New Year's Rockin' Eve...

[LetsGoMets2003]

For people like me who didn't see it live, the countdown with Dick is on Youtube, just type in "Dick Clark" and "2007" and you should find it. It doesn't have Ryan and Dick in the studio, but Ryan shows he's a pansy when he doesn't want to "get his hair wet because of a few sprinkles". Regarding Dick - he was much improved from last year, and what can you say about the man....a trooper, an american treasure....sure, he was slurring a few of his words, and the crowd was clearly ahead of him as they were counting down, but YOU try doing that in the condition he was in...just incredible. He still has that unmistakable deep tone and cadence - and thank God for that. I'm just happy to still have him here.

Cheers, Dick! Happy 2007, everybody!
James

[TimK2003]

Definitely worth staying up for!!!

Dick may not have his original speech,  but you can tell he gave it his all and you could see that he wanted the world to know that he was thankful that he can still be there to do it.

He sounded and looked much stronger than last year, and even his trademark facial expressions were easy to spot.

Mark Simone from WABC was right on the money the other night -- As great as James Brown was in his career and how busy he kept himself all the way up to his death,

Dick Clark will forever be...

THE[/i] Hardest Working Man in Show Business!!!

[mbc793]

I saw Dick Clark last night on tv and I have to agree, he sounded much better than he did last year. True he won't be the same as he was before the stroke, but at least he was able to appear on tv for the ball dropping at times square. I mean what's new year's eve without dick clark's new year's rockin eve? Still a trooper and still working hard and let's just hope he can bring in another year like he's done so many times before.

As for Ryan saying he doesn't want to get his hair wet? Geez what a pansy I agree, it's not a problem to get your hair wet.

[ChrisLambert!]

If Ry-Ry's bosses had wanted him to stand out there and get his hair wet, he would've. That was the time of night that Dick would always come upstairs to run the rest of the show in year's past. Methinks folks are reading too much into a little self-deprecating humor.

Seacrest bashing is, admittedly, great fun, but he's going to be all over TV for the next forty years because he really is good at what he does.

I think it may be time for Dick to stop doing the countdown itself, but I see no reason for him not to continue hosting the show. His voice is slow but his mind is thankfully still razor-sharp.

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'ChrisLambert!\' post=\'141844\' date=\'Jan 1 2007, 12:51 PM\']
Seacrest bashing is, admittedly, great fun, but he's going to be all over TV for the next forty years because he really is good at what he does.
[/quote]
I didn't see enough of DC to make a true judgment, except that he's made huge improvements, considering many thought he'd be debilitated following that stroke.

However, as for Ryan, I don't quite understand why he gets a bad rap (except for that daytime talk show he had-PU!). He actually proves himself to be quite competent, and I'd love to see him get another game show gig, something targeted at adults.

/Just as long as he doesn't wear a sports coat with jeans.

[davemackey]

I thought Dick got off to a poor start. I turned to the S.O. and said, "Geez, Dick's worse than he was at the Emmys." But once he got rolling, he was on, and the best was saved for last as he gave Mr. Ryan Seacrest a well-deserved dressing down for coming in from the drizzle. I didn't see any of the show after that as I was on my way home from the S.O.'s house.

And Dick still got his midnight kiss from his wife Kari!

[Kevin Prather]

Whether or not he sounds better, and I believe he does, his sheer dedication is beyond admirable. That is why Dick Clark is my idol, and always will be. He was the one who inspired me to pursue a career in broadcasting, and he's the man I consider my role model. His hard work and amazing talent is duplicated by no other, in my opinion.

*raises glass*

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'whoserman\' post=\'141857\' date=\'Jan 1 2007, 12:54 PM\']
That is why Dick Clark is my idol, and always will be. He was the one who inspired me to pursue a career in broadcasting, and he's the man I consider my role model. His hard work and amazing talent is duplicated by no other, in my opinion.

*raises glass*
[/quote]
I'll drink to that. It is days like this when I have great hope for America's youth.

I just watched the post-countdown stuff off of the Tivo, 'cuz at the party I was at we switched over the the local Seattle show at midnight to watch the fireworks on the Space Needle.

And I'm friggin' grinning from ear to ear. Not because of the dressing-down itself (I'm a Seacrest booster also), but because that was absolutely the most I've seen of the Dick Clark I remember since the stroke. It's pretty much 180 degrees from my initial reaction last year, and I'm absolutely jazzed about that.

This might be the best crow I've ever eaten.

(Oh, with regard to taking Dick off of countdown duty: HELLS no. Yeah, he's slow and he missed a number or two. I DON'T CARE. Television is a visual medium and I'm perfectly capable of watching the countdown on screen (and on the West Coast it's all tape-delay anyhow), but I want Dick providing the play-by-play for just as long as he wants to do it, and to whatever level he's capable. ESPECIALLY if he continues to improve.)

[davidhammett]

Ryan's vanity not withstanding, wasn't this the first time that we saw Ryan and Dick on screen together during the show (I don't remember that happening last year)?  Given that I heard of some naysayers professing that Dick's bit is now taped, I wondered if maybe this was a way to help put that rumor to rest.

Or maybe that was just the champagne talking...

[Joe Mello]

I thought Dick was almost up to speed, as much as slurred speech can allow.  On the bright side, though, having a mouth work slower than your brain probably beats the alternative.

What they didn't need is that prolonged shot of Dick making out with his wife.  Old people kissing is so gross.

Dick Clark to end 2006 and Bob Eubanks to start 2007 (for those who watched the Parade on KTLA or the Travel Channel today).  Not a bad way to get things rolling.

[davemackey]

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'141862\' date=\'Jan 1 2007, 05:12 PM\']
I thought Dick was almost up to speed, as much as slurred speech can allow.  On the bright side, though, having a mouth work slower than your brain probably beats the alternative.

What they didn't need is that prolonged shot of Dick making out with his wife.  Old people kissing is so gross.
[/quote]
Okay, we'll have Dick Clark, the executive producer of the show for dick clark productions, send out a memo to Dick Clark, the talent, if you're so dissatisfied... ;0

/Christina Aguilera is like Britney Spears, but with a career
//I can't believe I'm using slashes

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'141802\' date=\'Dec 31 2006, 06:08 PM\']
Tim, hope is a wonderful thing, but the fact is that Dick is no better than what he was at the Emmys no matter how Seacrest spun it in the AP report I read on the air Friday afternoon.
[/quote]You know, I just realized that the timestamp on this message would have been a skosh after nine PM on the East Coast, or about two and a half hours before the show started.

So, not to take away from this celebration of Dick (giggity!), but, Jim, I would love to know about the appearances Dick has made since the Emmys (that apparently nobody else on the planet besides you saw) that back up this "fact" that you presented (and, wonderfully, turned out to be 100% utter crap).

[BrandonFG]

[quote name=\'davemackey\' post=\'141865\' date=\'Jan 1 2007, 06:21 PM\']
/Christina Aguilera is like Britney Spears, but with a career
[/quote]
//And talent!
///And morals!!
////I thought it was Gwen Stefani at first
/////Next time, no more drinks until AFTER the New Year starts!

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'fostergray82\' post=\'141870\' date=\'Jan 1 2007, 04:05 PM\']
////I thought it was Gwen Stefani at first
[/quote]
If it makes you feel any better, we had the same problem when we first saw her. Then we realized she didn't have four Asian women voguing around her, so it couldn't be.

I loved how she cockblocked Seacrest by turning her head when he moved in for a kiss. Like she had anything to worry about.

[FOXSportsFan]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'141868\' date=\'Jan 1 2007, 06:57 PM\']
[quote name=\'FOXSportsFan\' post=\'141802\' date=\'Dec 31 2006, 06:08 PM\']
Tim, hope is a wonderful thing, but the fact is that Dick is no better than what he was at the Emmys no matter how Seacrest spun it in the AP report I read on the air Friday afternoon.
[/quote]You know, I just realized that the timestamp on this message would have been a skosh after nine PM on the East Coast, or about two and a half hours before the show started.

So, not to take away from this celebration of Dick (giggity!), but, Jim, I would love to know about the appearances Dick has made since the Emmys (that apparently nobody else on the planet besides you saw) that back up this "fact" that you presented (and, wonderfully, turned out to be 100% utter crap).
[/quote]

Obviously I never have seen him (likely never will), that's quite obvious.  My colleague who is far from a bowling buddy has connections with Dick's production company and from what he told me Dick wasn't any better at the time.  He was wrong, I was wrong, and I couldn't be happier to be wrong for once.  Also, go back a year or two ago and we had all heard the press releases and such saying it was a minor stroke and that it wasn't that big a deal.  Obviously, it was a spin job, and Dick sustained a moderate or perhaps even major stroke.  Tie that into the press release from Friday of Ryan saying Dick was showing marked improvements, and I took it as a bit of a lie, since no one wants to say someone of Dick's status is getting worse.  I guess I'm always playing the worst case scenario when it comes to press releases because, in my view, while there is truth in them, there's more spin than anything else.  

With that out of the way, Chris, I'll have the crow lightly glazed with ketchup and say that he was better than he was at the Emmys, but I'll also have the firm belief that I don't see how he can get a whole heck of a lot better than he is now when you factor in his age and the fact that the man has diabetes which both hinder any real drastic improvements.  I hope I'm wrong about that too.  Wouldn't be the last time I was wrong, eh?