Other Crap

Carson, Lucy top list of 50 greatest TV icons

They are really getting desperate to fill out the bottom of the list, resorting to such names as Calista Flockhart, Jimmy Smits, and Susan Lucci.

On the other hand, genuine icons like Jim Arness and Edward R. Murrow had to step aside to make room for Calista.

Others that could be on the list instead of Jimmy Smits: both Costanza and Kramer, Nimoy, Picard, Rowan and Martin, Mike Wallace, Redd Foxx, and David Janssen.

One might also fairly list Cartman and even Dave Chappelle, despite his short tenure. I'd take Chappelle over Flockhart, and I'd place Cartman above Susan Lucci. She's been around forever, but the thing that disqualifies Lucci as an icon is this: stop 100 people on the street and show them her picture. Chances are not one single person will be able to identify her or even offer any info about her at all. Now show them a picture of some other person who was on TV forever - for example Bill Cullen, or better yet Alex Trebek - and compare the results. Now repeat with a picture of Cartman!