Age should not be a determining factor on what we - as Americans - have to offer. It used to be...if you were a child...a teenager...or even "a young whippersnapper" of college age or a bit older - you were ignored. Not anymore. And frankly...I never agreed with that when I was a kid. So why now are the voices of younger people heard more clearly...than those with maturity and experience?
big Jimmy Fallon fan, but I thought I'd give him a chance as the host of the program, which has been a cash cow for the NBC television network for 60 years...since it began with Steve 
Allen in 1954. After about two and a half years...in 1957...The Tonight Show continued with host Jack Paar for nearly five years until 1962 when for the next 30 years...until 1992...the best of
the best - Johnny Carson - made The Tonight Show his own...and the staple for any late night television talk show. Johnny Carson will always be "The King of Late Night"...and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson will never be topped. But after being forced out by "The Peacock Network"...Johnny was
succeeded by Jay Leno from 1992 until 2009. However...NBC made the biggest mistake in television history...and pushed Jay to 
primetime...and Conan O'Brien spent a disastrous eight months at the helm of The Tonight Show... until early in 2010 when The Tonight Show With Jay Leno returned to the airwaves for another four years...when Jimmy Fallon took over earlier this year.
In a January 26th, 2014 broadast of 60 Minutes...CBS News Correspondent Steve Kroft interviewed Jay Leno shortly before his retirement as the host of The Tonight Show. Kroft's script stated that "Soon (Jay) will no longer be on (The Tonight Show). It's part of a demographic shift that is beginning to affect millions of baby boomers...being pushed aside...to make way for a younger generation. The inevitable changing of the guard that also reflects a change in tastes, sensibilities and values."
My opinion of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon isn't really important...since obviously...it's doing quite well in the ratings - especially with younger people. Hmm. Younger people. But as The Hollywood Reporter notes in a June 5th, 2014 article..."the most compelling part of the post-Jay Leno story is how Fallon hasn't really hurt the competition. He's brought new, younger viewers, in that coveted 18-49 demographic, to late night." But The Hollywood Reporter also wrote that Fallon's "wide margin of victory hasn't taken away any considerable portion" of Jimmy Kimmel's audience on ABC or David Letterman's on CBS. But yet...Dave - on Thursday, April 3rd, 2014 - announced that he'll be retiring as the host of Late Show sometime in 2015. Dave was smart. He made the move before CBS made it for him. Or did they? After all..it took only one week for CBS to select Letterman's replacement. On Thursday, April 10th, another personality who is popular
with the younger demographics - Stephen Colbert - was tapped to take over for Dave next year.I happen to like Colbert...but let's remember...he's very funny "in character as Stephen Colbert." He will need to be just as funny..."as Stephen Colbert."
Back to NBC...when I watched the premiere program of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon...I thought it was as bad as I expected to be. But four months have gone by and I believed the former host of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon and the former regular of Saturday Night Live...deserved another chance. Sorry, Jimmy...but you're just not my cup of tea.
I realize television executives - many of which are also younger these days than they were in the past - are today appealing to those 18-34 (or younger) and 18-49 demographics...but it's a shame that just like everything else in this country today...nobody wants to focus on the more mature generations. If you're 40 or over...and especially if you're age 50 and older...we in those age brackets...are often forgotten.
I certainly understand that in a world with Internet, I-Pads, I-Pods, I-Phones and I-Everything else...the youth of today are more involved and more educated with even the simplest of technology...but that doesn't mean that experience in other areas and with other forms of business should be tossed out with the trash.
When I was a youngster, I was always offended when some adults used the phrase..."Children should be seen and not heard." It seems now that it's the other way around. Children - or at least young adults - are listened to more today...than middle-aged and senior citizens...who still have a great deal to offer to this country...and to this world.
Personally...I've spent more than 40 years as a professional in a media industry that includes broadcasting, journalism and entertainment. And when I seek out an employment opportunity...I'm told that the company is looking to hire someone with "contemporary ideas"..."an abundance of energy"...and "new, refreshing concepts." Those are all euphemisms...and buzz words...that translate to mean..."You're too old...and we want someone younger." That's discrimination. And discrimination against a person because of their age is as bad as discrimination against someone because of the color of their skin... their ethnic heritage...their religion...their gender...their sexual orientation...or for any other reason. It's criminal. Old...and older...are not dirty words. I just wish everybody - not just some - who are young...would believe that.
77. Do the Republicans not remember that they nominated John McCain for President in 2008 when the Arizona Senator was 72 years old? Do members of the GOP not recall that former Kansas Senator 
Bob Dole was 73 when he was the Republican Party's nominee for President in 1996? And I doubt anybody can forget...
that President Ronald Reagan moved in to The White House in January 1981 and took the oath of office twice as our Commander-in-Chief. After serving two terms as President...Mr. Reagan vacated The Oval Office in January 1989 when he was just a few weeks shy of his 78th birthday.
I have always been one who believes that the opinions, thoughts and views of ALL Americans...must be considered. When I was a kid...I would sometimes hear certain adults remark..."What do you know? You're only 16."
We have proven over and over and over again that young people - those in their twenties and even those in their early, middle and late teens - can provide a tremendous input in to our nation and in to our world. But with age...brings experience. And the age and experience of Hillary Clinton will be a plus for America...should she decide to seek the Democratic nomination for President in 2016. After all...Secretary Clinton has more talent...more knowledge...more wisdom...and more sound judgment...in the fingernail of her right pinky...than any Republican has in his or her whole body. Therefore, I have no doubt that Hillary Clinton will defeat any person that the Republicans put up to oppose her. Thus the reason for the sleazy and despicable
comments...that Republican strategist Karl Rove made last month...when he indicated that Secretary Clinton may have brain damage. But being sleazy and despicable is not something new for Mr. Rove. What he did...purposely... with preparation and pre-meditation...was disgusting. It was a cheap shot... at the most successful woman in American political history.The age...and the health...of any political candidate - especially one running for President - is always a concern for American voters. The New York Post in May 2014 published Karl Rove's words...when the former Deputy Chief of Staff
and Senior Adviser to President George W. Bush asked about Secretary Clinton..."Thirty days in the hospital? And when she reappears, she's wearing glasses that are only for people who have traumatic brain injury? We need to know what's up with that?"Rove's remarks revolve around an accident when Secretary Clinton fell in December 2012. Doctors had diagnosed her with a concussion and a blood clot in her head. And besides the fabrication that Rove created about Mrs. Clinton's health...he needs to get his facts straight on the former Secretary of State's hospitalization. The former First Lady was treated at New York-Presbyterian Hospital for three days...not thirty.
I totally understand that Karl Rove will do anything he can to destroy the possible candidacy of Hillary Clinton for President in 2016. But Mrs. Clinton hasn't even declared herself to be a candidate...and Rove has already begun an ugly smear campaign. Legitimate inquiries in to the health of a politician is fair game...but the Republican strategist has gone too far by suggesting that Secretary Clinton has a permanent injury to her brain. Rove went way over the line of decency... beyond dirty politics. It was downright evil.
Even some Republicans jumped down Karl Rove's throat saying that his remark was ludicrous. Former Speaker Of The House Newt Gingrich said, "This was not clever. And it wasn't an insinuation. This was Karl Rove running headlong into a brick wall. In both parties, this kind of attack weakens the fabric of democracy." I noted earlier that Rove's comments were pre-planned. His words were clearly not part of a spontaneously spoken statement. But newspapers, magazines, television and radio newscasts, and Internet Websites have stated that Rove made his remarks at "a private event." Let's get real, people. It's 2014. There is no such thing anymore as "a private event." Most everyone today has a video camera with audio on their cell phones...and in an age of Facebook and Twitter...nothing is private.
And that's The Controversy for today.
I'm Gary B. Duglin.
"We'll talk again."
The Controversy is a publication of GBD Productions. Founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Controversy is Gary B. Duglin.
The Controversy will make an effort to publish a new commentary every Sunday. Unscheduled essays may appear, from time to time, on other days as well.
Please post The Controversy site on your own Facebook pages and on your Twitter accounts; and please pass a link to everyone in your e-mail directories.
Now, please express your opinions in the comment box below. You do not have to register your name and you can remain totally anonymous if you prefer. The Controversy wants to know your views on the editorial above and on any other commentary or essay written on this blog. Just click on the word "Comments" below and write your thoughts in the box that appears. Make sure please that when you finish your statement that you click on the word "Publish." Thank you for your thoughts and thank you for reading The Controversy.
Copyright 2014 Gary B. Duglin and TheControversy.net. All Rights Reserved.
The following was written by Jodee5 on June 22, 2014 at 4:22 PM. The opinion was inadvertently posted as a response to last week's commentary, so I am re-posting it for Jodee5 on this week's column, which is what Jodee5 is commenting about.
ReplyDeleteRegarding J. Fallon: He is obviously very talented but his appeal is to the younger, under 40 audience. His laughing at his own jokes and skits is more like "The Muppets" than Johnny Carson, while his hysteria at anything his guest says or does is more like PeeWee Herman than Jay Leno. I am sorry to see two late night icons (Leno & Letterman) leave their shows even though they are still on the top of their game, but the networks always appeal to the young demographics while the older audiences spend more money. Go figure!
Thank you, Jodee5 for your thoughts. GBD
As for the age thing I agree we need to do more and recognize the value in experience that being said the older generation needs to keep up with today’s technologies so that they can use that experience in today’s workplace. Saying I have been doing it this way for 30 years doesn’t make it the right way it may make it just the old way. Today’s workplace requires things to be done faster and online and all while multitasking six other things at the same time.
ReplyDeleteAs for your comments about Karl Rove and Hillary Clinton, I do not think his comments were needed but except for the miss-statement about 30 days in the hospital (he meant 30 days out of public view) his comment were 100% accurate. The CDC , the AMA and NIH all describe a concussion as a “TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI)” http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/ . As for your ridiculous comment “After all...Secretary Clinton has more talent...more knowledge...more wisdom...and more sound judgment...in the fingernail of her right pinky...than any Republican has in his or her whole body” , can you please show even one major accomplishment she has ever had! You can’t because she doesn’t have any.
You have got to be kidding! Either THAT...or you are simply out of touch with the efforts, the successes and the achievements of Hillary Clinton. You cannot be serious by "YOUR RIDICULOUS COMMENT" that I cannot "show even one major accomplishment (Hillary Clinton) has ever had." I understand you disagreeing with Mrs. Clinton's politics, but to deny the fact that as Secretary of State, as a United States Senator from the State of New York and as First Lady of both Arkansas and the U.S.A. that Hillary Clinton has had numerous major accomplishments, great accomplishments, magnificent and monumental achievements...then you need to study your history from over the last three decades. Be fair...and be honest...and you'll know I'm right. GBD
DeleteAs I said you did not give a single achievement, lets look at a few things during her time as First Lady: would you call travel-gate an achievement how about Hillary-care, she got passed zero bills of her own during her time as Senator, during her time as Secretary of State the world as gone more down hill, Iraq, Benghazi, North Korea, Russia, Afghanistan should I go on. Don't claim Osama bin Laden because that was Seal Team 6. She has done nothing but talk a lot.
ReplyDeleteI did not list any achievements because the list is so great, I would need more space than this little box can handle. I did not list any accomplishments because your remarks are clearly political and not factual. GBD
DeleteYou did not give any achievements because there aren't any. Give what you think are her top two! You also never commented on the NIH and CDC defining what she had as a TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY. I know from reading your column for a long time you do have a problem with facts, you believe left wing talking points and state them as facts when they are not.
ReplyDeleteI will make this one statement and leave it at that, as I refuse to argue or debate when you obviously will never acknowledge anything positve from a liberal or Democrat. The American Heritage Dictionary does define a concussion as "an injury to the brain or spinal cord due to jarring from a blow, fall, or the like." However, Karl Rove's vicious and venomous comment was spewed for political reasons. When you acknowledge THAT FACT...you'll realize I'm right. GBD
ReplyDeleteI never said it wasn’t political, everything in Washington is political! I said I didn’t agree with Rove but most of what he said was true, political but true. Unlike the lies put out about GW Bush from Dan Rather, his forged documents!
ReplyDeleteFrom the AMA website:
DEFINITION:▸ Concussion is defined as a traumatically induced transient disturbance of brain function and involves a complex pathophysiological process. Concussion is a subset of traumatic brain injury (TBI) which is generally self-limited and at the less-severe end of the brain injury spectrum.
Still not one achievement, I guess you don't have any!!!
Interesting how you bring up issues that have nothing to do with my commentary. As for your remark, "Still not one achievement, I guess you don't have any!!!" - well, the list is too long. As I stated in an earlier response, "study your history from over the last three decades (actually nearly four decades). Be fair...and be honest...and you'll know I'm right." GBD
Delete