# Why is the Boardwalk fire such a big story? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 13, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804 "2013-09-13T22:52:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/1 "2013-09-13T22:52:37Z")
I feel bad for the people who were injured and lost their jobs, but why is this getting so much coverage? Those of you who live(d) in the area would know, I guess. šŸ˜• ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/2 "2013-09-13T23:01:11Z")
Because this was an area that had JUST rebuilt from the destruction of Hurricane Sandy, and they actually had to pull up a good portion of the new section of boardwalk to make a firebreak. Itā€™s a defeat-snatched-from-the-jaws-of-victory story. Now the areaā€™s economy is back into freefall from the loss of businesses and venue when theyā€™d JUST finished recovering from the last disaster. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/3 "2013-09-13T23:09:26Z")
Why are the floods in Colorado such a big story? Because itā€™s a tragedy for those involved, and has good pictorial impact for TV. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/4 "2013-09-13T23:14:24Z")
What is being Pitted here? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/5 "2013-09-13T23:17:08Z")
Honestly, how much less would people have been concerned about the Jersey Shore during Sandy or now during the fire if the show ā€œJersey Shoreā€ had never been on the air? Iā€™m guessing most people that donā€™t live on the East Coast or have some reason to have previous knowledge of it had never heard of it before the reality show. Iā€™ve never watched the show, but without it I donā€™t think I would have ever even heard the term Jersey Shore. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2013, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/6 "2013-09-13T23:57:00Z")
Well, itā€™s good to see that **ralph124c** and **Jinx** are finally getting some competition in the ā€œMost retarded question of the weekā€ competition." Itā€™s been a two-horse race for far too long. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Honestly, how much less would people have been concerned about the Jersey Shore during Sandy or now during the fire if the show ā€œJersey Shoreā€ had never been on the air? Iā€™m guessing most people that donā€™t live on the East Coast or have some reason to have previous knowledge of it had never heard of it before the reality show. > > Iā€™ve never watched the show, but without it I donā€™t think I would have ever even heard the term Jersey Shore. This is satire, right? First, Iā€™d heard of the Jersey Shore before i even moved to the United States in 2000. Anyone whoā€™s watched American television (especially, for obvious reasons, shows set in the New York area) likely would have heard of it, and it also makes an appearance in other cultural products like pop songs. The first one that came to mind for me was the Billy Joel song, ā€œAllentown,ā€ which predates the reality show by over 20 years. Second, even if no-one had ever heard of the Jersey Shore, the devastation inflicted on it by Hurricane Sandy certainly would have made it part of our popular consciousness. As with so many other natural disaster, there have been literally hundreds, probably thousands of follow-up media stories about people putting their lives back together, and communities working out how to deal with the problems they face. There has also been, over the last month or so, considerable news coverage about the efforts to get homeowners along the shore to allow sand barriers to be built on their land in the hopes of preventing so much damage when the next hurricane hits. All of this is exactly what you would expect after such a significant event as the hurricane, and it makes the coverage of the recent fire perfectly understandable. Hardly anyone outside the LA area had ever heard of Northridge before 1994 either. Doesnā€™t change the fact that the word is now part of popular culture. ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/7 "2013-09-14T00:36:27Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > I feel bad for the people who were injured and lost their jobs, but why is this getting so much coverage? Those of you who live(d) in the area would know, I guess. > > šŸ˜• Because itā€™s attached itself to Chris Christieā€™s political aspirations. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/8 "2013-09-14T00:57:29Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Well, itā€™s good to see that **ralph124c** and **Jinx** are finally getting some competition in the ā€œMost retarded question of the weekā€ competition." Itā€™s been a two-horse race for far too long.This is satire, right? > > First, Iā€™d heard of the Jersey Shore before i even moved to the United States in 2000. Anyone whoā€™s watched American television (especially, for obvious reasons, shows set in the New York area) likely would have heard of it, and it also makes an appearance in other cultural products like pop songs. The first one that came to mind for me was the Billy Joel song, ā€œAllentown,ā€ which predates the reality show by over 20 years. Iā€™ve know the song Allentown (but clearly I never noticed the lyrics) and Under the Boardwalk, Iā€™d still never heard of The Jersey Shore until the reality show. Call me sheltered, but thatā€™s the truth of it and I doubt Iā€™m alone. Billy Joel grew up in New York as did the writer of Under the Boardwalk. > [@](#): > > Hardly anyone outside the LA area had ever heard of Northridge before 1994 either. Doesnā€™t change the fact that the word is now part of popular culture. The Northridge Earthquake was considerably bigger then this. I remember seeing pictures on TV of collapsed buildings and freeway sections. Looking at wiki it says the earthquake caused 57 deaths, 8700 injuries and 20 BILLION dollars in damages. Ignoring the deaths and injuries, Iā€™d be curious what the damages were from Sandy and the fire. Iā€™m be surprised, if, put together they even came to half of thatā€¦or even a quarter. Since itā€™s pretty much impossible to do a Google Image Search of Jersey Shore and get a picture of it (and not the cast of the show), are all the busies there even worth $20B put together? But, Iā€™ll agree with you here, getting hit twice in a row like this would have made it popular, Iā€™m just saying that the popularity of the show is made it WAY more popular. Also, thanks for calling my question retarded, but I still think Iā€™m right. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/9 "2013-09-14T01:13:22Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > The Northridge Earthquake was considerably bigger then this. I remember seeing pictures on TV of collapsed buildings and freeway sections. > > Looking at wiki it says the earthquake caused 57 deaths, 8700 injuries and 20 BILLION dollars in damages. Are you using a definition of ā€œbiggerā€ that i am unfamiliar with? According to the same source that you used, Hurricane Sandy caused, in the United States alone: 72 direct deaths 87 indirect deaths $65 billion in damages Thatā€™s without the death and damages in six other countries. > [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, thanks for calling my question retarded, but I still think Iā€™m right. Actually, it was the OPā€™s question i called retarded, but iā€™m happy to include your analysis if it makes you feel better. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/10 "2013-09-14T02:07:25Z")
I was leaning towards slow news day. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/11 "2013-09-14T02:11:49Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Are you using a definition of ā€œbiggerā€ that i am unfamiliar with? Sorry, I was referring specifically to the damage done to the boardwalk/Jersey Shore. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/12 "2013-09-14T04:10:16Z")
1. Itā€™s happening in the NYC media area. 2. The Hurricane Sandy angle gives it a good narrative hook. 3. Fires are a good disaster for television coverage. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/13 "2013-09-14T05:08:45Z")
Oh, when the sun beats down and burns the tar up on the roof And your shoes get so hot, you wish your tired feet were fireproof Under the boardwalk, down by the sea On a blanket with my baby OMG FIRE!!! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/14 "2013-09-14T14:06:35Z")
What do you expect - the New Jersey media is a monopoly. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/15 "2013-09-14T15:37:41Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > What do you expect - the New Jersey media is a monopoly. :mad: That ainā€™t no get-out-of-jail-free card! ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/16 "2013-09-14T16:18:30Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Iā€™ve know the song Allentown (but clearly I never noticed the lyrics) and Under the Boardwalk, Iā€™d still never heard of The Jersey Shore until the reality show. Call me sheltered, but thatā€™s the truth of it and I doubt Iā€™m alone. > Billy Joel grew up in New York as did the writer of Under the Boardwalk. You had never heard of Atlantic City? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/17 "2013-09-14T16:32:28Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > You had never heard of Atlantic City? When my 7 year old does that I say ā€œYouā€™re putting words in my mouthā€, for the last few weeks Iā€™ve been trying to teach her that itā€™s not nice to take what someone said, twist it into something else and use it against them.\* I never said that Iā€™ve never heard of Atlantic city. I said that I had never heard the term ā€œJersey Shoreā€. \*I swear thatā€™s true, sheā€™s been doing it all the time, just like you just did. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/18 "2013-09-14T16:42:03Z")
The amusement park rises bold and stark Kids are huddled on the beach in a mist I wanna die with you Wendy on the streets tonight In an everlasting kiss ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/19 "2013-09-14T16:55:55Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > When my 7 year old does that I say ā€œYouā€™re putting words in my mouthā€, for the last few weeks Iā€™ve been trying to teach her that itā€™s not nice to take what someone said, twist it into something else and use it against them.\* I never said that Iā€™ve never heard of Atlantic city. I said that I had never heard the term ā€œJersey Shoreā€. > > \*I swear thatā€™s true, sheā€™s been doing it all the time, just like you just did. Iā€™m not. You said that most people who donā€™t live on the East Coast had never heard of the Jersey Shore before the TV show, but Atlantic City is part of the Jersey Shore. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804/20 "2013-09-14T16:59:40Z")
> [@Captain\_Amazing](#): > > You had never heard of Atlantic City? I know the Shore, but I donā€™t think itā€™s that odd to hear that someone never heard of it before the show. I donā€™t think I learned what the Jersey Shore was until college, when I met someone from New York and he talked about going to ā€œthe Shore.ā€ If youā€™re not from the East Coast and donā€™t really hang out with folks from there, I do think itā€™s unusual to have it fly under the radar. Hell, I wasnā€™t even clear as to what exact ā€œThe Boardwalkā€ was until then, either, and I played a lot of Monopoly and listened to oldies as a kid. It was only until I actually visited the Jersey Shore a few years ago that it all made sense to me. Itā€™s like more adult Wisconsin Dells on a beach. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-the-boardwalk-fire-such-a-big-story/668804.md?page=2)