I never thought being a divorced father would put me in a special interest group, but in doing marketing research for my

memoir on divorced dadhood

, I came across several "

dads' rights

" websites, activists, and blogs arguing for

stronger child custody protections

, fighting

media stereotypes

, and even debunking what they consider

domestic violence myths

.The volume of their buzzing reached a new decibel when Lifetime TV announced their intention to air

Deadbeat Dads

, a reality show in which

National Child Support

founder Jim Durham travels about the country, lassoing fathers who refuse to pay child support. Originally called "Bad Dads," the idea was floated -- then apparently sunk -- at FOX. The only real surprise is that it was never called "

P

OPS."

Of course, one can say hunting deadbeat dads on Lifetime is no different than going after dog beaters on Animal Planet, blowing up gophers on the Golf Channel, or inviting Richard Simmons on The 700 Club. The audience wants blood. And deadbeat dads are an easy target, MUCH easier than single moms ever were (see: D. Quayle vs. M. Brown, 1992).

The problem -- says Fathers & Families, a dad-vocacy group -- is that a strong majority of divorced dads with shared custody pay child support regularly, so such a program paints an unrealistic and demeaning stereotype of divorced fathers.

A much-lauded editorial in The Washington Times calls Deadbeat Dads a cheap shot that ignores "the damage the show can cause children, wives and other family members." It also cites a study finding that 77 percent of noncustodial fathers are not able to spend court-ordered time with their children as a result of "visitation interference" by the custodial parent. Comparing apples to Apple Jacks, the piece concludes, "In short, lousy moms outnumber deadbeat dads 3-1."

I'm all against stupid reality television shows that put otherwise decent human beings and their families in a despicable and embarrassing light (unless said human beings are degrading themselves for prize money). That said, I think the only people substantially stereotyped by images of deadbeat dads are other deadbeat dads.

As a divorced father myself, I don't feel maligned by a show villifying deadbeat dads any more than I feel maligned by To Catch a Predator simply because I met an (appropriately-aged) girlfriend online, or by Bernie Madoff's atrocities simply because I'm Jewish. The subliminal association isn't between "deadbeat dads" and "divorced dads" as much as it is between irresponsible and responsible behavior.

But it's still a show that does no one any good.

If you want to see some really "bad dad" influences, just watch Everybody Loves Raymond or any sitcom featuring a pudgy, buffoonish, sedentary man-childish father with a knockout wife.

Better yet, let's boycott the majority of Father's Day cards that emphasize our laziness, our inattentiveness, our proximity to senility, and our love of all things nautical.

Those negative stereotypes of average, law-abiding dads are much more dangerous in my book, because that's who I am. And I'm not into boats.

Joel Schwartzberg is an award-winning essayist and author of "The 40-Year-Old Version: Humoirs of a Divorced Dad"