When CanWest News Service's Misty Harris contacted us for a story she was doing about Robert Thompson, declining the opportunity to run our mouths had about as much chance as Mischa Barton's The O.C. character being resurrected. To revel in the irony of giving a soundbite about Mr. Soundbite? And the guarantee that all of our professors and peers from Syracuse University's Newhouse school would read it? Too much to pass up.
But more so, Misty's pitch gave us validation: We're not the only ones so fascinated by Thompson, who claims the title of "director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television" at Syracuse University. While a naive undergrad at Newhouse, happily punching out editorial for the student newspaper, we oft happened upon Thompson — but like most Americans, our encounters usually took place in the press, reading his musings on American Idol or Michael Jackson. Thompson maintains the most luxe office of all esteemed Newhouse faculty, meanwhile, putting even the dean's digs to shame. And what's he do all day? Watches TV, and answers the phone. If you're a reporter in need of a soundbite, whether for an article on Survivor or YouTube, Thompson is your man. And that's why Syracuse University loves him: he's their best PR marketing tool, shaming New York University and Columbia with his ubiquitous press mentions.
So while we continue to doubt Thompson's ability to do much more than deliver skillfully worded Best Week Ever-isms, we do bow our heads to the fella: He's celebrating his 25th year of teaching — and the 20th anniversary of his pop culture expertise.
The professor of pop culture punditry: Syracuse prof has found fame as media expert [CanWest]
Robert Thompson Faculty Profile [Newhouse School]
Related: All Robert Thompson coverage
Editorial Director
Late comment, but just to validate his complete lack of knowledge about the REAL world of media, here is his comment about the coverage about Steve Irwin's death….. ****Media expert Robert Thompson said he was a little surprised by the media's focus on Irwin — especially given the glut of long-anticipated celebrity news, such as Katie Couric's debut anchoring the "CBS Evening News," Rosie O'Donnell's arrival on "The View" and the first photographs of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes' daughter, Suri. (Watch how fans reacted to Irwin's death — 1:34)
"I think of the many great television personalities, and they die and we hear an obituary. And for about 12 hours there are reports and acknowledgements, and you see clips of their shows and all the rest," said Thompson, the director of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television. "This broke on Monday, and it's already Wednesday and there's no sign of it stopping."****
He is NO clue about why Steve Irwin matters/mattered to people all around the world. What a duffus and arrogant man Mr. Thompson is.
[...] report on Syracuse University pop culture professor and professional quotation Robert Thompson and the press' endless appetite to engage him in soundbite. Multiple times a day, you can find Thompson expounding on this celebrity or that TV show, ad [...]
[...] report on Syracuse University pop culture professor and professional quotation Robert Thompson and the press' endless appetite to engage him in soundbite. Multiple times a day, you can find Thompson expounding on this celebrity or that TV show, ad [...]
[...] on Syracuse University pop culture professor and professional quotation Robert Thompson — and the press' endless appetite to engage him in soundbite. Multiple times a day, you can find Thompson expounding on this celebrity or that TV show, ad [...]
[...] report on Syracuse University pop culture professor and professional quotation Robert Thompson and the press’ endless appetite to engage him in soundbite. Multiple times a day, you can find Thompson expounding on this celebrity or that TV show, ad [...]
[...] on Syracuse University pop culture professor and professional quotation Robert Thompson — and the press’ endless appetite to engage him in soundbite. Multiple times a day, you can find Thompson expounding on this celebrity or that TV show, ad [...]