Network pilots are subjected to research, part of which is Focus Groups. It is here you learn that some nimrod doesn’t like your lead character because she wore red shoes. Or she took too long folding a towel. Recast at once! Now, with the internet and social media, everybody is a Focus Group participant. And the results are, as expected, fucking stupid.
Take, for example, one of the Facebook JEOPARDY fan groups. These are some of the actual comments on why Mayim Bialik is not fit to be the host and must be removed immediately. And I’ve spared you all the outrage over her egregious selection of wardrobe and eyeglasses.
When she goes into commercial breaks, she holds the podium and moves her shoulders back and forth.
She pauses too many seconds to let everyone know if the answer is correct or not.
She is an actor and brings too much of that to the stage.
I wish she would stop the Shatner-like pause before she says, "That's right.”
Well, just make it easy to understand. She’s annoying and has a face for radio.
I almost lost it tonight watching jeopardy......she is so rude and HARSH with her...NO....response. so over her!!!
When she is finishing up with one contestant chat, saying that's great, etc. , she is already looking at the card for the next contestant. She is just not a natural.
So it’s not that has bad diction, reads the clues wrong, is ill-prepared, isn’t engaged with the contestants, is not in complete control of the stage — she moves her shoulders when going into a break. It’s absurd.
And what’s even more absurd is that networks, studios, and producers make decisions partly based on this type of worthless input. The solution of course is NOT to listen, not to take this nonsense seriously. These people are only railing because they now have a platform. Before it was just their scarecrows. Let Mayim do her thing.
NOTE: This is a travel day for me so comments won't be posted until late into the day or evening.
from By Ken Levine
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