Leno's selfishness, and the loyalty to Conan

What ever happened to dedication and tenure meaning anything anymore? After having been given an opportunity, which flourished into a 17-year creative run, poor Conan O’Brien is left with Jay Leno’s “big brother”, NBC, pushing O’Brien against the wall. How can NBC, financial reasons or not, justify this bullying?

What I don’t understand is why Jay Leno, that fat-headed tame HOST (let’s be honest, he stopped being a “comic” many years ago) gets the support of NBC for basically saying, ‘You know what, I failed miserably at this new show, and it’s nobody’s fault other than my own…instead of hanging up the mic and calling it a career, I think I’d like my old show back. You know, the one I hosted for 15+ years that I willingly gave-up for my failed experiment of a new show…the one I knew I’d be leaving and handing-over to a deserving O’Brien for the past 5 years. Yeah, since I lost this network millions of dollars with the help of my overexposure of pure bull that I deliver on a nightly basis, I’d like to put that reality back in the closet, attempt to relive the past 15 years as if the prior 7 months never happened, and not give Conan the chance that he deserves…all while slowly giving him the boot out the door in an attempt to eventually never acknowledge his contributions to the network, or even his existence.’

Rosie O’Donnell, Howard Stern and Patton Oswold (among others) have very precisely detailed their opinions on why they also feel Jay Leno should just “call it a day” and let Conan grow this new “Tonight Show” into the next place to be in late night television.

Regardless of Leno’s seemingly guaranteed return to ‘The Tonight Show’, as much as he and his few jaded fans may celebrate his selfish and underhanded return to the show, you better believe that I will NEVER allow Jay Leno’s program on my televisions ever again. Hopefully Conan will be able to entertain a new show and contract from Fox, or one of the major cable networks. Whatever the case may be, I will fully support Conan’s future programming 100%. Conan, too many of us see the corporate b.s. being shoveled right onto you, and we will support you the whole way. On the flip side, I bet Johnny would be real proud of you now Jay, wouldn’t he?!

Is this the "Dream" we are suppose to live for?!

Where is this “American Dream” that we’re all supposed to be working towards? I was commenting to a coworker this morning that it doesn’t make sense that most of the working class have to work 5 days in a week to enjoy 2 days off. How does this make sense? This seems like an outdated tradition, at best.

I have heard that a few cities across the country have started trying the 4-day work week, with a 3-day weekend. Thus far, I have yet to hear any negative backlash come from it. I know changing this nonsensical work week tradition is near impossible in this state, since it’s too God damn selfish and broke to consider alternatives to stereotypical business practices. Just the thought of this proposal probably would have the state shaking in a seizure-like manner.

The way my “American Dream” is forming now, my last 401K statement basically told me that if I continue to work for the next 40 years (with my current investments & profit-sharing contributions from the company), I will get to retire with LESS money per week than what I’m currently making…I’m talking a couple hundred dollars less per week. Granted, I’m not taking into consideration salary increases over time, but why bother when inflation will take care of that for me.

What incentive (other than survival) do I have to continue working towards my retirement age? I don’t exactly have a promising end goal to look at down the road in my senior years. Also, aren’t we supposed to live “in the now” since tomorrow isn’t guaranteed to us? Two free days per week doesn’t feel like much of an opportunity to live, NOW. What it comes down to is I get to work 5 days per week to enjoy 2 days off (likely) for the rest of my working life, for at least another 40 years, at which time I will get to enjoy less income per week than what I was making 40 years prior. Wow, if this is the “American Dream”, then what the hell is our “American Nightmare”?

A little of this, and some of that

Here’s a little bit of everything…

- I love the Self-Checkout lines at the grocery and Target. They’re fantastic when you’re buying a few things, and you know how you’re paying for your transaction. Though this concept is pretty much useless when you find yourself behind someone who’s 1) using it for the first time and needs to listen to every automated prompt in-full to understand what to do, 2) bumbling around with a wallet/purse and isn’t quite sure which credit card/checking account/combination of these will be used to complete payment. Maybe there should be a class available to these people to help them understand the desired result of efficiency behind this.

- Have you heard the Webster Bank commercial on 92 Pro fm? Please understand, I don’t listen to Pro fm in my leisure time, but do at work. Regardless, the main concept of the commercial seems to be shoving as much information about the bank down your throat in 30 seconds. So you know the stereotypical car dealership legal announcement you’d hear at the end of a radio spot, sped-up to fit all of the “fine print verbiage” into as short of a time as possible? Yep, same concept. That seems awfully impersonal for a bank to take that route…definitely turned me off to even acknowledging them.

- “Boom boom POW”, needs to stop right NOW!

- Geez, go figure, classy Britney Spears with a song called “If U Seek Amy”. Nice, very nice to have a song where young kids do not understand the double entendre and say “F-U-C-K me”. Between that, and the typical Britney use of the word “baby” (14 times in this particular piece of trash), it’s amazing the music biz hasn’t completely crumbled before us.

- It's incredible how some colleges are telling graduates not to participate in hand-shaking during their ceremonies, due to fear of the swine flu. GIVE ME A BREAK...these are the same people who are HANDING DIPLOMAS to the graduates on stage, no gloves on either. And if that doesn't point out the foolishness, it only takes opening ONE DOOR that someone else touched to negate the hopes of non-transmission of the virus. Maybe we should reevaluate the intelligence of those making such ridiculous plans.

Not enough Dunkin for America to run on?

Lord knows there are enough catch phrases and snazzy lines that business use to attract customers…I mean, it’s basic marketing 101. Ira: “Call Me!” McDonalds: “I’m Lovin’ It” Boch dealerships: “My costs are less so I can sell for less.” Bernie & Phyl’s: “Quality, Comfort & Price…that’s nice”.

None of these seemingly can match the appropriateness of Dunkin Donuts’ recent slogan, “America Runs on Dunkin”. Sure, seems like a typical phrase, generalizing an observing of some of the nation’s appreciation for their morning Dunkin caffeine/cholesterol fix. With around 6,400 U.S. locations, one would think there are plenty of Dunkin locations for America to run on, right? Apparently not in Massachusetts.

Keeping in mind the eastern part of Mass is a very business-oriented, on-the-go kind of environment, every minute and every second of the morning (no matter how on-time you are) is precious…things to do, must get to work! When there is seemingly a Dunkin Donuts off of every other highway exit and on every major route through any city/town with 50,000+ people, here there & everywhere, why does it seem like any and every Dunkin Donuts I try to go to (during a typical weekday morning) has a minimum of 10 people waiting before me…say 5 inside & 5 in the drive thru?

I know it can’t be contributed to the lack of locations. There’s a damn Dunkin Donuts within 5 – 7 minutes of the last one you saw! Or if you’re in Freetown or Raynham, about one minute away from the next one! Is it a lack of staffing? No, they usually seem to have a decent amount of people behind the counter. Is it the quality of the employees? Not typically, since more often than not I see the staff running around hurriedly trying to fill orders (though not to ignore the fact some Dunkins seem to hire those less-than-capable of being a Wal-Mart door greeter). Maybe it’s the menu items? Well, since the coffee is already sitting there waiting for you and the yummy oven-baked items finish within a few seconds.

Well, I’m not sure what it could be. All I’m left with is what people order. You know? The everyday employee in front of you who wants his large semi-dark 2 sugars with milk & small French vanilla decaf with 3 sugars for his employee buddy, along with 2 Munchkins & a sausage, egg & cheese. Good lord, when one person orders that much, or course it’s going to hold up any possible line from progressing. All I want to order is a large iced tea w/ sugar & hash browns!

Shouldn’t there be an Express line for people like me? It sure is convenient at the grocery, so why not at this national chain? I suppose there’s some red tape bullshit behind why that could never happen, but I’d put money on it that people like me would get in and out a LOT quicker than a typical morning. Since time is of the essence, it becomes a game of balancing the options “Should I be late for work and wait?” or “I’ll pass on getting anything and leave”, and when I have to pick option #2, I get very bitter that the drive thru & inside line isn’t moving. But I blame that on the environment I’ve been exposed to…go go GO, always somewhere to go!

I’m not saying that 6,000+ locations aren’t enough, but when the typical morning crowd always seems to yield a 5 – 7 minute wait, I don’t think that’s acceptable service, especially for a Donut shop. So it truly seems America does run on Dunkin.