It’s a reference to Happy Days when the Fonz jumped a shark while waterskiing. It’s used now to suggest that a show has gone a little too far in the name of trying to come up with the next great ratings spinner.
You know the amazing thing is that even though “Jump the shark” has come to mean an over-the-top stunt to save a dying show, “Happy Days” stayed on the air several more seasons after Fonzie jumped that shark pen. If anyone remembers, Ron Howard left the show, and it was after Richie was gone “into the army” that he got married and they had a kid. Fonzie became a high school teacher and on the last episode Joanie married Chachi.
JanCinVV, many shows stay on the air for years after having “jumped the shark.” It doesn’t mean that the show is in danger of cancellation, it means that it might as well be cancelled. They’re going through the motions, they’re creatively bankrupt, their time has passed, but they just keep hanging on. A well-deserved cancellation would be a mercy…
Hey, That’s Nothin’! I got jumped by my own attorney! Now THAT’ ll take a bite outta ya! He even had Dental Insurance!
I Tell ya, I don’t get no respect…
Oh, Im sorry! That’s somebody else’s shtick!
Why’s he telling Peter? Peter was there yesterday when it happened. And he’s not offering Thor a job as host - the “talkshow circuit” means appearing on the shows as a “celebrity” like Charles Nelson Reilly, or Charles Grodin… B- C- or D-listers who are still quasi-famous despite doing nothing but talk shows for years. SCTV years ago had a perfect spoof of this in The Sammy Maudlin Show.
MontanaLady over 14 years ago
Okay, Mastroianni, are you trying to tell us something???
seemsvanjest over 14 years ago
It’s a reference to Happy Days when the Fonz jumped a shark while waterskiing. It’s used now to suggest that a show has gone a little too far in the name of trying to come up with the next great ratings spinner.
Trainwreck_1 over 14 years ago
Well MontanaLady I guess we can always hope it’s nothing more than a bad… Very bad case of writers block?
jaeldid66 over 14 years ago
Seems, yeah, we covered all that yesterday ad infinitum
COWBOY7 over 14 years ago
Pete must have access to Wikipedia. Good show!
pearlandpeach over 14 years ago
since Thor really did junp a shark - isn’t he wondering what all the synpathy is for? He succeeded!!
DragonPowered over 14 years ago
Maybe he’s trying to tell us this strip is due for retirement
GROG Premium Member over 14 years ago
And if he keeps this up, mabe that’s not such a bad thing.
We can read re-runs of Classic BC.
JanLC over 14 years ago
You know the amazing thing is that even though “Jump the shark” has come to mean an over-the-top stunt to save a dying show, “Happy Days” stayed on the air several more seasons after Fonzie jumped that shark pen. If anyone remembers, Ron Howard left the show, and it was after Richie was gone “into the army” that he got married and they had a kid. Fonzie became a high school teacher and on the last episode Joanie married Chachi.
lightenup Premium Member over 14 years ago
Is this a slam on Leno or Letterman?
fritzoid Premium Member over 14 years ago
JanCinVV, many shows stay on the air for years after having “jumped the shark.” It doesn’t mean that the show is in danger of cancellation, it means that it might as well be cancelled. They’re going through the motions, they’re creatively bankrupt, their time has passed, but they just keep hanging on. A well-deserved cancellation would be a mercy…
freeholder1 over 14 years ago
Yeah, kid, there’s a late night spot but we got to do somehting about the hair…
artisanx over 14 years ago
Hey, That’s Nothin’! I got jumped by my own attorney! Now THAT’ ll take a bite outta ya! He even had Dental Insurance! I Tell ya, I don’t get no respect… Oh, Im sorry! That’s somebody else’s shtick!
seemsvanjest over 14 years ago
@jael No worries, missed it.
gimmickgenius over 14 years ago
Why’s he telling Peter? Peter was there yesterday when it happened. And he’s not offering Thor a job as host - the “talkshow circuit” means appearing on the shows as a “celebrity” like Charles Nelson Reilly, or Charles Grodin… B- C- or D-listers who are still quasi-famous despite doing nothing but talk shows for years. SCTV years ago had a perfect spoof of this in The Sammy Maudlin Show.
Rakkav over 14 years ago
Which, gimmickgenius, just might prove this strip has jumped the shark…at least this week…