Hollow Victories, by Arthur Tebbel – Pop Art #137

July 20, 2011 Arthur Tebbel 1 Comment

Two quick letters this week.  It’s too hot to sit with a computer on my lap.

Dear Art,

We announced the nominees for the Primetime Emmy Awards last week.  We’re pretty excited.  We think it was an exceptional year for television.  Who are you most excited to see at the awards on September 18th?

-John Shaffner, Chairman, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences

John,

What am I excited to see on September 18th?  The tenth episode of Breaking Bad.  Ineligible for awards this year because of a 13-month break between seasons three and four, Breaking Bad will spend this awards season on the sidelines.  This is unfortunate because it’s one of the five best television dramas I’ve ever seen.  Part of me wonders if AMC ordered the extra-long hiatus so Jon Hamm would finally have a realistic shot at an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor.  Bryan Cranston is going to be an unstoppable juggernaut in that category until Breaking Bad goes off the air.  Aaron Paul and Giancarlo Esposito have to potential to lock down Supporting Actor as well.  I’m not going to watch these Emmys for the same reason I wouldn’t watch the World Series after a season that the Yankees didn’t compete.  No matter who wins the result is going to be hollow.

Dear Art,

I am very excited right now.  Viewership for the FIFA Women’s World Cup was through the roof.   The final game between the United States and Japan drew an 8.6.  This despite the game being played in Germany and therefore, out of primetime.  It was the highest rating for a women’s soccer game since the 1999 World Cup final between the US and China.  Do you think the added attention will finally get my league off the ground?  I mean, not only do we have the overwhelming majority of the national team playing in our league we also have Marta, the consensus best player in the world.  Is this our moment?

-Tonya Antonucci, CEO, Women’s Professional Soccer

Tonya,

No, probably not.  I mean you could make a run at it.  Put Hope Solo on some billboards or something but there’s something else at work here.  Most Americans like soccer when they don’t have to like it very often.  We can really care every four years but we’d rather watch American football when it’s all said and done.

There’s a big soccer bar in Hollywood, for the Women’s final there was a substantial line when they opened.  For the Champions League final between FC Barcelona and Manchester United this spring there was no such line.  With no disrespect to the women’s game top-level club soccer is way better than international play.  There’s just no demand for elite soccer in this country.  People just want an excuse to wear red white and blue and hang out in a bar.  Sorry.