Kevin Marshall's America
Because clearly you haven’t heard enough about this already.
It's a Bobblehead of the father from "A Christmas Story," but it also looks remarkably like fellow TU blogger J. Eric Smith.
A few blog posts have popped up on the TimesUnion.com expressing their annoyance with the litany of attention the Bobblevote.com campaign has gotten on television, print, and internet social media spheres. See posts expressing their displeasure from Roger Green and J. Eric Smith.
Since I don’t watch much television, I wasn’t subjected to the bombardment of annoying cheap graphics pimping the contest and can’t speak as much on overexposure, although what I’ve seen on the blogs and Twitter feeds is a bit much. That, though, I don’t mind. After all, I’m the biggest whore for myself that you’ll find, and I think there’s a certain level of art in self-promotion that goes unrecognized.
I will say, though, that a point J. Eric Smith brought up has me a bit perturbed: that charities are only getting $900 each, and only if their representatives reach the “Final Four” of voting.
Edit: J. Eric Smith points out that the $900 is actually the total: the winner gets $600 and the other three get $100. Oy.
That gave me a great amount of pause. Self-promotion is one thing, but I can’t justify the use of these charities as a crutch to prop up your egos. It makes the amount of self-indulgent cries for attention, pleading, and name-calling not just childish, but plain wrong.
Now I’m fed up and disgusted. And I’m calling y’all out.
But first: when this contest first started, I was all for it. Let’s face it, local news is more infotainment than it is hard news and has been for as long as I’ve been alive. I’ve come to accept the idea of local celebrity trumping things like journalistic integrity and common decency. I don’t mean that sarcastically, either: these people (including Kristi Gustafson) are literally fulfilling the duties outlined in their job description. Things like reporters for Metroland criticizing Kristi for not being a “real journalist” is like going to a bakery and bitching about the lack of veal cutlets.
What I won’t stand for his a contest that has large regional companies and national corporations offering such paltry donations while reaping the rewards of all the free publicity and exposure afforded by the Bobblehead contest. All of these charities do great work. They deserve more than to simply to have their names invoked to lend legitimacy to a competition that, in the end, simply increases the status of local celebrity and brand name recognition; particularly since most of them aren’t receiving the $900 bait that’s thrown out.
It’s nice to think that at the very least these charities receive notoriety and exposure that they may not otherwise. And to an extent, that’s true. The fact of the matter, however, is that for the most part these charities have become an after-thought.
This is as much the fault of the individual participants as it is the organizers of this event. While some, like Lydia Kulbida, pre-emptively offered to kick in more money out of their own pocket (which speaks to her character), it shouldn’t be left to those instructed to garner votes for themselves to make up for the stunning lack of generosity being shown.
I’m putting out a challenge to all involved parties.
Vic Christopher – Obviously, it’s too late to do anything now. But the next time the Tri-City Valleycats launch this promotion, let them know it might be a good idea to get every company to donate $900 as a baseline to all charities participating. Also, encourage the contestants to put as much if not more emphasis on the charities they’re participating in as on themselves.
To the “Final Four” – I challenge each and every one of you to publish no less than four hundred words on not only your charity, but specifically what that particular charity means for you personally. And I want you to do so without asking for a single vote or even so much as mentioning the Bobblehead contest. For what it’s worth, I’ll throw what few readers I have your way by linking directly to these articles. And while this isn’t directed at all of you since most were pretty good about it: for God’s sake, don’t let me see you write a single Tweet or blog post asking for votes without the name of your charity appearing on there. Because if you do, you’re getting called out on your bulls***.
To WNYT, WTEN, WRGB, Fox 23, Fly 92, The Times Union et al - I challenge you to put your money where your mouth is. Some of you may not be in a position to donate $900 to every single charity listed. But give something, and put a banner link on your homepages to all participating charities for the duration and remainder of this contest.
I’m not calling you all out because I want to add to the growing crank file or because I want to expose people as frauds. Rather, I want to see this competition stay consistent with its claimed intent is: to benefit these organizations and help those less fortunate. It’s the least we can do, after all, when participating in such an egomaniacal effort.
Chuck Miller has compiled a complete list of the charities over on his blog. Go take a look and give what (and if) you can.
Share it!
11 Responses to Bobblehead Controversy Reveals Shameful Lack of Tact and Generosity
Leave a Reply
STALK ME
Kevin, it’s actually WORSE than you describe . . . the $900 is the total kitty: the “winner” gets $600, the other three of the “Final Four” charities get $100 each. I would add to your challenge: give the fair market value of the advertising and online space currently occupied by “[NAME OF CONTESTANT] needs your vote” to the charities themselves, to promote an event of their own choosing. There are BIG bucks being wasted on this thing, and it’s shameful how few of them are going toward anything other than pieces of plastic crap.
Wow, I had no idea. That makes this whole debacle even worse.
Amen, brother.
And, uh, yeah . . . that bobblehead is a bit disconcertingly familiar . . .
I like the essay idea.
At some level, the thing, which I thought was going to be harmless fun, reminds me of contests for high school homecoming king and queen; I mean that NOT in a good way.
It WOULD be nice if the employers, most of whom have been necessarily touting their candidates, kicked in some cash
I agree – if these media outlets are so interested in promoting this bobblehead contest, let them also make a matching charitable contribution to the charities.
Or if they really wanted to show some class, the ValleyCats should cancel the bobblehead contest and instead make a special bobblehead for Dan DiNicola, God rest his soul.
I sent this comment to J. Eric Smith, who linked to your post, so if you feel it’s appropriate to approve on your blog, here it is:
Are journalists competitive? You betcha. Are the Valleycats rolling in Yankees-type dough? I don’t think so. Put the two together, and you have our bobblehead contest.
I think you overlook the importance of advertising to the non-profits. I have chosen to pony up some of my own dough, whether I win or not, and while blogging about that choice made sure to include links to the charities I’m raising funds for, and other ways people can contribute to the organizations. http://blog.timesunion.com/kulbida/2010/03/15/vote-vote-vote/ As someone who also runs a non-profit, and is looking under every rock for money, I’d appreciate the word of mouth, and have heard from those organizations who do. (No one’s said leave me out of this yet.)
Everyone I know in this contest has already donated their time volunteering and their own money to the charities at hand in previous fundraisers. I’m sure the people I don’t know have done the same. I don’t think you’re a party pooper, I just think the work you’re looking for is already being done … even if it’s not as loud as the exhortations to vote.
I can see both sides of this, but one thing is absolutely clear: that bobblehead looks more like J. Eric Smith than Darren McGavin.
I agree with Lydia, if only because her husband delivered my son on March 18th! =)
Ratzen fratzen dratzen! Crantzen fritzen fargen! Vitzen flugen filthen franken flyin flippin freezin jeezum crow and peas!
Lydia – I understand what you’re saying, and thank you for taking the time to pipe in as a voice from the inside. I still take issue with the presentation and exhortations as you described. It’d be one thing if it was done in a manner that was entirely harmless fun, but in reading and hearing some of the “campaigning” so to speak, I’m inclined to say that’s not entirely the case. It is with some, such as yourself, but not so much with others.
And yes, in a couple cases it’s just that the call to arms for voting is far louder than the charities themselves. And though I know you wrote your response in direct response to Eric’s post, what you raise is sort of my point: that the call for votes are far more bombastic and louder than the charities themselves, to the point where it’s drowned out. Again, there are some participants for whom I wasn’t even aware what charity they were working for until recently.
I guess what I want to get across more than anything – and I probably failed in this respect due to my own tendency towards self-involved grandstanding which is one of my many personal failings – is that the contest has shown a shocking lack of perspective for what is, or should be, important in a contest such as this. That, and the $900 figure just knocked me right off my chair.
And congratulations, Will!
And Eric, ZATTA FINGA!
If the bobblehead contest didn’t involve giving to a charity, I’d still be Tweeting and Facebooking and Blogging about it – because it’s FUN. The fact that a charity is involved makes it better, and there’s no way of knowing (unless you have a crystal ball) that more money won’t be donated by the media outlets, the winner of the contest, etc.
Since when did becoming a bobblehead turn into a sign of gratitude or a memorial? It’s a bobblehead for crying out loud.