Synopsis
Jump the Shark is a riotous compendium of those priceless moments when the magic vanishes, the ratings go south, and the mighty become the fallen (who would have guessed a blue Gap dress could send Bill Clinton over the shark?). From the creator of the immensely popular website that has coined a catch phrase comes the book that is bound to be the pop-culture sensation of the season. But beware: these shark-infested pages will leave you in stitches and wondering where the insidious fin will pop up next.
Publishers Weekly
It' s a truism that the entertainment industry can never leave well enough alone. With few exceptions, TV shows, movie series and entertainers all go on producing product well after their prime. The popular Web site jumptheshark.com which takes its name from the ignominious Happy Days episode in which Fonzie jumps over a shark on water skis elaborates on this truism, chronicling the moments when TV series began their slides into embarrassment. Hein, the site' s creator, expands the site here, taking aim at not only TV shows, but also musicians, celebrities, athletes and politicians. It' s a risky move on Hein' s part because, as he himself notes, one of the first signs of a show' s doom is the spin-off. The book' s television chapter offers some deliciously catty pop criticism. Hein judges Family Ties, Beverly Hills 90210 and ER for fin spottings (Alex Keaton is born, Brenda goes abroad and Dr. Ross leaves, respectively). The writing is at times strangely ambivalent, as Hein' s theory of entertainment entropy ensnares just about every show imaginable, even ones he obviously likes (with the exception of The Simpsons, which miraculously escapes his eye). Like a producer with a smash hit sitcom, though, Hein can' t leave well enough alone and wades into deeper waters. The celebrities chapter is especially unfocused, swiping at everyone from Cher to Francis Ford Coppola. Still, it' s a light and easily digested read. Fins are definitely spotted, but the book never quite jumps the shark itself. (On sale Sept. 16) Forecast: According to Dutton, Hein' s site currently generates between four and eight million hits and roughly one million unique visitors per month. Those stats would suggest a huge audience, especially on college campuses. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.