Actually, Kent, you are wrong. ABC did EXACTLY what Dick would have done himself, at least with clips. Put them in 2/3 or screen with banners, show longer clips (2 minutes) of artists who moved around a lot when singing and 10 seconds of artists which were in the top 5!! THAT is a Dick Clark type anniversary show tribute like he always has done. I DID like the bloopers and noticed some clips came from sources which may not have been HIS programs at all. Also normal for his shows. Dick DID give lots of air time to artists, but as far as discovering most of these -- NO. Most had BIG hits before coming on and SOME actually did make first appearances on Bandstand, so there is a little credence there. Notice how most clips were from AFTER these guys were stars or even past being stars??
The idea that Dick discovered these artists must have made many cringe or laugh. Do you think Michael Jackson's tribute legacy for the show should have been him dressed as an orange flower singing "Rockin Robin"??? Why put the J5 and Michael BOTH in there? Couldn't both have been in one slot? A weird top 30 anyway, agreed. Who was the yellow dressed mannequin playing 2012's Nancy Sinatra?? "I'm too sexy for this show." What a total bimbo! I'm sure she had NO idea who 29 of the top 30 artists were. A loser tribute, but the key for ABC was -- "We got you to watch it AGAIN!! The joke's on YOU!" Well, at least Ryan Seacrest (looks more like Dick Clark every year) did NOT kiss Dick Clark's widow.
BTW, I THINK I saw Freddie Cannon, but they chose to clip it so short that it was two seconds if that and most would not have known a clip was even there! Freddie Cannon deserves more time than most on that show by far. WHOOO! Freddie, "Why didn't I touch that dial?" Let me hear everybody say of YEAH!" Again, if you want a tribute to Dick, look at these clips on 4 different NRRA youtube sites: http://www.youtube.com/user/NRRArchives2
Clark Besch
Freddy's clip was literally a millisecond ... obviously not what HE was led to believe or he never would have emailed
us to tell us to watch! (kk)
us to tell us to watch! (kk)
It sure was a different New Year's Eve without Dick Clark. It was great that
they paid tribute to him and still used his name.
Ed Salamon
Use of his name is one thing ... disgracing that name with such a lame tribute is quite another. (kk)
Kent,
I am finding myself disappointed with TV broadcasting on the whole. I can't expect them to do better on a featured special than they are doing everyday. Go to a station website and read their reports: misused words, misspelled words, ("Follow our 'Lighting Tracker'" ... studio lighting perhaps? ... can't be weather related) and improper grammar. What happened to the proof-readers who knew how to edit? What happened to the editors who knew how to produce quality? Oh, of course. We don't want anyone's self-esteem to be dented so we accept sub-standard in all areas. As you mentioned, Kent, we made strides in music this year renewing the melody / lyric concept. Maybe, if I keep raising my standards in the classroom, our kids can take back the idea of quality in all areas of their lives. What you are not great at doing, that person next to you might be tops. Together you can achieve excellence. OR we can cut costs, lower expectations so everyone meets the goal, and continue on substandard.
Wow, isn't this like the musical 60's taught us? A group can be stronger than each of its parts?
Shelley
I am finding myself disappointed with TV broadcasting on the whole. I can't expect them to do better on a featured special than they are doing everyday. Go to a station website and read their reports: misused words, misspelled words, ("Follow our 'Lighting Tracker'" ... studio lighting perhaps? ... can't be weather related) and improper grammar. What happened to the proof-readers who knew how to edit? What happened to the editors who knew how to produce quality? Oh, of course. We don't want anyone's self-esteem to be dented so we accept sub-standard in all areas. As you mentioned, Kent, we made strides in music this year renewing the melody / lyric concept. Maybe, if I keep raising my standards in the classroom, our kids can take back the idea of quality in all areas of their lives. What you are not great at doing, that person next to you might be tops. Together you can achieve excellence. OR we can cut costs, lower expectations so everyone meets the goal, and continue on substandard.
Wow, isn't this like the musical 60's taught us? A group can be stronger than each of its parts?
Shelley
I agree with you completely. A two hour tribute to who? Did they just stick Dick in with whom they thought were important? Who's running these shows, dingbats that were born in the 80's? How very disappointing to see something like that -- Dick is an icon and should have been treated that way!! Perhaps this is what we are going to see from WLS with Dick Biondi -- it's a sad, sad world we live in, Master Jack.
wldmas
Kent, |
I, too, was very let down by the whole show and the Dick Clark Tribute. Seems like our generation wasn't considered. A lot like FM Radio.
... bd poe
Totally agree with your thoughts on the half assed Dick Clark tribute, Kent. This was an insult to the man and his career. At the very least, Dick deserves a two hour ABC full network documentary. There's just so much material to choose from. I was taping it Monday night (well digitally anyway) and about half an hour in, I stopped the DVD recorder and only occasionally watched when something about Dick came on the screen. The promos ABC aired DID lead one to think that it would be two hours of tribute to Dick Clark from 8 to 10 PM EST then, they'd get back to the countdown to New Years. How very, very sad. And the whole 'New Years Rockin' Eve' was still being billed as 'Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve'. Dick Clark's legacy deserves much better treatment than that.
Doug Thompson (Toronto)
Couldn’t agree more Kent, this was not the tribute Dick Clark deserved, or the show people of our generation were hoping for last night. It could have been really great. Too bad.
I don't know who made the selections for the Dick Clark tribute, but the Go
Gos and Toni Basil were more important than Chubby Checker???? As I'm sure you
know, Dick's first wife came up with Chubby's stage name.
And Bill Haley and His Comets should have been ranked a little ... no, a lot
higher.
Carolyn Travis
Kent,
Keep on promoting the legacy.
Chet Coppock
WLS - NotreDame football host
Chicago Blackhawks - video contributor
Pure
and simple, ABC disgraced the legacy of Dick Clark with its inane
list. As you pointed out, all D.C. ever did for ABC was drive the cash
cow. The network owes his family an apology.
As a young kid Dick Clark intro'd me to Chuck Berry, Freddie Cannon and the song writing genius of people like Barry Mann and Carole King.
'nuff said.
Flipped on youtube the other day and played Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else" off Dick's old Saturday night show. If Eddie doesn't die much too young, he would truly have achieved power house status. The cat could rock and he had just enough sneer, just enough edge, to appeal to kids who were sick of Perry Como.
Headed to Miami for ND - Bama. Have a big special Sunday night special from 9 pm to 1 am cst on 89 WLS.
Happy New Year, Kent.As a young kid Dick Clark intro'd me to Chuck Berry, Freddie Cannon and the song writing genius of people like Barry Mann and Carole King.
'nuff said.
Flipped on youtube the other day and played Eddie Cochran's "Somethin' Else" off Dick's old Saturday night show. If Eddie doesn't die much too young, he would truly have achieved power house status. The cat could rock and he had just enough sneer, just enough edge, to appeal to kids who were sick of Perry Como.
Headed to Miami for ND - Bama. Have a big special Sunday night special from 9 pm to 1 am cst on 89 WLS.
Keep on promoting the legacy.
Chet Coppock
WLS - NotreDame football host
Chicago Blackhawks - video contributor
Totally agree with your thoughts on the half assed Dick Clark tribute, Kent. This was an insult to the man and his career. At the very least, Dick deserves a two hour ABC full network documentary. There's just so much material to choose from. I was taping it Monday night (well digitally anyway) and about half an hour in, I stopped the DVD recorder and only occasionally watched when something about Dick came on the screen. The promos ABC aired DID lead one to think that it would be two hours of tribute to Dick Clark from 8 to 10 PM EST then, they'd get back to the countdown to New Years. How very, very sad. And the whole 'New Years Rockin' Eve' was still being billed as 'Dick Clark's New Years Rockin' Eve'. Dick Clark's legacy deserves much better treatment than that.
Doug Thompson (Toronto)
Couldn’t agree more Kent, this was not the tribute Dick Clark deserved, or the show people of our generation were hoping for last night. It could have been really great. Too bad.
Happy New Year buddy, hope 2013 is a kick ass year for you, your family and your readers.
Tommy
Paul Revere and The Raiders
The program paid a real disservice to Dick Clark and all that he stood for. The countdown was a joke -- who made up THAT list??? The bloopers and outtake clips were better than ANY of the musical clips featured. And how does this premise work: countdown the acts that Dick supposedly gave their television debuts to (false!) and then feature clips like Bill Haley and the Comets singing "Rock Around The Clock" four years after it was a hit, Stevie Wonder doing "Fingertips, Part 2" three years after it was a hit and The Beach Boys performing "Good Vibrations" 14 YEARS after it was a hit. In what way does that paint Dick Clark's contribution to music as "ground-breaking". A disgrace from start to finish.
Top10Kid
Hello and Happy New Year!
The program paid a real disservice to Dick Clark and all that he stood for. The countdown was a joke -- who made up THAT list??? The bloopers and outtake clips were better than ANY of the musical clips featured. And how does this premise work: countdown the acts that Dick supposedly gave their television debuts to (false!) and then feature clips like Bill Haley and the Comets singing "Rock Around The Clock" four years after it was a hit, Stevie Wonder doing "Fingertips, Part 2" three years after it was a hit and The Beach Boys performing "Good Vibrations" 14 YEARS after it was a hit. In what way does that paint Dick Clark's contribution to music as "ground-breaking". A disgrace from start to finish.
Top10Kid
Hello and Happy New Year!
The so called tribute to Dick Clark was such a let down! During some of the archival clips, the editing was awful. I could not see much of Smokey's face in his clip. In the Sonny & Cher clip, I could barely see Sonny! No, it was NOT my TV! Others have told me they had the same issue.
There were no shots of rate a record, hardly any dancing, no mention of the "Regulars", the kids that were on the show every day in the Philly years. Almost no early artists except for Bill Haley. And no Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Bo, Fats, Bobby Darin ... etc. (and my other favorite, Neil Sedaka.) I would have appreciated more mention of all the game shows, award shows, bloopers show and trail blazing things he did so well.
What about the Dick Clark Cross country bus tours that were ground breaking? I think they were called Dick Clark's Shower of Stars. Many times racial boundaries were broken ... this was a huge accomplishment! More should have been said about that achievement. Let's not even talk about the top 30 "list". Whose list was that? Thanks for doing what you do Kent!
Laura "Goldie" Kohnke
It started out OK with the Bill Haley Clip, but when Toni Basil came on next, I knew this was gonna be a waste a time. I stuck it out thru James Brown and turned on the Sci-Fi channel. If I'm gonna watch science fiction, I'll watch the Twilight Zone. |
Jack
As soon as they covered the first five artists in the countdown in less than ten minutes I knew we were doomed! And I absolutely LOVE your "Twilight Zone" analogy ... the rankings on this countdown had to come from somewhere other than reality!!! (kk)
Hi Kent,
As soon as they covered the first five artists in the countdown in less than ten minutes I knew we were doomed! And I absolutely LOVE your "Twilight Zone" analogy ... the rankings on this countdown had to come from somewhere other than reality!!! (kk)
Hi Kent,
I agree with you. It was nice the tribute was right before "New Year's Rockin' Eve", however, it did not need to be part of the event. It would have been nice for the show to start with American Bandstand in Philly and show the dances through the 80's along with some of the Philly artists as you previously mentioned. I felt the tribute was a preview of "New Year's Rockin' Eve." I also would have liked to have seen Kari sign off with something poignant about Dick. It could and should have been a much much better tribute to an icon like Dick Clark.
A Healthy & Happy New Year Kent and the best to you always,
Eddie Kelly (American Bandstand Dancer)
THE TRIBUTE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY SOMEONE VERY YOUNG WITH NO FEEL FOR THE ERA ... VERY WEAK, INDEED!!
THE TRIBUTE LOOKED LIKE IT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY SOMEONE VERY YOUNG WITH NO FEEL FOR THE ERA ... VERY WEAK, INDEED!!
MIKE BUSH
Yet, surprisingly, this is NOT the case. Noted Billboard scribe Fred Bronson was one of the people responsible for the content of this program ... in fact, Fred even used to work for Dick Clark for awhile!!! Quite honestly, I called him on it. I wanted to know if he was in some way coerced into changing his vision to make the show "hipper" for the "no-attention-span" crowd ... as this simply wasn't worthy of his track record. I even invited him to comment formally in our pages to hopefully set the record straight. So far, no response ... but maybe after he sees more of these comments, we can persuade him to respond.
My letter to Fred:
Hi Fred!
Yet, surprisingly, this is NOT the case. Noted Billboard scribe Fred Bronson was one of the people responsible for the content of this program ... in fact, Fred even used to work for Dick Clark for awhile!!! Quite honestly, I called him on it. I wanted to know if he was in some way coerced into changing his vision to make the show "hipper" for the "no-attention-span" crowd ... as this simply wasn't worthy of his track record. I even invited him to comment formally in our pages to hopefully set the record straight. So far, no response ... but maybe after he sees more of these comments, we can persuade him to respond.
My letter to Fred:
Hi Fred!
And a VERY Happy New Year to you!!!
I was hoping that you might say a few words to our readers about the mandates that must have been handed down by the powers that be at ABC pertaining to last night's Dick Clark New Year's Eve Tribute Special. I cannot imagine even for a second that THIS is the program you had hoped to present to the millions and millions of fans who grew up watching all of Dick's special programming. Knowing your background and level of expertise (not to mention attention to detail), I have to believe this was a personal embarrassment ... and would like to offer our forum as a way to speak to the fans and let them know your true feelings about the end result.
You'll find our not-so-flattering review here:
To say that it didn't live up to the hype or expectations of what would have been deserving for a man of Clark's stature is the understatement of the new year. (You worked with the man for years ... certainly you must feel the level of respect shown during this broadcast, while glowing at times, left the viewers feeling short-changed.)
If you're unable to comment, I understand ... but having the highest regard for your work, I just HAVE to believe that you've got a few things you'd like to get off your chest!!! Again, please feel free to use our forum to do so.
And, if you feel I'm totally off-base in my assessment, please feel free to slam me accordingly in print!!! Seriously ... I'm just trying to get inside the mind-set that put this thing together.
Thank you very much.
kk
Kent Kotal
Forgotten Hits
TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT:
TODAY'S FORGOTTEN HIT:
By suggestion ... (intentional or not!) ...
