I know that New Year’s eve has come and is now far behind us, but I’m still thinking about Dick Clark and the recent New Year’s Eve show on ABC.
That show was such a waste! I guess I never noticed how bad it was in prior years because at the time we usually turn it on, we all had one too many drinks.
But this year, my husband and I spent a quite evening at home alone. We sat and watched most of Dick Clark’s New Year’s Eve show but it was definitely hard to watch!
First off, I don’t want to sound mean, but it’s time that Dick retire. ABC should still use his name in the show, but does Clark have to appear in it?
The show was pathetic. Clarke was depressing to watch and could barely speak. I know he had a stroke but why shove that in our faces on New Year’s Eve?
One of the women in my office told me she saw the show at a party. “Everyone laughed at Clark and then we all felt sorry we were laughing!”
The show needs a rework. The gang of celebrities kept passing the mike to someone else. There was no substance and no one really cared what the people in the audience thought.
We would have rather seen more performances and less talk. I really hope that ABC can get it right next year. And, ABC, I hate to sound mean but tell Clark to stay home!
I don’t mind seeing Dick Clark on the show. He just needs a different role. FYI – that’s not really him – what we’re seeing is his ego. He knows what makes for good television and unfortunately he can’t get over himself.
I like Dick Clark, but watching him kind of made me feel depressed and sad. Not exactly the way I want to ring in the new year.
I’m sorry that you had to look at poor Dick Clark. Perhaps we should move back to the 70’s and keep our disabled people in there homes so no one has to look at them. Frankly I’m surprised at your attitude about disability given your background. The fact that the show was too long and not well done is a good criticism but to complain because a man who had a stroke and has the courage to continue each year on a show that he started and fostered for so long is ludicrous. And, who are these rude insensitive people who laugh at someone because he has a speech problem? You should rethink your attitude and look around you. We have fought too long and too hard for the right of people with disabilities to shun them because they are different than us. Remember prejudice comes from our fears.
Angela Melledy
Publisher, Able Newspaper
Hey Angela, you know me well enough to know that I am compassionate for people with disabilities. I have donated endless hours and resources to helping people with disabilities and I have worked at many different rehabilitation facilities. My mother has a disability and I have grown up with it my entire life. I would never say anything badly about anyone. I hope this one blog post doesn’t make you think otherwise…
That’s why I was surprised at your comments. On the one hand you have been involved but it’s attitudes like what you portray here that keep PWD in the background. Compassion is not really what PWD need. They need acceptance. They don’t want to be inspirations. They want to be active, intregal members of society.
I 100% agree…. Thanks for your input!
While i agree that Dick Clark no longer really has the ability to do the show, i think that the way you expressed it comes across as mean spirited. We all know that DC had a stroke and it is great that he fought back, got a fake tan and botox, and got back in front of the camera. The problem is that his timing is gone, he is difficult to understand, has nothing to add to the show, and slows down the broadcast. In short, he cannot do the job anymore. There is alot of talk here about PWD and we dont want to relegate them to the background but DC is not doing PWD any favors by ruining the show. Is it politically correct to pretend that this is DC prestroke? I dont think it is prejudice to face the reality of the situation that DC should just come on TV at 11:45 and 12:01 and wish everyone a rockin new years and cut to lady gaga with tony bennett. In conclusion, i think HT is right but just had alittle trouble getting her words out… Sound familiar?
Theodore Roosevelt
Congressman Jim Langevin
Stephen Hawking
Christopher Reeve
Where would the world be if we decided that these people and so many others were “ruining the show” because it’s a little uncomfortable for us to look at them. That whole show, that went on for 4 hours, was hard to look at. Bad timing all around. Bad staging. Much too long. And so many ads. Many more ads than show. An hour would have been fine.
Dick Clark always had a fake tan and botox and was never a great MC. But, now that his speech is delayed we don’t want to watch him. Your TV has an off button if it’s that offensive.
I hope you never become irrelevant because you have a little problem. We need to be more understanding of PWD and more tolerant of each other in general.
Roosevelt (i think you mean FDR, not Teddy), CJL, and SH are relevant because they had/have ideas to share. Chris Reeve also had ideas to share after his accident, but i dont think he would have put on the tights and cape and tried to portray Superman after his accident and if he did then shouldnt people have a right to criticize his performance? So, we all agree that the New Years Eve broadcast stunk for lots of reasons, but If DC is going to be an MC, then his performance is open to being criticized. The problem here is that those defending PWD are not allowing a distinction to be made between the performance and the disability. It is not fair to say that those of us who citicize the performance here are uncomfortable around PWD or want to hide them away, etc. On the contrary, i do not find DC or anyone on your list offensive, i admire them all, i just think that DC did no one any favors with his lousy performance on the show. Steve Hawking was wrong about black holes, are we automatically intolerant if we disagree with him?