Yeah, I admit I was a little uncomfortable watching Dick Clark on New Year's Eve. It was hard to understand what he was saying, his speech affected greatly by a stroke he suffered three years ago. But I wanted to see Dick Clark. I wanted to hear from him. I wanted part of my celebration to include him, even if my idea of celebrating is watching the show in bed with my family. Of course, my kids don’t know who Dick Clark is…or what he meant to people my age. They had Ryan Seacrest, and the Jonas Boys…and Kellie Pickler.
Life isn’t easy. It isn’t pretty. Illness can rob you of your ability, be it talking, looking good, or doing your job. Many of us have a friend or family member struggling with speech after a stroke. It’s jarring at first, but you get used to it. Yes, Dick Clark is a performer, and his speech problems affect his performance, but people feel a connection to him and I think he still belongs on the show. However, he needs to cut back a bit on the talking because it’s hard to understand what he was saying.
My main complaint with the Dick Clark show was the ball drop. What happened to it? We saw most of the countdown and then at “Happy New Year” cameras cut to Dick and his wife, and Ryan and his pals hugging…where was the crowd?….where was the ball drop? The most crucial moment was missed!
Happy New Year everyone. I wish you lots of good health and happiness!
Corbett
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