A few months ago, your local television editor received a letter from a teenage reader who berated him for giving a bad review to some youth-oriented show, which the reader failed to name.
What really hurt was that the letter writer said she was angry that the Deseret News had a "40-plus year-old man" reviewing the show.Ouch. Since I was barely 33 at the time, that hurt.
(Please note: Not all bald guys are old.)
In recognition of the fact that I am no longer a teenager, here's a look at what teens - at least female teens - have to say about TV, as recorded in the latest issue of Sassy magazine.
(And in the interest of maintaining my reputation as a 33-year-old fogey, a few editorial comments.)
According to those responding to the poll:
- The most riveting TV events of the year were the "Cheers" finale, The MTV Video Music Awards and Brenda and Dylan's breakup.
(Perhaps it would be best not to admit publicly that you were riveted by that "90210" breakup.)
- Respondents' favorite shows were "Seinfeld," "Blossom" and "Roseanne," in that order.
(No arguments of any substance there - although "Blossom" is the only show that provides anything approaching role models.)
- Their least favorite show, by a margin of nearly three to one, was "90210." Those perky editors of Sassy ask, "Is this just backlash setting in, or just proof that it's never been teenagers that were keeping the show on the air?"
(If those editors bothered to do their homework, they'd realize that a teen-only audience won't keep any prime-time show on the air. They'd also realize that ratings indicate that "90210" is the most-watched show among teens. And does this mean all those people riveted to Brenda and Dylan's breakup hate the show?)
- Their favorite TV actresses, in descending order, are Mayim Bialik, Sara Gilbert, Roseanne Arnold, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Jennie Garth.
- Their least favorite TV actress was Shannen Doherty, "of course."
(Indicating that, like adults, teens can't distinguish been a fictional character and the person who plays her.)
- Their favorite TV actors, in descending order, are Jerry Seinfeld, Will Smith, Andrew Shue, Joey Lawrence and Martin Lawrence.
(Odd, but while they're all TV stars, none of them really qualifies as an actor.)
- Their least favorite TV actor was Luke Perry, "by a landslide."
(But, again, they're riveted to "90210?")
- Asked if they cried when the West Beverly class of '93 graduated on "90210," the answer was no.
(Thank goodness.)
- And who is the oldest-looking teen on TV? Perry was beaten out for this honor by his "90210" co-star, Gabrielle Carteris.
(Which makes sense. She is 32. . . . Almost my age.)
QUOTABLE: Johnny Carson, as quoted by the Washington Post:
"Everybody has a talk show now. On daytime, anybody. And most of them aren't any good. Daytime has become just one big gab bag of dysfunctional people talking to dysfunctional hosts about their miserable lives."