True fact: The iconic MGM lion roaring was really a tiger's roar dubbed in. I used to think the reason for it was anti-tiger discrimination, but it turns out that the tiger was just too old (I think he was 10).
it's not just writers, it's any job. When I lost my "good" job in my early 50s [and by that, I don't mean as a DJ....those were GREAT jobs] I figured "No big deal, I'll catch on elsewhere just as fast". Boy was I mistaken. I literally walked in the door at one place and was told that I was too old and I wouldn't be hired. Not even the courtesy of an interview. No matter the fact that they violated age discrimination laws. The guy basically laughed in my face when I brought that up and said good luck in proving it. [Now I record any interview I go on and I'm not telling them I do] Joined a group for older unemployed workers and one guy with white hair was told to dye his hair and beard a darker color. Now ten years later, I have a job that barely covers the bills and no health insurance....and I don't see it getting any better for me or anyone else in any job.
Thank you a million times for doing the ageism podcast. That's a particular hot button issue around our house. Thank God I am a freelance comedy writer for radio/Internet. I never have to worry about age; as long as our material is funny and current, our clients keep paying us for it because they never see me and have no idea how old I am or even what race I am (and with a name like Pat, what gender I am, either.)
Also, my wife and writing partner, Laura Ainsworth, hates ageism so much (being a retro jazz singer, she prefers music from 70 years ago) that she wrote and used to perform a one-woman cabaret show about the pressure (especially on women, but men, too) to keep young and beautiful forever. She has since transitioned to pure retro jazz and has recorded three CDs so she doesn't do this show anymore, but there's still an old demo reel for it on YouTube that I thought you would really appreciate.
https://youtu.be/VphPaL_mflM
BTW, one song not included in the demo was a parody of "Why Was I Born" called "When Was I Born," about trying to hide your age from employers ("When was I born?...You've no clue!") She actually led into it with a bit about nobody wanting comedy writers over 40 that mentioned the stories about writers for great shows like "MASH" being hesitant to put it on their resumes for fear it might date them. She added that these days, you can't even get a writing job if you're old enough to have watched "MASH"...even in reruns.
"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." Ecclesiastes 1:9 KJV
By the way, I had to look up the word, "surfeit." Back in the old days...people, apparently had larger vocabularies. Or they were more pedantic. M.B.
For Phil here is link to letter about nurses in film, it is on page 22 http://www.archive.org/stream/filmspectator19200film#page/n140/mode/1up/search/Fox
I'm not sure if this counts as ageism or is ageism-adjacent, it would be swell if someone in Hollywood still developed series for those older than millennials.
I understand the traditional "needs" of advertisers for a certain ad-friendly younger demographic.
I wonder, in today's world, in a media-saturated universe, if that thinking still entirely holds true.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve felt that baby boomers are a bit oversensitive to the idea that “they don’t make shows for me anymore.” A typical generation dominates pop culture for, what, 15 years or so? Mass media started catering to baby boomers in the late 60, and then they were in control of mass media from the late 70s until maybe ten years ago. That’s a remarkably long run. I think a lot of Boomers just assumed it would (and should) last forever.
Mike Bloodworth said... By the way, I had to look up the word, "surfeit." Back in the old days...people, apparently had larger vocabularies. Or they were more pedantic. M.B.
We knew words. We had the best words. Got 'em from books, not TV or the internet.
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I wish you had posted that nurse article too.
ReplyDeleteTrue fact: The iconic MGM lion roaring was really a tiger's roar dubbed in. I used to think the reason for it was anti-tiger discrimination, but it turns out that the tiger was just too old (I think he was 10).
ReplyDeleteit's not just writers, it's any job. When I lost my "good" job in my early 50s [and by that, I don't mean as a DJ....those were GREAT jobs] I figured "No big deal, I'll catch on elsewhere just as fast". Boy was I mistaken. I literally walked in the door at one place and was told that I was too old and I wouldn't be hired. Not even the courtesy of an interview. No matter the fact that they violated age discrimination laws. The guy basically laughed in my face when I brought that up and said good luck in proving it. [Now I record any interview I go on and I'm not telling them I do] Joined a group for older unemployed workers and one guy with white hair was told to dye his hair and beard a darker color. Now ten years later, I have a job that barely covers the bills and no health insurance....and I don't see it getting any better for me or anyone else in any job.
ReplyDeleteThank you a million times for doing the ageism podcast. That's a particular hot button issue around our house. Thank God I am a freelance comedy writer for radio/Internet. I never have to worry about age; as long as our material is funny and current, our clients keep paying us for it because they never see me and have no idea how old I am or even what race I am (and with a name like Pat, what gender I am, either.)
ReplyDeleteAlso, my wife and writing partner, Laura Ainsworth, hates ageism so much (being a retro jazz singer, she prefers music from 70 years ago) that she wrote and used to perform a one-woman cabaret show about the pressure (especially on women, but men, too) to keep young and beautiful forever. She has since transitioned to pure retro jazz and has recorded three CDs so she doesn't do this show anymore, but there's still an old demo reel for it on YouTube that I thought you would really appreciate.
https://youtu.be/VphPaL_mflM
BTW, one song not included in the demo was a parody of "Why Was I Born" called "When Was I Born," about trying to hide your age from employers ("When was I born?...You've no clue!") She actually led into it with a bit about nobody wanting comedy writers over 40 that mentioned the stories about writers for great shows like "MASH" being hesitant to put it on their resumes for fear it might date them. She added that these days, you can't even get a writing job if you're old enough to have watched "MASH"...even in reruns.
"The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun."
ReplyDeleteEcclesiastes 1:9 KJV
By the way, I had to look up the word, "surfeit." Back in the old days...people, apparently had larger vocabularies. Or they were more pedantic.
M.B.
For Phil here is link to letter about nurses in film, it is on page 22 http://www.archive.org/stream/filmspectator19200film#page/n140/mode/1up/search/Fox
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if this counts as ageism or is ageism-adjacent, it would be swell if someone in Hollywood still developed series for those older than millennials.
ReplyDeleteI understand the traditional "needs" of advertisers for a certain ad-friendly younger demographic.
I wonder, in today's world, in a media-saturated universe, if that thinking still entirely holds true.
Maybe I’m wrong, but I’ve felt that baby boomers are a bit oversensitive to the idea that “they don’t make shows for me anymore.” A typical generation dominates pop culture for, what, 15 years or so? Mass media started catering to baby boomers in the late 60, and then they were in control of mass media from the late 70s until maybe ten years ago. That’s a remarkably long run. I think a lot of Boomers just assumed it would (and should) last forever.
ReplyDeleteDoesn't young really equate to cheaper and easier to control?
ReplyDeleteMike Bloodworth said...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I had to look up the word, "surfeit." Back in the old days...people, apparently had larger vocabularies. Or they were more pedantic.
M.B.
We knew words. We had the best words. Got 'em from books, not TV or the internet.
This must have been online for a long time. The content has yellowed. Was the internet different in 1927?
ReplyDelete