That is sad news. I liked watching Pyramid with my grandparents and at New Year's it had to be his countdown show that was on. Rest in peace Mr. Clark.
Strangely, I knew him better from Pyramid and TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes than American Bandstand. Of course I knew about AB, and saw bits of it from time to time when cartoons ended, but I never really cared for dance shows. Regardless, the man was a true American legend. Adios to America's Oldest Teenager and a man never afraid to dip his dipthong in public:
Thanks for hosting the Pyramid game & American Bandstand for all those years Mr. Clark. You gave us hours of fun & excitement in our living rooms & bedrooms across the nation. You will be missed sir.
I definitely appreciate all he's done, and this may sound cold-hearted, but I am kinda glad I don't have to watch him anymore on New Years Eve. I know he wanted to keep at it but he was in such bad shape these past few years and it really brought me down. I'm guessing this coming year will be a retrospective with clips of him including these past few years but after that I just have to deal with bad pop stars and Ryan Seacrest which bring me down almost as much.
I definitely appreciate all he's done, and this may sound cold-hearted, but I am kinda glad I don't have to watch him anymore on New Years Eve. I know he wanted to keep at it but he was in such bad shape these past few years and it really brought me down. I'm guessing this coming year will be a retrospective with clips of him including these past few years but after that I just have to deal with bad pop stars and Ryan Seacrest which bring me down almost as much.
I get where you're coming from. It's amazing and respectable that he still wanted to keep his hand in New Year's Rockin' Eve even as his health was failing, but at the same time you (and most of America, I'm sure) would rather remember him the way you remembered him rather than as he actually was. I remember feeling the same way during Kirk Douglas's lifetime achievement Oscar acceptance speech. Kind of awe-inspiring and yet still awkward as hell.
I just think they could have integrated him better without trying to have him actually host it slurring and shakey and sort of like a bad Weekend at Bernies bit. Sometimes people need to say enough is enough even when that is hard to do. Without a doubt I am not taking anything away from the guy, hell he was old when I was a kid... he kind of seemed immortal like Betty White, Susan Somers, etc.
I definitely appreciate all he's done, and this may sound cold-hearted, but I am kinda glad I don't have to watch him anymore on New Years Eve. I know he wanted to keep at it but he was in such bad shape these past few years and it really brought me down. I'm guessing this coming year will be a retrospective with clips of him including these past few years but after that I just have to deal with bad pop stars and Ryan Seacrest which bring me down almost as much.
I understand what you mean. Still, I always watched him during the countdown portion.
Bandstand was a relative Saturday afternoon mainstay at our house when I was growing up. I remember catching the Bay City Rollers (shut up I had two older sisters so I had to listen to them by osmosis (and Eric was dreamy!) :) ), but also great acts like Feargal Sharkey and some fledgling group that went nowhere...You Two or some shit like that. :)
To me Clark was proof that loving rock n' roll...or music in general...helps keep you young at heart. I'm with Zhurrie that it was painful to watch him on the past few NYE shows, though.
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Matthew
Rest in peace, sir.
To me Clark was proof that loving rock n' roll...or music in general...helps keep you young at heart. I'm with Zhurrie that it was painful to watch him on the past few NYE shows, though.