Dick ClarkIn the series premiere of Fox's animated Futurama, which was televised back in the good days around '98 or '99, there's a scene in which Dick Clark (or more precisely Dick Clark's head) hosts the New Year's party in the year 3000.
Prior to his stroke, Clark was seen as an ageless smooth talker. On Saturday night, when he made his first public appearance since his stroke in late 2004, it became clear that post-stroke, Dick Clark is an old man whose speech is difficult to understand.
While some may ridicule Clark, I was impressed that he came back for the 2006 New Year's countdown. His speech was slurred, his voice very hoarse, and his words were not always easy to comprehend, particularly at the start of the broadcast. Perhaps because they don't want to tarnish their legacy or the way they are remembered, most celebrities disappear from public view when age and/or illness cause the source of their stardom to abandon them. In contrast, Dick Clark reminded viewers that real life can sometimes be harsh and challenging but that one must persevere. That is admirable, and hopefully Saturday night will mark the start of Clark's comeback, not his farewell.
posted on 1/02/2006
