In my recent travels I was flipping through channels in my hotel room and came across James Cramer's Mad Money show. I could not believe my eyes; I think Cramer was lying down on the floor, hugging a Sponge Bob Square Pants doll. Did anybody else see that? Was I imagining?
This is a guy I used too look forward to hearing on the radio. He spoke with callers and discussed their portfolio's and how to diversify, offering solid advice to those interested in learning. I used to get in email discussions with Cramer years ago when he had the time to answer emails. This is a guy that had plenty of interesting ideas, and I know he still does... but I did not hear any that day. He went on to make some glib comments about a few stocks and took some calls but I found it entirely unwatchable after ten to fifteen minutes. I was amazed and bewildered. He backed up nothing that he said with the slightest depth of thought. Instead I witnessed him stab the doll with a knife and throw the mutilated doll across the room. Funny? Entertaining? Not to me ---- how sad I thought. This must be the end. He has gone wacko for ratings.
In Hollywood they have an expression they use when a television show has run out of ideas, They say "it has jumped the shark". This comes from a Happy Days episode, the long running TV show, where in one of the last shows Fonzie was surfing and jumps over a shark. You knew it was over when you saw that. Well that is the feeling I had when I saw Cramer curled up with Sponge Bob. He has jumped the shark! It's all over, and it is ironic that it came to pass that a creature of the sea was involved again.
Perhaps I'm wrong? Maybe I'm too serious? Has he gone too far? Is this necessary in a show about investing?
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Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the vice president for design and research at an architecture & planning firm.











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-19-2007 @ 3:06PM
Gary E. Sattler said...
"Jumped the shark"
I'll have to remember that one. I guess it's better than being eaten by one but in Cramers case...
I suppose it depends on your perspective.
Cheers!
2-19-2007 @ 11:16PM
Richard Dobrowski said...
You obviously don't watch Cramer very often if ever or you would have understood what was going on. It is easy to make comments from a lack of knowledge.
Berdyck
2-19-2007 @ 4:47PM
john said...
I'm not sure Cramer has any show that could be compared to his. You can't really find any specific comment with which to argue, but the tone of the show seems designed to attract the unsophistiicated. My guess is that as long as the market is going up, Cramer, like Hedge Funds, has a bright future. The clock is ticking, I see a vacation in his future. John
2-19-2007 @ 4:54PM
Christian Gross said...
I like Cramer, but find his antics getting on my nerves. I like entertainment, but I get the feeling he is spending more time on the entertainment and less on the advice.
2-19-2007 @ 11:15PM
Gary Stoltz said...
I have to agree. I've been watching him for awhile now and I've lost more than I've made on his sound bites( for example: Leapfrog, Finisar, novell,Corning,etc) I'd love to see his overall track record.