In American Dad fandom, there’s a joke about how no one really knows what season we’re watching at any given moment. You see, Fox canceled the show after its 10th season, and it was snatched up by TBS. Fox, then, realized that there were 3 unaired episodes, so they aired those before the TBS run started. There’s even a sight gag in the third ep, signaling the end of the Fox era. Well, certain publications consider those 3 final Fox episodes to be their own season, and the TBS launch constituted the launch of another season. So, depending on where you look, the season count tends to be off by one. Well, the world right now feels like that Fox season, in that we just celebrated the new year a little over 2 weeks ago, but that’s all gonna change next Tuesday. The first full day of the second Trump administration, Trump Harder, and we really don’t know what things are gonna look like. They’ve got plans, like Project 2025, that are to go into effect immediately. So, I’ve tried to ignore all that by retreating into things I love, like social media and comics – only for this week to bring the probable final week of TikTok, as well as news that my former employer, and the largest comic distributor in North America, Diamond Comic Distributers had filed for bankruptcy!
I don’t want to talk about Diamond right now. I’ve got thoughts, but I’m working on something there that’ll come next week. No, I need to talk about TikTok. It’s been quite the “last week of camp” vibe over there this week, with folks saying their goodbyes and posting their final videos. It’s a sad, and lonely, experience. You see, I’m an elder tokker, so most of my friends aren’t over there. They never got into that form of social media. They think it’s all stupid dances and teen pranks. I get it, as that’s what gets all of the attention. But that’s like saying Golden Corral is all shrimp. If you think of TikTok like a buffet, there’s a lot more going on than you might have thought, but you’re also welcome to stuff your mouth full of shrimp, should you choose to do so. The disdain that my cohort has for that app has actually disappointed me at times. I mean, some of you gather together and put together little imagined “teams” of millionaires who throw balls around. Yeah, I bet that made some of y’all feel some kind of way, how I minimized your pastime. Welcome to the show.
I’ve done a lot of talking over the years about “community”, and that’s what I found there. That’s what it means to me. Every other app is about retention, in that they’ve all peaked, and you’re just trying to keep the folks you’ve found over the years. TikTok, however, was about growth. It’s the first social growth I’ve seen in YEARS. Elon bought Twitter, and people started leaving. Trump won, and then there was quite the X-odus. Some transitioned to Bluesky, while some transitioned to Threads (why, I don’t know!), but there are some folks I will never interact with again.
While all that was going on, I found TikTok. I always shied away from video because I’m not some “young hot thing”, but I also don’t look “unique” enough to be quirky. It’s a visual medium, and my insecurity, coupled with a lack of desire to learn editing, kept me away from it. During Covid, however, it became a new way to pass the time. I didn’t even know what I was going to use it for, and my very first video is actually a short of my girls fighting (It’s adorable, so don’t call CPS on me!). While we were all locked down, I was all over the place, posting videos like I blog. I eventually learned that TikTok doesn’t like a Jack of all Trades, but rather appreciates when you choose a lane and stay in it. I can’t do that very well, so I chose THREE lanes: physical media, comics, and toys. Surprisingly, the comics angle was my least successful. Comictok around that time had a bunch of fellow insecure weirdos who didn’t take comments well. The Gen Z chick made a primer for newcomers, explaining the different comic terms. When she got to “graphic novels”, however, she showed a trade paperback (a graphic novel is an original story, while a trade paperback is a collection of a story previously published as single issues). Since she was a newbie herself, I kindly pointed out the difference, and she went off on this tangent about how I was an “ass” and “triggered” her. I felt like Aziz! Anyway, I met some cool comic folks over there, like Comics Concierge, Ritz Reads Comics, and Kody Collects Comics, but that circle stayed pretty small.
Physical media was a great topic for me, however, especially as streamers kept pulling down content. We sort of banded together, sharing tips on deals and sales. My regular Physical Media Monday and TV Tuesday posts were pretty popular, as I shared the recent blu-rays and DVDs that I’d gotten the week prior. We’d suggest movies and shows to each other in the comments, and admire each other’s hauls. Folks like italkthrumovies and thatcannonguy. As streaming only seems to get worse, I’m gonna really miss that community.
Toys were also great for me, in that it was a low frills community, where folks just wanted to see each other’s hauls and collections. While my videos did pretty well out of the gate, I think the algorithm promotes you, in the same way the stripper pretends to like you. After that died down, my views weren’t great. Whatever. It became about consistency more than views. Just like my blog streak from last year, I just wanted to make sure I continued to “show up”. Last summer, the app ate one of my videos, and in the replacement, I mentioned how no one would probably see it, as the app wasn’t cooperating. Someone over on Toytok saw this, and misunderstood it, as they thought I was complaining about not getting views, when I was actually complaining about the glitchy app. Anyway, they were really supportive and they started promoting my stuff, which led me to other toy guys, and more toys guys. That became a really nurturing and inviting community. It was also pretty great during election season, as none of that came into play. If I hopped on a text-based app, it was all “Can you believe what he did NOW?!” Yeah, I could believe it. Didn’t matter. Over there, however, it was “Look what just came in from Ringside Collectibles” or “Check out the stuff I found at RossCon!” It was a nice escape, and I’ll miss that.
In a video I posted last night, I talked about how I’ve been on social media over 20 years (it’s true!), from Friendster to MySpace, on up. And the main thing I’ve learned is that the people who matter tend to show up down the road at “the next place”. I’m hoping that’s the case here, but video is so different from text, in that the migration options are limited.
I’m actually pretty dismayed by how folks are handling this, as they’re jumping ship from TikTok to go over to Lemon8, which is a company also owned by TikTok owner ByteDance. So, it would be subject to the same law that’s taking out TikTok. Others are flocking to RedNote, which is another Chinese app which – surprise – would ALSO be subject to the same damn law. That’s the point, kids! Your salvation ain’t coming from abroad. Not in this case, at least.
I never had lofty goals over there, in that I just wanted to get to 1,000 followers. The reason for that number was that was the minimum follower count you needed to go Live or get access to TikTok Studio editing tools. Seeing as I’m “The guy who hates the party until it’s almost over”, I had a hunch that the minute I hit that goal they’d shut it down. I crossed 1,000 in early fall, and here we are. I John Henry’d that shit! I’m just going to miss that collaborative attitude, as people really seemed to want to support each other. I don’t have to tell you that other apps aren’t like that. Sure, there are some regular sharers and commenters (you know who you are, and I love you). A friend had Remember That Show? on their year end list of favorite podcasts, right under Purple Stuff Podcast, and that meant the world to me. I can’t even tell you how much. Still, most folks don’t engage for shit. They read it and keep it moving. I’m reminded of Sunday School, where what they do could be described as “hiding it under a bushel”. But not in the wonderful land of TikTok. We had something special over there. I wish y’all could have seen it. I’ll miss you, my friend. How do you say “goodbye” in Chinese? Whatever it is, that goes right here.
Trailer Park
Clean Slate (Prime Video, February 5)
Just before he died, that Norman Lear stamp of approval lost a LOT of clout, as he was just putting his name on everything, like that much maligned animated Good Times reboot on Netflix. I’m sorry to say that the bloom was off the rose when he took his last breath, so I didn’t have a ton of faith in this when I first heard it was in development. That said, this looks really good. I don’t know a ton of the Laverne Cox Story, but I know she’s trans, and rose to fame in Orange Is the New Black. So, this follows the Norman Lear formula of “We’re going to challenge America’s prejudices by putting them in their back yard.” Trans woman moves back to her small hometown, and everyone has to adjust to the New Her. George Wallace understood the assignment of The Old Man in the Norman Lear series, and this looks like the kind of role I’ve wanted for him forever. While I almost feel like this would have made more sense as a film, the series format will probably give it more room to “breathe”.
Queen of the Ring (Theaters, March 7)
OK, I love Emily Bett Rickards, but this…ain’t it. It’s a shame, as you can tell she really got into shape for the role, but it looks like something between a Lifetime movie and a Redbox original. Plus, whenever a trailer starts with “Based on the inspirational true story”, I immediately think “This is a faith-based movie.” That’s not a knock against faith, but rather the fact that modern faith-based movies are ALWAYS BAD. ALL OF THEM. Yup, that one, too. Anyway, I’d actually be kinda tickled to see how they make a faith-based movie out of the story of a female wrestler during the seediest era of the industry. “Just when she thought she was down for the count, she looked to the sky.” Anyway, when Walton Goggins popped up, I thought “They must have written him SOME check!” Otherwise, when Martin Kove appears, you’re like “Yup, this is the piece of shit you thought it was.”. I will say there’s quite an impressive number of current roster women’s wrestlers in the cast, including Britt Baker (Did ya know she’s a dentist?!), Trinity Fatu, and Toni Storm.
Daredevil: Born Again (Disney+, March 4)
This might be the first Marvel trailer that didn’t have an “Oh, shit!” moment for me. I’m just gonna be forthright with it: I’m a continuity guy, and I don’t like when it’s unclear what “counts”. Most folks aren’t like me. Most folks are all “I just want an enjoyable ride.” But I’m over here, like, “So how much of the Netflix series is gonna matter here? Because I only watched a season of that, and really don’t feel like doing remedial homework.” Here’s what I do like here: There are a lot of similarities between DD and Batman, in that they’re both street level heroes, taking on thugs and whatnot at night. There’s an aspect about Batman that the movies shy away from, but appears to be on full display here: Sure, Batman won’t kill you, but he will make you wish you were dead. You can do a lot to a person, stopping just shy of killing them. There’s a great Jim Aparo panel where Batman throws a car battery at a guy. If caught by Batman, you won’t die, but you’ll walk with a limp for the rest of your life. We don’t get that brutality from Batman, because he sells lunchboxes and Underoos, but it’s here, and it’s intriguing.
Will Around The Web
Over at Remember That Show?, Adam and I are embarking on a 2-part exploration of the Designing Women Universe. He had discovered the existence of the 1995 Delta Burke vehicle, Women of the House, but I said we couldn’t cover it without discussing its “mothership” show, as Women was its spinoff. We cover the characters, the feuds, and the legacy, so check it out!
Links I Loved
- Everyone has heard about the Neil Gaiman article, but have you read the Neil Gaiman article? I hear Vulture put it behind a paywall, which I guess I understand, but still feel is something of a “dick move”. While I believe journalists need to make money, I also think important information shouldn’t be gatekept. That said, I’m gonna leave this right here…
- The Weeknd seems like a weird dude. I don’t mean it in a bad way, but it’s always strange when a performer has a “persona” that’s miles away from what the actual person is like. Anyway, this Variety article talks about the rumored upcoming “demise” of the character.
- Finally, a lot of folks don’t realize that the Making The Band franchise actually predated Diddy’s involvement, with the first 3 seasons focused on the formation of Lou Pearlman boyband O-Town. Diddy didn’t come along until the show moved from ABC to MTV. Anyway, this article talks about how association with that brand, due to the recent accusations against Diddy, has resulted in canceled gigs and and bad juju for the reunited group.
Things You Might Have Missed This Week
- Timothée Chalamet will be the host & musical guest on Saturday Night Live on January 25th, marking only the fifth time in the show’s 50-year history that a non-professional musician host did double duty. He’ll be in esteemed company, with the likes of Deion Sanders!
- Legends of Tomorrow star/former Superman Brandon Routh announced on Instagram that he and wife, actress Cortney Ford, were divorcing after 17 years of marriage. No word on who’ll get custody of the Fortress of Solitude or Palmer Technologies.
- A bunch of shit happened in the Justin Baldoni/Blake Lively battle, but he’s not only claiming that “Nicepool” from Deadpool & Wolverine was a deliberate attempt to mock him, but he’s also suing Blake Lively for $400 million. This dude is self destructing so badly that even Ezra Miller is going “Fuck, dude!” As they say in the South, “He can’t get to Hell fast enough!”
- Speaking of baseless lawsuits, Drake is suing his own label, Universal Music Group, for defamation and harassment, as he feels they spread the “false and malicious” narrative from Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” that Drake was a pedophile. Back in my day, rappers just shot each other when they were mad. Imagine if Biggie had known he could have just hired a lawyer…
- State Farm “read the room”, and has decided to cancel its Super Bowl ad this year. I hope Jake still gets paid!
- Nintendo announced the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console, which is the same as the Switch, but comes wearing a little hat.
- Monday’s inauguration is shaping up to be a star-studded event, as there will be musical performances from relevant powerhouses like Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, and Kid Rock. Meanwhile, I’m sure Trump’s Special Ambassadors to Hollywood – Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson, and Jon Voight will be in attendance. Nothing but Class and Taste for these festivities!
This week didn’t really have any good news. Honestly, yesterday was sort of sad, as we lost 3 different folks who’d been somewhat relevant to my pop culture journey. First up, David W. Duclon – creator of Punky Brewster – passed away at the age of 74. Adam and I covered all iterations of the Punky franchise last year, but it was also a pretty important part of my youth. Sure, the concept was created by Brandon Tartikoff, but the show was really guided by Duclon. When it comes to 80s pop culture, Punky was an ICON.
Then, I learned we’d lost former baseball player and broadcaster Bob Uecker. Now, y’all know I’m not a sports guy, but I loved me some Mr. Belvedere, where Uecker played George Owens – the comedic foil to the titular Belvedere. I think George frequently gets left off the lists of Great TV Dads, but I always felt his portrayal was more realistic than some of the other schmaltzy performances we got during that era.
Finally, the day ended with us learning of the passing of David Lynch. Now, this is one I don’t even feel qualified to remark upon, as I am almost completely uninformed of his work. My lone exposure to him were the four seasons of The Cleveland Show, where he voiced Gus the bartender at The Broken Stool, where the guys hung out. I knew of his work on things like Twin Peaks, but never checked that show out. Still, his impact on the past 40 years of pop culture can’t be ignored. After seeing the outpouring of love from his fans, and watching his interviews they were posting, I realized I truly missed out on something special.
This isn’t a West Life Ever, or even a West Week Ever. This is just an acknowledgement of some talent that the world lost this week, and maybe a suggestion that you go and check out some of their work. That’s the energy I want to carry me into this weekend. I know I’m going to take care of that Lynch blind spot of mine. See y’all next week.
