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Hacks invade pop culture analysis

Published Tuesday, November 16, 2004 by seanlmccarthy | E-mail this post

Note to self: Avoid becoming like the like-minded folk referenced in above headline. I was suckered into watching CMT's 20 Sexiest Women episode, and before the countdown had counted down, I realized that I really watch too much television. This show is so much like every other instant-analysis, hey-I've-got-something-witty-to-say-about-things-I-know-nothing-of show on the tube these days (especially on VH1, MTV, MTV2, E!, FSN and CMT, but also creeping into other networks' programming). In fact, it's exactly like the other shows. In earlier posts, I railed against the fact that these "analysts" had no credibility. But the problem runs deeper -- these cultural talking heads all sound alike. Too many hacks filling up too much airtime. Someone must put a stop to it. I guess this is all too predictable, though, since TV executives have simply applied the same formula -- imitate a hit show until you run the format into the ground -- to pop-culture analysis that it has applied to sitcoms, dramas, game shows and "reality" shows. Watch out blogosphere, we're next.