Little in life is as frustrating as realizing that what you like is not what most other people like. Sometimes it’s even worse to find out that something you truly hate is actually thriving, succeeding, popular, and enjoyed by most. In fact, very few of us can accept that reality.
I suffer from it; I literally refuse to believe that the #1 Comedy on TV is the “Big Bang Theory,” a show I have watched numerous times and find nauseating, let alone unfunny. But the fact of the matter is that it is the #1 comedy on TV, bar none. Oh sure, I can rationalize my opinion as being right all day long by pointing out that despite being the #1 comedy, it’s actual percentage of people watching is light years behind truly legendary shows like Seinfeld. Or I can point to various demographics and try to argue that the more hip amongst us still prefer Family Guy more, all of which is provably true. But in the end, what is indisputable is that all that matters is success, and “The Big Bang Theory,” is the most watched, highest rated, most profitable comedy on TV today and it’s not even close. That doesn’t mean that I have to like it, but it does mean that it’s reality.
All of us suffer from it; Dawn is still devastated by that indisputable fact that country music is the least popular, least successful, least listened genre of music in America today and has been for 15 years. She loves it, roots for it, and can’t understand why so few people like it. But reality trumps wants, wishes, desires and hopes. Dawn can love Miranda Lambert and George Strait all day long, but she must accept she’ll be relatively alone while doing so.
Hate the new TV show Empire? Good for you, hate it all you want, just don’t claim for a minute that the show is a flop or that “nobody watches it.” It’s a smash beyond everyone’s wildest expectations and has gained audience every single week it’s been on the air. Does that mean you have to like it or watch it? Of course not, but you aren’t entitled to your own version of reality and truth just because you don’t enjoy something.
Does “everyone you know,” watch CNN for their news? Good for you, that doesn’t mean that everyone else does so. Fox News is an awesome example of this derangement syndrome people suffer from in which they insist that what they like is popular and what they hate is some sort of “lunatic fringe,” red meat for a small, small minority. Fox News is a behemoth that beats every other cable news channel combined. That success really bothers people, so they lie. They claim that only right wing whackos watch the channel, even though that’s been debunked time and time again by every survey, study, poll and market research group in the land.
The point is this: People are so seemingly desperate to be liked, approved of, and popular that the very idea that what they actually enjoy isn’t part of the “cool crowd,” really bothers them. It’s a very sad commentary on who we are as a culture and one I thought I left behind in high school, but sadly see more and more of today.
To that end, the following is a compendium of various emails we’ve received in the last few weeks from people who have decided our current show is not for them:
Dear Rob, I commend you on your good job of continuing to bring good radio to maggot listeners like me. However, the show is lacking. The show can’t truly go on forever as it is now. This is not what most people want. We miss the hate and honest anger that so many of us feel at this stupid world. I appreciate your point of view on serious subjects, but someone needs to then express the rage so many of us feel inside. How about some more chauvinism? No one listens to you anymore.
Now, I’m certainly not suggesting that people shouldn’t offer their opinions. I’m only suggesting that they can’t be allowed to force and project their wants and needs onto others. So how to respond to such? I present to you and open letter to the verklempt:
Thank you for your honest input, it is appreciated. We all understand and respect your feelings.
Truth is, times have changed dramatically and society has shifted enormously just in the last few years. This show has never accepted being a niche show, and we’re not going to start now. We’re a mass appeal show, designed to bring the largest number of all people to the radio each day. For 15+ years, we have won by large margins in all age groups and all genders. That’s what we do, and it’s all that’s acceptable.
To that end, there are fewer and fewer people that want what you are craving. We understand that is hard to accept, but it is the nature of our changing world.
Incapable of being a show that appeals to an ever smaller group of people, we have expanded our appeal with truly amazing results in the past many weeks. The support and excitement is overwhelming. Not only will our show go on as it is now, it will produce record setting results. Of that, we are certain.
We understand that we will lose people along the way, and you may well be one of them. We understand and accept that because the extraordinary amount of new people we are picking up is beyond our wildest dreams and is more than making up for the few we are losing. If you can’t continue as a loyal maggot, we understand and wish you the best. All we can ask is that you give it an honest try. Maybe take a few weeks off and come back and see if your opinion has changed.
We’ll not only be fine, but we’ll thrive in the long run. We hope that you do as well.
