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you said that irony was the shackles of youth
by mg at 11:53 AM on December 10, 2003
If you’ve watched ABC recently, you’ve surely noticed that during each and every one of their news programs they keep a little “Vote 2004” thing over their own logo. This infuriates me every single time I see it, to the point that if I ever saw Peter Jennings walking down the street, I’d have to Daniel Pearl him.
Now, it’d be one thing if it were 2004. The logo could be seen as a reminder to, you know, vote. But they’ve been running the logo since at least the beginning of this year. I can’t honestly think of a time when it hasn’t been there, but my memory is shorter than Justin Guarini’s career. (note: I somehow managed to spell his name right on the first try, and that frightens me sorely.)
I’d also be another thing if the logo only appeared during news programs that discussed the election or politics. I could live with that. But, no. For some reason those watching Barbara Walters interview Renée Zellweger about Chicago and dating scary Jack White must be continuously reminded that there will be an election held 11 months from now. For some reason those watching John Stossel’s insightful and not at all stupid Give me a break! reports must be jabbed in the eye with an incessant image that is now permanently lodged in the brain.
It’s getting to the point where I’m walking around the streets and constantly see a little “Vote 2004” logo in the corner of my vision, and I can’t stand it anymore.
The point is that I watched Nightline yesterday evening because it was the first nationally broadcast debate between the democratic presidential candidates. And it was the first time in months that I could watch an ABC news program without flying into a violent rage.
comments (12)
I actually had a real point to this all - I wanted to provide my sage advice to the democratic candidates, but seeing as the election is still 11 long months away, I think I’ve got plenty of time to do that.
by mg at December 10, 2003 11:55 AM
I can't believe I just looked at Justin Guarini's website. I have effectively managed to avoid knowing what this Ruben person looks like, though! Yay pop culture ignorance!
by Linz at December 10, 2003 1:59 PM
Hasn't NBC had the Olympic rings over its logo pretty well constantly for the past three or four years?
by Adam at December 10, 2003 4:37 PM
those are chinese "finger cuffs".
by lajo at December 10, 2003 5:03 PM
Right, they aren't there for the Olympics, but still in celebration of Hong Kong's 1997 return to Chinese rule.
by mg at December 10, 2003 5:10 PM
Maybe that is why ABC traila the other networks so badly in the ratings. And damn, y'all would have to bring up the damn Olympics. Which is it this time, Summer or Winter? Either way I'm going into hiding. Can you say, "Come and get us, Osama?"
by anna at December 10, 2003 6:36 PM
Yo man, this gives me a great idea. You should implement a little "Vote 2004" in the corner of this website!!! With a little bit if scripting, you can make it re-position in the lower right hand corner even as some scrolls the page! Now how cool with that be?
by Eviltom at December 10, 2003 10:49 PM
What's the anti-meme to a malicious meme? Either dilution or parody I suppose.
No one deserves to be Daniel Pearled. Not even figuratively.
by chris at December 11, 2003 12:07 AM
I must confess I don't know what a meme is. But the using of names as verbs seems to work pretty well so long as you know who the person is. Pearl was that journalist who got Nicole Browned in Pakistan, right?
The Vote 2004 logo is annoying but not nearly so bad as the omnipresent crawl on cable news stations.
by anna at December 11, 2003 3:41 AM
A crawl has a purpose. What is the purpose of "Vote 2004"? Someone please tell me. Any reasonable explanation will do. I just want to be able to watch TV without feeling compelled to murder.
by mg at December 11, 2003 4:58 PM
No, there's no reason except to convince the very gullible that ABC is the One True Source for information about the next election. Bah!!!
Additionally, it involves Kirstie Alley and the Illuminati.
by jean at December 12, 2003 3:55 AM
That "Vote 2004" crap makes me want to play in traffic too MG. Doesn't ABC think we'll get plenty of warning before the actual voting process takes place? I mean, it's not like we aren't going to be bombarded by political ads bashing all other opponents and trying to make the politician, whose ad it is, look like the freakin Pope. That is until the counterbashing begins. That's when I really start to lose it.
by Ezy at December 12, 2003 10:11 AM