4/26/2005
The "80/20" rule
I just erased a big rant about what's called "The 80/20 Rule." For those of you not familiar with this rule, it basically says, "80% of everything is pure unadulterated drivel."
I erased it because I was getting depressed, and what I was writing was even more bitter sounding than what I usually write. Except that this time there was no wacky, humorous payoff. It was just making me sad.
Last Thursday, some random Entercom Radio suit in Pennsylvania decided that an AM radio station here in Portland, Oregon would go off the air with literally no warning. The entire format changed at 2:00 pm, without so much as a "Dear Listeners, we're changing formats. Go pound sand." It was the only radio station that provided talk radio that wasn't sports or politics. The only radio station I listened to, which had the funniest, smartest, and most unique radio program I've ever heard in my life. But some guy who has never been to Oregon, never talked to the radio listeners here, and doesn't care about something that was uniquely Portland decided to pipe in the same old music and same canned DJ reading the same canned cue cards that every other city in America is forced to listen to. (And to add insult to injury, they replaced it with...wait for it...oldies. Because what we were all clamoring for was to hear "Louie, Louie" or "Wild Thing" again and again...in the spectacular, high-quality aural clarity that AM radio offers.)
And as most of us know (I'm assuming that my dear readers are the 20% of the 80/20 rule who don't like crap), the words "funniest, smartest, and most unique" can only mean one thing: "swift cancellation." You see, why appeal to the smart 20% when you can pander to the 80%?
Let's look at a few examples. "My So-Called Life." "Freaks and Geeks." "Futurama." All gone. And soon (I'm predicting) "Arrested Development." But thankfully we will still have years and years of "According to Jim" and "Yes, Dear." And while most of the world has never heard of the brilliant movie "Waiting for Guffman," they can't seem to get enough of "White Chicks." And for the love of Travolta, do you realize there have been 3 "Look Who's Talking" movies?!
I'm done now. I know nobody reading this cares but me, but if I can't vent here, then I have to vent to my wife, who makes me take time-outs in the "pity-party closet" to do so. Sorry this wasn't funny, but just a sad reminder that with few exceptions ("Lost" found a fan base? I won't get sucked in only to have it cancelled?! There is hope!!!), in the battle between good and crap, crap will always win, and the people with good taste will be stuck with 9 (!) years of "Home Improvement."
I erased it because I was getting depressed, and what I was writing was even more bitter sounding than what I usually write. Except that this time there was no wacky, humorous payoff. It was just making me sad.
Last Thursday, some random Entercom Radio suit in Pennsylvania decided that an AM radio station here in Portland, Oregon would go off the air with literally no warning. The entire format changed at 2:00 pm, without so much as a "Dear Listeners, we're changing formats. Go pound sand." It was the only radio station that provided talk radio that wasn't sports or politics. The only radio station I listened to, which had the funniest, smartest, and most unique radio program I've ever heard in my life. But some guy who has never been to Oregon, never talked to the radio listeners here, and doesn't care about something that was uniquely Portland decided to pipe in the same old music and same canned DJ reading the same canned cue cards that every other city in America is forced to listen to. (And to add insult to injury, they replaced it with...wait for it...oldies. Because what we were all clamoring for was to hear "Louie, Louie" or "Wild Thing" again and again...in the spectacular, high-quality aural clarity that AM radio offers.)
And as most of us know (I'm assuming that my dear readers are the 20% of the 80/20 rule who don't like crap), the words "funniest, smartest, and most unique" can only mean one thing: "swift cancellation." You see, why appeal to the smart 20% when you can pander to the 80%?
Let's look at a few examples. "My So-Called Life." "Freaks and Geeks." "Futurama." All gone. And soon (I'm predicting) "Arrested Development." But thankfully we will still have years and years of "According to Jim" and "Yes, Dear." And while most of the world has never heard of the brilliant movie "Waiting for Guffman," they can't seem to get enough of "White Chicks." And for the love of Travolta, do you realize there have been 3 "Look Who's Talking" movies?!
I'm done now. I know nobody reading this cares but me, but if I can't vent here, then I have to vent to my wife, who makes me take time-outs in the "pity-party closet" to do so. Sorry this wasn't funny, but just a sad reminder that with few exceptions ("Lost" found a fan base? I won't get sucked in only to have it cancelled?! There is hope!!!), in the battle between good and crap, crap will always win, and the people with good taste will be stuck with 9 (!) years of "Home Improvement."
