is presented here as a token or tourist attraction, with people stopping by for content and their own pleasure.