Who Ever Heered of Such a Thing?

In a New York Times story this morning, Jeff Zucker, Chief Executive of NBC Universal is quoted as saying that American Idol “is the most impactful show in the history of television.” Besides the fact that my spell checker can’t find the word “impactful,” this is really a dumb statement. Why do these media types always talk in superlatives?

Everyone knows, I hate American Idol. I hate the concept. I hate the judges. I hate the pipsqueaks who try to sing on it. Well, I just hate it. I know the show averages 33.5 million viewers, but I do not find that anything like mitigation for such a dumb statement by Mr. Zucker. The Democrats won back Congress in November, so that is proof Americans are pinheads with no understanding of what is important. This show is just their style...simple, untalented, and full of mean-spiritness and low self-esteem!

But none of that has anything to do with the subject of this post.

The very idea of identifying “the most impactful show in the history of television” is intriguing. I wonder what it would be. Certainly not American Idol, which I see as a result of national degeneration, not a cause of it.

Let’s think together. I know what I think is the most “impactful” show in the history of television, and I’d like to see what you think.

Think hard, now. Remember, the history of television goes back beyond MXC and Laguna Beach. Let’s go back at least to the ‘40s.

Okay, here’s my nomination: the evening news during the late 60s.

Yep! Bringing the Vietnam War and its protesters to the dinner table every night has had more impact on this nation than anything broadcasted since the invention of television. By establishing that being anti-American was no longer something to be ashamed of, the way we saw that war, as we had never seen a war, complete with play-by-play and military “experts” in the employ of the networks, has directly resulted in the terrible situation we find ourselves in today.

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in snow.
From what I've tasted of TV.
I think some stupid network show.

I’m sorry, Robert.