Jump The Shark

I have heard this term used quite frequently lately and thought it had an interesting way of making its point. Jumping the shark is the term now used to describe something that has gone beyond believability. The radio show I listen to in the morning, Bob and Tom, used the phrase last week to describe a show called Lost. I have never seen Lost, (because I am not interested) but they talk about it all of the time. It always sounded implausible to me but they said it finally went over the edge. That surprises me because the whole idea behind the show seems to be shark jumping.

The history behind the phrase goes back to a show from my youth. For all of you Richie and Fonzie fans, the show is Happy Days. There was an episode where they all go to California and Fonzie, in an attempt to convince those crazy Californians he was cooler than them, said he could jump a shark. Well, of course he did because, he’s the Fonz. That episode of a motorcycle riding cooligan from Wisconsin skiing over a shark was too much for the average person to swallow. It started the beginning of the end for Happy Days. Of course Richie leaving, Chachi and Joanie becoming a couple, and Fonzie settling down also had a big impact.

I can see some parallels to this shark jumping concept that go beyond the television screen. I quit watching the nightly news because of this issue. If I happen to be flipping channels and come across a news cast, I will devote a little viewing time to see if they have flipped back into the world of reality yet. Sadly, I find myself yelling at the TV screen and being encouraged by the children to change the channel. Apparently, my kids think I am jumping sharks by going off on a talking head. I am so utterly disappointed that we have been duped into thinking that what our networks put out as the truth is little more than drinkable Drano. I guess it is really not news anymore, it is simply editorial. Fortunately the remote has an on/off switch.

Icool

Cobb