Finally a comics poll that makes sense

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I’m sure they’re paying more attention to the people voting by paper or online, but if I’m wrong — if polling random people in a bar late at night (watch the video clip) is how the Hamilton Spectator is choosing its new comics, I think it’s revolutionary. In fact, I think newspapers should choose all their features by showing them to clueless drunk people in some bar. The advice columns alone would be worth the price of a subscription.

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Discussion (6)¬

  1. Rich says:

    Ah-ha! Now I know what the Chicago Tribune was thinking. They took their comics page around to a bunch of bars at 3 in the morning, laid it in front of the drunkest person in the bar, and said, OK, which strip do we drop?

    And at the end of the night, the one with the most drool stains and grimy thumbprints got the ax.

    Kind of like how they do presidential endorsements.

  2. K.C. says:

    It didn’t seem like any of them were even aware that their paper had a comics page before. Who were these people?

  3. the pete says:

    For shame, Tiffany! I watched the whole thing. I have the attention span of a statue.

    …Wait, we are talking about the Panda clip, right?

    Of comic strip polls, I think Paul has a valid point. Why do they poll for the comics but not for anything else in the paper? Aren’t editors supposed to pick and choose what they think the readers should see? When I read comics like Candorville and Doonesbury, and even lighter stuff like Pearls Before Swine, it’s obvious to me there’s journalistic value in comics, or at least human interest stuff. Why is that so different from columns and other features, to the point where the editors give up their role and let readers decide?

    On the other hand, it would be interesting to see a comic page that was put together by a few dozen drunks in the middle of the night.

  4. Darrin Bell says:

    By “leading,” I don’t mean to say he’s leading today. I believe that a year from now, people are going to be looking for someone other than Obama (who hasn’t really done much to convince me he’s more than a stunning orator) or Clinton (who’s been seriously underperforming in polls).

  5. Darrin Bell says:

    I’m setting my TiVo as we speak. Thanks for the head’s up!

    The cynic in me says there were no takers on the Edwards speech because of it’s length. But I know better. The people here are patient enough to sit through a half-hour speech articulating a leading presidential condender’s views on the most important issue of our time. Right? Right?

  6. Paul says:

    Interesting there were no takers on the Edwards piece. Could it be the topic made some a bit too uncomfortable or that it drew a pretty defensive response from Sen Clinton?

    My view is if newspapers are going to poll to see which comics they should run they should be philosophically consistent. Poll people on which columnists they think should be dropped. Same with sports writers, lifestyle, and foodies. Ditto the editorial staff. Also the local content writers. Then they should begin polling on content.

    By the way – just got a call (which I verified) – Colbert’s going to be on the O’Reilly Factor tonight (Thurs, Jan 18). Then (same day) O’Reilly’s going to be on the Colbert Report. This I gotta see. If these two guys can get along, then maybe, just maybe there is hope.