I’ve pulled the plug on CNBC’s “Fast Money” program and now I’m wondering what took me so long.
I guess it was a form of intertia, in that it was easier just to keep watching as usual, rather than make a decision to stop.
As a side note, I long ago had taken to DVRing the show, the better to fast-forward through elongated commercial breaks, recurring hero worship of Apple, and more recently Nvidia, and the growing number of segments that devolved into mindless politics, obscure rock music or movie references, or a combination of both.
It got to the point that I could blow through a 60-minute show in maybe 10 or 15 minutes of content that interested me.
There also is the case of the host, who is only about an even bet to actually show up, sort of like a latter-day Johnny Carson.
After Monday’s mindless episode, I went to the DVR and deleted the timers for the rest of the week. I’m calling it a success.
Back in the early days, when the show was new in 2006 and only a once-a-week or less format, it was a welcome exchange of ideas. I remember often being on the road, rushing from the airport to my hotel room to watch, taking notes during the broadcast.
Dylan Ratigan was the original host, with original panelists Jeff Macke, Tim Strazzini, Eric Bolling and Guy Adami, each with a nickname such as Macke’s “Lone Wolf.”
All but Adami have moved on to better things and the show has deteriorated. There is one current regular panelist, a guy whose nose suggests he’s been in and lost a lot of fights, who can’t help himself from making virtually every segment a hit on President Trump, Elon Musk, or other assorted figures on the political right.
We get it, potato nose, you are on the left. Now, can we talk investing?
And this is where the decision to avoid comes into the calculus. Why risk breaking my television with a thrown object, or sit in the recliner muttering to myself about the insanity? Why not just avoid?
This has been a simple tenet of my existence for years. When out-of-control dogs – and their idiotic owners – made walking in certain neighborhoods annoying, I changed my walk routes.
When taking one of my hobby cars out for a hoped-for relaxing drive, I gravitate toward the Somerset Pike because it tends to be a serene, low-traffic, low-stress exercise.
Moving to the topic of network TV series — be they dramatic or comedic — that have been turned into left-wing propaganda, again, simply ignore. Can we have a show without several gay, left-wing types preaching to the world?
Apparently not. The solution is just don’t watch the shows.
You don’t like a cable news channel, don’t watch.
You prefer not to see the latest leftist host (who all seemingly shop for their black-rimmed glasses at the same outlet, be they male or female), change the channel.
If you tire of CNBC going full libtard with a show designed to provide investing insight, stop watching.
I’ve switched to Charles Payne on Fox Business, a 2 p.m. island of sanity. Imagine this, Payne has guests who provide insight and investing ideas. They don’t take cheap shots at Trump. They don’t try to dazzle us with their knowledge of obscure pop culture.
They don’t feel the need to flatter the host, and each other, incessantly, to the exclusion of providing investing wisdom.
By the way, “Making Money With Charles Payne” on Fox Business Network has ratings that are up 22 percent from a year ago, averaging 167,000 viewers, so I’m not alone in liking his show.
I’m also not alone in tuning out “Fast Money.” According to ustvdb.com, the show’s ratings for August were down 39 percent from July 2024, averaging 95,000 viewers. Meanwhile, a similar noon show on CNBC that has stayed more faithful to the formula, “Fast Money Halftime Report,” has growing ratings, averaging 163,000 viewers
Goodbye, “Fast Money.” Be sure to turn out the lights when the last viewer flees.
Sam Ross Jr's site 