Oct 30, 3019
I’m Not EVERYBODY Any More… Are You?
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Any time you hear or see the word EVERYBODY – especially the phrase EVERYBODY KNOWS … – be assured that whoever thinks that “lives in a very small bubble and doesn’t get out very much” … or … assumes that you do. – BobLee: Oct. 2019
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I saw an Internet historical factoid this morning… Today is the anniversary of The Rumble In The Jungle between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman… the “Rope-A-Dope” 
match. Most of you remember that whether you watched on Pay-For-View or read about it or are/were even “a boxing fan”.
If I showed you a list of ten names, could you pick out the current World Heavyweight Boxing Champion? Heck, who is the last one you can recall? I have no clue… the last one I recall was “some big tall Russian guy” that was at least 10+ years ago??
How many current male Tennis players can you name… Federer, Nadal ….? Female? The Williams sisters and …..?
Howsabout current NASCAR drivers ??
PGA Tour Golfers? Tiger and… ??
NHL Hockey Players? No disrespect meant to ‘Canes fans. Ron Francis retired, right? I miss Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion.
It’s Week 8… and I can only name ONE “Area” ACC Footballer… UNC QB Sam Howell. No disrespect intended for “your school”, I simply can’t name any of their players.
Duke or UNC MBB “One & Dones” Ever … Zion and … … … ?
An Internet Factoid listed Top 25 NBA Players by Salary? I had never even HEARD OF 18 of them !! NBA Head Coaches? Popovich, Kerr….. ?
NFL QBs? OK, the FOUR NC State alums – Rivers, Russell, Brissett and now Finley… plus Brady, Rodgers, Brees, Newton …. after those I’m guessing. Are The Redskins still IN The NFL?
YES… I CAN name most of the current 25 man roster of “my Cardinals”. I can (maybe) name 2-3 players on each MLB name except The Mariners and Rays.
Whichever sports you follow… you can name specific names as I can with “my Cardinals” but what about in general?
“Used to….” all of these were what we might call Barbershop Topics. Pretty much EVERYBODY in EVERY barbershop was aware of the goings on in the major sports and had some level of opinion about it.
…
Let’s leave Sports… what about TV or Movies or Music? Pretty much EVERYBODY had an opinion on “Who Shot JR?” … and EVERYBODY saw Elvis and The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. Howsabout when “Little Ricky” was born on I Love Lucy … or the final episode of M*A*S*H?
I only “tape” three TV shows – Hawaii 50, Bull and, of course, Blue Bloods. Thats it.
I go to MAYBE 2 movies/year in a theater…. mid-week matinees on a really hot summer day which I consider “a decadent pleasure”. I haven’t watched an Oscars or Emmy awards show this Millennium. The Best Picture lists… might as well be “Name five of Millard Fillmore’s girlfriends”.
Music ?? First, What Is “a Rapper”… and is there such a thing as a “NOT Famous/Notorious” one? Other than Carrie Underwood who is still “so darn pretty she makes your teeth hurt”, I can’t name the current “top singers” in any genre.
I’ve never been a concert-goer (Neil Diamond in Dallas in 1982 is the only I can recall). Now I don’t even know when there is/was one in Raleigh.
Broadway Shows? I guess “Hamilton” is still big because it created controversy. “Kid” and I saw Lion King on Broadway in 2004 – 2nd row / center – thanks to a dear friend. Otherwise… “crickets”.
Late Night Talk Shows… Do I even have to include this category? I weaned off those before Leno retired. Leno HAS retired hasn’t he? Did/Does Conan O’Brien actually have a fan base? Who… I’ve never met one, have you?I 
Radio? I can’t remember the last time I turned on my car radio. There are no pre-sets. When I’m driving, I’m listening to an audiobook.
TV Reality Shows? Yes, I did watch Survivor Season One twenty years ago – “Richard the naked gay guy”. … Blondie and I watched Real Housewives of Beverly Hills for 3-4 years, then we just didn’t any more. … “That talent show” that so many North Carolina kids did so well in? – whatzhisname “the gay boy from Raleigh” – and Scottie McCreary and Carrie Underwood ?? Neither Blondie nor I can name that show without googling. … Dancing With The Stars ?? – “that leggy girl wrestler that was George Clooney’s girlfriend for awhile”? … Any of those those Bachelor shows? Nope.
People Magazine? I still see it on the check-out aisle at the grocery store but never bother to thumb thru it. Haven’t read one since Princess Di died.
If you haven’t gotten the point by now, you probably aren’t going to.
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Allowing that I – and many of you – have “aged out” of the Target Demographic for much of the above… I think…
Pop Culture isn’t all that universally POPular any more.
I have always used “Kid” (now 32) as my personal Go-To for Who? – What? – Why? on much of what still is “POP CULTURE”.
Most recently – How did Kylie Jenner (WHO?) become a freakin’ Billionaire?. Her answer is “a very popular cosmetic / jewelry line”? How many of you knew that OR who Kylie Jenner is?
One popular answer to the Downsizing of Pop Culture is … The Internet gives all of us immediate access to so many other choices to be interested in. There are still only 24 hours in our days… but 100s of TV channels instead of 3-4.
Our Favorite Millennials – Kid and “Pastor Danny” – by choice – Do Not Own a TV Set. Sure… they stream Amazon Prime and Netflix and several very cool documentary channels I have given them subscription to. They have lived in Madison almost three years and yet to go to a movie theater. Danny enjoys streaming Premier League Soccer… and gets his Alma Mater’s (Wheaton) FB games on-line somehow. Thats It for their sports interest… and Danny was a Super Jock in High School.
They live three blocks from UW’s legendary Camp Randall Stadium. He’s been to one game … he and I went to it together last year. Yet… they manage to lead very active / quite happy lives along with their Always Amazing Twins – “ReRe and YaYa”.
On the other end of The Generational Spectrum… Blondie and I somehow also lead busy, active, happy lives.
Can I assume most of you also lead busy, active, happy Lives ? I hope so.
Despite the fact that…
We’re Not EVERYBODY Any More.
Epilogue: It’s Andy Ruiz Jr. He recently defeated someone named Anthony Joshua. Now you know. … and “that show” is/was American Idol.
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