I’m not feeling very social.
I received an email from Twitter today. The message said
they missed me. Aw, shucks, that’s awfully nice of you, Twitteratti. Twittertarians?
Uh, Twits? I never realized we were that close, though.
I admit that I’m not a Twitter-savant by any means. Despite
my initial resistance, I finally set up an account and chose some people to
follow. However, I rarely log in and actually see what anyone has to say or
post. I may be missing a lot…or nothing at all.
But the Twits miss me, and to entice me to spend more time
in their magical land they said, “Find out what these people are saying on Twitter
right now!” Those people are:
- Bill Cosby
- Seth Myers
- Charlie Sheen
Now, if you’re trying to entice anyone to do anything, why would
those three be the carrots that you dangle? Exactly what demographic are the
Twits trying to hit? The more I think about it, they're a progression
(or regression) from wholesome to harmless to a bucketful of crazy, minus the
bucket.
When I think of Bill Cosby, the old Fat Albert and the Cosby
Kids cartoons from the 70s come to mind. (Hey, hey, hey!) And, of course, there’s
Cliff Huxtable in his bright sweaters, teaching Theo and the other Huxtable kids
some life lessons: the importance of school, never smoking, and refraining from
putting little sister Rudi in a wood chipper. What, you missed that episode?
I remember, too, playing the Bill Cosby comedy LP for my
mom. (Kids, please use Al Gore’s Intertubes to look up what an LP is. You
can also look up who Al Gore is.) “Dad is great! Give us a chocolate cake!” But
that all pretty much ended in the 90s. I’m certain he’s done plenty more since
then, surely some very entertaining or important things, but I’m not going to
rush to my Twitter account to find out.
Seth Myers? I don’t have anything against the man. He seems
funny and doesn’t appear in headlines or on TMZ for getting caught with a
trunkload of drugs, hookers or hookers on drugs. (Those are saved for our next candidate.)
I actually don’t know a thing about him, outside of his Saturday Night Live
career. And I haven’t watched SNL in such a long time because, let’s face it, it’s
just not very funny anymore. A quick search and I find that Seth was born in
Evanston, IL, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. Ah, a local boy
done good! And what NU grad wouldn’t be proud to have the role “Drunk Guy in
Yugo” listed on his resume. So Seth, keep doing what you’re doing. It won’t
make me stand up and notice, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
Now, as far as the overflowing bucket, Carlos Irwin
Estevez (aka, Charlie Sheen), I’d rather not watch that car crash again and
again and again.
He’s ruined the word “winning” for all of us. People can’t even
use the word without adding the inflection from his video rant. It’s become so
“nails on a chalkboard” to me that when a six-year-old on the basketball team I
coach asked if we were winning, I made him run laps. It didn’t help that his
name was also Charlie.
If we’ve learned anything about Charlie Sheen, it’s that he
wasn’t acting in Two and a Half Men…at
all. His drunken, self-abusive behavior was admittedly funny in the show, but
in real life, not so much. I’d rather not spend my time seeing him act out as
he continues to circle the drain. Hmm, maybe he and Lindsay Lohan can become a
synchronized swim team on the way down.
Now if the Twits really
wanted me back, they should’ve sent an email that featured Jose Canseco! Who
wouldn’t want to know how he believes global warming would’ve saved the
Titanic? Thanks, Jose. Finally, something new to teach kids in school, aside
from that new math! I’m not sure which is worse – what he said or that the
media latched onto it. Slow news day, eh?
Or maybe they could’ve used Ashton Kucher – the man with the
most Twitter followers on the planet because he, um, always has something
important and intelligent to say? He was “born to play Steve Jobs” in the
slated movie, you know. He’ll tell you that. Need proof? Just look at those
side-by-side photos! They both have stringy 70s hair and beards. Well, if
that’s the criteria, there’s probably 100 guys living on Lower Wacker Drive who
were also born to play Jobs. Let’s have an open audition. Or simply give them shares of Apple stock.
My biggest problem with social media is that it’s a little
too instant. While it may have its merits, more often it’s simply a stage for every
boneheaded Tom, Dick and Harry – or Sheen, Canseco and Kutcher – to share their
thoughts on the burrito they ate for lunch 30 seconds ago…and what happens in
the hours after that burrito.
I especially find it unbelievable when criminals share their
recent “adventures” using social media. They’re then baffled when the police
stop by for a visit with some nice, shiny bracelets. And the winner of the
Darwin award is…!
So Twits, I thank you for your tap on the shoulder. For
missing me. For your attempts to invite me back to the Twitter party with the
likes of Cosby, Myers and Sheen. I’m just not feeling very social right now.