# It was PAINFUL watching Dick Clark tonight **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2011, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022 "2011-01-01T05:04:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/21 "2011-01-01T08:28:57Z")
I didn’t watch him this year. Did he look anything like [this](http://www.freakingnews.com/Dick-Clark-Surgery-Pictures-5327.asp)? ---
**Author:** ![Homo\_litoralis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homo\_litoralis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homo_litoralis)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/22 "2011-01-01T08:30:37Z")
> [@Lobot](#): > > Not to further hijack the thread, but I am disabled and see nothing wrong with **elmwood** ’s post. I’d rather the “MANY in the disabled community” focus on real discrimination instead of getting hung-up on semantics. I couldn’t agree with you more. The word “retarded” has a few definitions, and they’re not very hard to understand, and as someone who has appeared retarded on many occasions, I can say that time is better spent on interpreting the word correctly within its context. Also, **etv78** , maybe you did it wrong. I was in a raucous tavern when the ball dropped and couldn’t hear a word, and I thought Dick looked great, and I remember him from the $25,000 pyramid, and the $10,000 one too, and American Bandstand, and I thought he looked great all along, and that is how I will remember him until he starts looking shitty, and I want to be like him when I grow up, and I hope you do too. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/23 "2011-01-01T11:42:54Z")
Well, I’m glad he’s still doing it, because when he dies, Seacrest will take over the _whole thing_ and I’ll have to stop watching. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/24 "2011-01-01T12:03:34Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > I dunno… Dick Clark has featured in every televised New Year’s Eve thing I’ve seen, since about 1976, when I started staying up for it. > > The man was forty years old when I was born, and I’m starting to come apart myself. I expect that it will be _much_ more painful when I flip on ABC the first December 31st that he’s _not_ there. This. He does what he can and leaves the rest to the younger set. The broadcast featured a New Kids/Backstreet Boys reunion, fercryinoutloud–they obviously weren’t interested in folks at the top of their game. Dick Clark is an icon, and he should do this for as long as he’s comfortable doing it. They certainly weren’t giving the viewers any other reasons to watch. I’m much more upset about Jenny McCarthy’s presence. Would someone please shoot her? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/25 "2011-01-01T15:57:14Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > It may be ACCURATE, but it’s antiquated and insulting. (IMO, obviously YMMV) It’s not antiquated, it’s still in current medical use, and there’s nothing insulting about it. It’s a specific medical diagnosis. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/26 "2011-01-01T16:04:38Z")
If y’all want to argue about the usage of the word “retarded,” please start a new thread. Thanks, **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/27 "2011-01-01T16:12:59Z")
I would prefer Dick Clark, even as a vegetable counting down the numbers with eyeblinks, then to ever have to suffer through yet another New Years with Ryan Seacrest or Jenny McCarthy. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/28 "2011-01-01T16:15:32Z")
I thought he looked great. Of course, I thought he looked OK last year, but this year he was truly great. So he’s got a slight speech impediment from the stroke, big fucking deal. He nailed the count this year and he looks good. So stop your bitching. And the makeout session with his wife put all the younger presenters to shame. The man loves his job and loves that he can share that moment with his wife. So again, stop your bitching. Dick Clark is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/29 "2011-01-01T16:36:12Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > This should be an annual thread. It pretty much is: > **[Dick Clark on New Year's Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=351970)** > > ABC has been promising “the return of Dick Clark.” They just showed him. What a tragedy. The poor man is obviously still badly impaired by his stroke. His speech was slurred and flat. His voice sounded all wrong. He raised one arm, with the other... > **[Dick Clark finally getting old? (WTF)](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=402287)** > > What happened to Dick Clark? Did he have a stroke or something? He really sounded bad on the New Year’s Rockin’ Eve. Is he ok Sgt Schwartz > **[So how was Dick Clark?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=449843)** > > Missed the usual ABC ball drop this year because I was at a bar NYE. So does Dick look any better than last year, or did he still look frail? How long do you think he can keep doing this thing? [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?searchid=6054454](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/search.php?searchid=6054454) > **[How Did Dick Clark Look This Year?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546195)** > > I didn’t watch Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Years this year. Did any one catch it? If so, what did he look like? Just wondering if his health is any better > **[It was PAINFUL watching Dick Clark tonight](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=591264)** > > I don’t want to remember him like this! I prefer to remember him doing the “$25,000 Pyramid”. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/30 "2011-01-01T16:40:35Z")
Even though it is a little sad, I love that Dick Clark is around a little bit on NYE. I wouldn’t give him loads of air time, but it is nice to see him - and he looks so happy! Diane Rehm is an excellent example of someone who needs to hang up the towel. I’m sorry, but someone who has the voice/speech issues she has developed no longer belongs as the host of a radio talk show. Even though her brain is fine and she’s still a good journalist, she needs to get off my radio. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/31 "2011-01-01T16:41:26Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > This should be an annual thread. > > . Oh, it practically is. And here they are, in reverse order. Here is: 2009-10: [How did Dick Clark look this year?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=546195&highlight=dick+clark) 2008-09: [Dick Clark, Can we stop now?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=499848&highlight=dick+clark) 2007-8: [So how was Dick Clark?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=449843&highlight=dick+clark) 2006-7: [Is Dick Clark finally getting old?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=402287&highlight=dick+clark) 2005-2006: [Dick Clark on New Year’s Eve](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=351970&highlight=dick+clark) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/32 "2011-01-01T16:42:29Z")
Ah, beaten to the punch, but at least my have the titles! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a88e57/32.png) [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fried_Dough_Ho)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/33 "2011-01-01T16:45:01Z")
I had to look for it on YouTube and found it rather touching. [Here is the clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24J2VTSzcKE)and if you pan forward to about 4:06 (immediately after the countdown), you can see they screen back to Clark and he seems like he is rather misty-eyed which made me weepy. I think he was genuinely happy to be there and it made it that much more poignant for me. ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/34 "2011-01-01T16:58:19Z")
> [@Larry\_Mudd](#): > > I dunno… Dick Clark has featured in every televised New Year’s Eve thing I’ve seen, since about 1976, when I started staying up for it. > > The man was forty years old when I was born, and I’m starting to come apart myself. I expect that it will be _much_ more painful when I flip on ABC the first December 31st that he’s _not_ there. > > There’s sadness in seeing him brought low like this, but New Year’s Eve is a bit sad anyway – if it weren’t, we wouldn’t sing _Auld Lang Syne_ every year, we’d just pick the most popular vapid pop tune instead. Thank you, Mr. Burns. I totally agree with you. He is the only reason that I watched last night. I’m glad that he continues to be out in the public eye even though he had the stroke. Yes, it’s sad that he isn’t as young or healthy as he used to be, but this is how life goes. Of course, my view is that anyone over 80 can do pretty much whatever the hell they want. When you’ve made it to that age, you’ve earned it. ---
**Author:** ![Homo\_litoralis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homo\_litoralis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homo_litoralis)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/35 "2011-01-01T17:42:06Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > [Here is the clip](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24J2VTSzcKE)and if you pan forward to about 4:06 (immediately after the countdown), you can see they screen back to Clark and he seems like he is rather misty-eyed which made me weepy. Maybe Dick was misty-eyed because that moron Ke$ha tarnished his perennially wholesome New Year’s tradition by paradoxically resolving _“not to become a douchebag.”_ (2:50 on that clip.) Now _that_ was painful. Thanks for assaulting millions of ears, you snot-gargling twatwaffle. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/36 "2011-01-01T17:50:31Z")
I haven’t seen Guy in ages-is he still doing New years Eve concerts? ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/37 "2011-01-01T18:03:44Z")
> [@Antigen](#): > > Well, I’m glad he’s still doing it, because when he dies, Seacrest will take over the _whole thing_ and I’ll have to stop watching. I’m thinking in the next few years Andy Cohen’s going to get big enough to take over that role. I didn’t watch his New Year’s Party last night but he’s everywhere these days and I don’t know many other TV personalities these days who are as…uh, personable as he is. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/38 "2011-01-01T18:06:57Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I’m thinking in the next few years Andy Cohen’s going to get big enough to take over that role. I didn’t watch his New Year’s Party last night but he’s everywhere these days and I don’t know many other TV personalities these days who are as…uh, personable as he is. Who’s Andy Cohen? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/39 "2011-01-01T18:36:11Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Who’s Andy Cohen? [I think he might be James Bond’s life partner.](http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_d-vVbCSl70g/SVm_T2q5RgI/AAAAAAAAADY/NP2l2WkjONM/s400/andydanielcraig.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022/40 "2011-01-01T18:39:42Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I haven’t seen Guy in ages-is he still doing New years Eve concerts? He died in 1977. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-was-painful-watching-dick-clark-tonight/566022.md?page=3)