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BOOK: Jump The Shark
Written by Jon Hein
Published by EP Dutton
Hardcover, 384 pages
Reviewed by Jason Thornberry
A group of friends from the University of Michigan were sitting around one evening drinking beers and swapping stories. They began to reminisce about classic television, and lamented the fact that most shows inevitably had a defining moment when they had gone too far -- the magic had died.
It was agreed that Happy Days was on a quick downhill slide during their three-part Hawaiian vacation episodes. Fonzie puts on a pair of skis while still wearing his leather jacket, and jumps over a shark in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.
A phrase was coined that night which would define the moment when a television show, a celebrity, band, politician, or a sports star did something really silly to tarnish their own image. Jon Hein, who was in on the discussion, learned web design, and eventually developed an entire site dedicated to the folly of the famous (www.jumptheshark.com).
Jump The Shark became a hit, and he was featured on radio and t.v. for several years before he pared down a substantial chunk of the website, which became this book. "When Good Things Go Bad" is the sub-heading of the tome, and at over 350 pages gives many great instances of things we all love 'Jumping The Shark.'
Here are a few examples: Cousin Oliver joins the Brady Bunch, Sammy Hagar ruins Van Halen, Woody Allen marries his stepdaughter, the tragedy that is Tonya Harding's very existence, and George Bush Sr. projectile vomiting on Japan's prime minister.
The only television show to get a notification of 'Not Yet' was The Simpsons, though Hein did say that Michael Jackson's guest appearance in the third season was alarming. He also felt a slight aversion for the show's focus shifting from Bart to Homer. Despite 'NSYNC'S guest appearance, "Behind The Laughter," and Principal Skinner's identity crisis, The Simpsons is still referred to "the best comedy on television".
The Beatles' problems seemed to rise and set on Yoko Ono. It's typical for a band to 'Jump The Shark' when they changed lead singers (Black Sabbath), take off their makeup (Kiss), make silly concept albums (Styx), or develop evil twins (Garth Brooks as Chris Gaines). When great bands like Nirvana or The Doors lose key members to suicide or drug overdose, their legacy sails over the shark as well. Releasing more albums posthumously than you did in life is also a sure bet (see Jimi Hendrix).
Movie stars are lambasted for acts of lunacy, like Sally Field's 1984 Oscar acceptance speech. They can also strap on the skis when they pick up hookers on Sunset Boulevard (Hugh Grant), become singers (Eddie Murphy), or just make god-awful films (Sylvester Stallone).
In the world of sports, shark jumping is typically down to the athletes either becoming silly, like boxer/rapist/cannibal Mike Tyson, or simply dating Madonna, writing a book about it, leaving the NFL for the NBA, and waking up with a sea green Afro (Dennis Rodman).
Hein doesn't spare the political spectrum, as he tags a crack-smoking mayor (Marion Barry), a ghastly Presidential campaign (Mondale-Ferraro), and the dreaded 'potatoe' incident (Dan Quayle). The book even goes old school with a poke at Napoleon for the battle at Waterloo, the British Empire's eventual loss of dominion over India, and Adolf Hitler's rise to power in Germany.
Jump The Shark is sure to start as many debates as it quashes, and will keep you laughing long after your neighbors swing by your place to see if you're all right.
© 2003 - Jason Thornberry