Robert Thompson Quotes on America (12 Quotes)

I think the American culture right now is in a state where we have an unlimited appetite for irony. The great thing about a weird pageant is, if you don't win, is that really a bad thing

They like gimmicks and gizmos, ... They see these things as the constant promise in America that a new idea can change their lives. These people are frequently disappointed when they buy that can of spray to cover up their bald spot.

There's going to be plenty of market demand for all the corn and soybean meal that efficient producers in North and South America can produce. I predict that by 2050 there will be real questions raised about the morality of burning food for fuel.

It's hard to remember life without eBay. It's one of those things like fast food or Disneyland. Once they make their appearance on the American landscape, they become part of the language.

One reason we watch these shows is the cheese factor. This ups the cheese equity of American Idol , as opposed to the (1950s) quiz shows scandals, which undermined the very value of what those shows were.

It is one of the few shows on American television, especially after you get past those first couple of weeks, where really little kids love it, grandma loves it. It's got the kind of wide appeal we used to see all the time on network TV that we very seldom see anymore.

These are fundamental, foundational themes in American culture. And they all get played out here in ... the journalistic perfect storm.

It's really an ingenious idea. One of the most desirable things in American life is a job on television. Everybody can understand the appeal of that more so than the appeal of a million dollars. Somebody wins a million bucks on Survivor, that doesn't mean anything to viewers. Here you've got a situation where somebody really does have a career launch.

One can argue the history of America has been one big makeover show,

There's a history in American culture about animals. You have sincere animals such as Rin Tin Tin and Lassie who are essentially heroic. And you've also got your wise-cracking animals. ... You turn an animal into something that becomes a commentary on the silliness of human life.

There are two things people love in America attention and money.

To some extent, the Oscars and Emmys are the mother of all awards shows and are immune to that. But then, who would have guessed that Miss America would be leaving Atlantic City and playing on a cable channel that didn't exist several decades ago