I have never seen more Doctors, Lawyers, Judges and ex-politicians on television than I have in the last few years. Ex-athletes as sportscasters don’t count. That has occurred for eons. Of course many of these professionals turned TV hosts are on daytime TV. TiVo has solved that problem for everyone who is not retired and wants to get in on the action.
Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz certainly must have been good Doctors, but think how much more they have learned on air with a staff and producers that can access any fact in minutes. Working for a producer doing new shows every day is much more demanding than working for patients. These Docs are quite camera friendly and seem to adapt well to the nuances of live TV; including pauses for commercials. Their message is popular and it seems that they here to stay.
Then there is Doctor Jerry Punch who is a track side announcer for NASCAR. Being a NASCAR fan I can attest to his abilities. He’s extremely knowledgeable about his craft; auto racing. This ex-assistant coach under Lou Holtz graduated from Med School and for a short time worked as an emergency room physician before getting hired by ESPN. On two occasions at tracks where he was working as the announcer he was required to use his medical skills where drivers sustained injuries from crashes and needed immediate medical attention.
Of course there are all the female lawyers on FOX news that analyze every detail of every fact that gets the attention of the news editor. These are beautiful women, knowledgeable in the law, yet they have decided to seek fame and fortune in TV. The most notable lawyer on TV is Greta Van Susteren. Her job interview with FOX lasted as long as the OJ trial.
Then we have the parade of Judges whose shows air from a courtroom. Personally I feel sorry for the poor defendants that not only go down in flames most of the time, but do so in front of millions of witnesses in TV Land. That’s expensive moral HAM.
Ex-Politician Mike Huckabee has found a nice niche on FOX news. His soft Southern style and friendly smile belie the usual stereotype of most politicians we see today.
What conclusions have I drawn from this diverse group of professionals that strayed into the small screen from other high paying professions? I believe deep down we are all HAMS looking for a modicum of fame. I would love to have my own show and pontificate and profess. Apparently the idea of us all being HAMS has not gone unnoticed. Reality TV is dominating the ratings. Every kind of reality you can think of has been made into a TV show: housewives, pawn shops, pickers, celebrities, musicians, car mechanics, realtors, interior designers, contractors, wood workers, company owners and many more.
We live in a world where so much information is available literally at our finger tips that we crave more and more information to feed our habit. Because of this demand Hollywood (and New York) has developed the reality entertainment we want. This phenomenon has produced a country of HAMS and unusual TV stars. I admit it; I want to be a HAM too.
This blog is meant to be fun and informative and to showcase my writing style as an author. Poison Pill in Paradise is my latest novel and is for sale on Amazon. Please follow me on twitter @randallpenn. You may also e-mail me at randallpenn@stephengravett.com. I hope you have enjoyed this story.
Poison Pill in Paradise is available for purchase at Amazon.com.
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