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May 25, 2012

I'm not going to watch American Inventor anymore

by Bob Sassone, posted Apr 15th 2006 11:00AM
American Inventor This past week just drove me over the edge. How can the woman with the doll and the guy with the word game be in the final twelve? I mean, these two inventions (and I use the term loosely) are better than 90 something percent of the inventions that these three judges saw in the cities where people pitched their ideas? Um, no. (And don't even get me started on the sweet lady who had the disposable paper. Was that an "invention" or a "store purchase"?).

And the way that the producers and ABC is packaging the show...gah. When you get right down to it, what does all this talk about DREAMS and PASSION have to do with how good the invention is? People are quitting their jobs and living out of cars and selling body organs? Well, that's their call. One of the rounds the other night was actually based on an emotional pitch to the judges. Why? And the awful, overdramatic montage at the end. God, this isn't a reality show, it's like a cross between Extreme Makeover and a Publisher's Clearinghouse commercial.

I'm going back to Survivor. At least over there I might see someone eat a bug.

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Joseph

wow. the cynicism is at an all time high. i actually love the show. these people are actually coming up with ideas to make the world, better, more fun or more accomadating. but inventors have gone through the same scrutiny and bashing that yall cats are doing. what if Edison gave up after he failed or was blogged to death from onlookers?

i agree with some of your statements though. the definition of "invention" should have been clarified more. but they probably kept who came because not enough "invenions" were being presented. plus, a lot of the "inventions" presented were just too funny not to broadcast. the wand? beetle farm? disposable sheets (and don't hospitals already have those)?

oh, and to all yall guys talking about you'd have a root canal and other bodily harm instead of watching the show are more full of it than most of the inventions on the show.

these are regular people, like us, who have ideas and are at least trying to do something with them. great show!! rather watch this than have people do nothing to win money. survivor? how about create a show called "homeless" (survive without money, home, food or family for a month in the inner city). now that's tv!

April 28 2006 at 11:38 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Simmsays

We would appreciate your letting your viewers know that Doug Hall will be guest bloggin live this Sunday, April 23.

He will be on at 9:30 Eastern time at http://wwww.AmericanInventorSpot.com for anyone who wants to ask him questions or give feedback.

Thanks!!


AmericanInventorSpot.com

April 22 2006 at 2:29 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
jimmy b

get comments folks...its nice to know im not alone yelling at the tv....
they ruined a really good idea......
somewhere ron popeil [ however you spell it] is laughing his head off...

April 16 2006 at 9:40 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Duane

They probably should have called the show "The Great American Dream" or something like that, since they're obviously looking for that whole "you had nothing, you poured your life into your idea, and now you're gonna be rich" story. Unfortunately they're not going to get it. The closest stories on that front are the kid who was too poor to own his own bike who had to invent one that his brothers could share, or the guy with the safety car seat whose daughter died (but that's hardly the cookie-cutter american dream).

The sandbag shovel already exists (called "gobagger"), so it'll be interesting to see how far he gets before that is unveiled. And the Niya doll is already marketed in K-Mart. I wonder which of the others is also already on the market? One of the 12 might end up winning the thing by default. Everybody loves the car seat guy because of his story, but there's no way that one man is re-inventing the car seat. Way too many hurdles with safety regulations.

Maybe the kid with the bike will end up winning it. He actually did manage to show some creativity by taking the judges comments in the early round and crafting some real changes to his product. He's young enough and got a basic enough invention that he actually could benefit from the mentoring and the cash. And he's got a story that would work.

April 16 2006 at 6:48 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Simmsays

I completely agree that the is nothing about inventing and more about trying to suck in ratings with sob stories.

The key to inventing is to be smarter and more creative that most, to be able to really build something when its not obvious to everyone else.

Having the final rounds be about how much you suffered and how desperate you is the exact oppostie of a good inventor. I am furious with them all for taking what could be something wonderful and going to the lowest common denominator or maudlin dreck.

I haven't given up yet but close.

Simmssays...

http://www.AmericanInventorSpot.com
AmericanInventorSpot.com


April 16 2006 at 1:31 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David

I was enjoying the show right up to last episode, when they went from 24 to 12. Your calls are dead-on that the word-game and the doll are not any kind of invention. And I can't believe they approved the bicycle with the death-seat in the front. That thing is a class-action lawsuit on wheels.

And what kind of marketing are these people supposed to do for $50,000? They've already gotten ten or fifteen minutes of exposure on one of the top-rated shows in the country, which is being watched specifically by people interested in new inventions. What would that kind of time cost if you wanted to buy it? $5 million? $10 million? What's another $50,000 worth of marketing going to do for them?

April 15 2006 at 9:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
MV

American Inventor is SO BORING! What was Simon Cowell thinking? I would rather have a root canal than have to sit through another minute of this awful show.
Just because a show title begins with American and Simon Cowell is attached to the project does not mean it will be a hit.

April 15 2006 at 3:36 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Sy Stebins

Too many sob stories. Probably made up to move forward in the sob-fest. The guy who said he would go to Mexico with the $50,000 had the best and most honest answer. Awkward but a fun lift from the tears.

I think his product is a germ filtering toilet seat that prevents the harmful affects of bacteria that's sprayed out after each flush. Smart invention.

April 15 2006 at 3:06 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ryan

If they're just going to spend the money on marketing isn't the show going to start to feel like an hour-long informercial? I just don't see where this show is going but I guess the alternative is the non-stop crazy rule changes of Unan1mous.

April 15 2006 at 3:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
tpp

The doorstopper woman should spend the $50K on marketing, same with any other product in the final 12 that's essentially 100% developed.

I hope the sandbagger shovel dude, or the car seat dude take the win. At least their inventions are actual inventions unlike the freakin' multicultural doll, that has the "ingenius" "invention" of including 3 voice chips instead of just the usual one.

April 15 2006 at 1:55 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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