My 14-year-old son, born in 1991, is certain he was born two decades too late. So, lately, he's been bringing himself up to speed on the culture of the 1970s: the music (The Doors, Grateful Dead), the literature (Gore Vidal), events that defined the decade (Vietnam, Woodstock) and Dick Cavett....


Admittedly, Cavett might be an odd choice to anchor the viewing habits of a teenager, but not for a boy bent on soaking up the culture of the 1970s. Cavett's show, which aired weeknights on ABC from 1969 to 1972, was a veritable summer tide pool–teeming with '70s personalities like Lester Maddox, Truman Capote, Hugh Hefner, Alfred Hitchcock, Muhammad Ali, and Joan Baez, to name but a fraction.
Which is how I found myself, the other night, watching an excerpt from The Dick Cavett Show. On the show, a young John Kerry (representing the head of Vietnam Veterans Against the War) and former Swift boat commander John O'Neill are going head to head on US policy in Vietnam. As debates go, it was wholly civil. Kerry and O'Neill each had his say. Cavett moderated. The audience didn't get vocal, and no one–including Cavett–erupted. At least, not in the manner of contemporary talk shows.
There are countless other similar debates and situations from The Dick Cavett Show, recounted all over the web. Most agree: Cavett was a hip alternative to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He was educated and witty. What's more, he embraced the talk-show forum as a platform to shed some light on ideas and issues, offer perspective, and encourage meaningful conversation–nearly every weekday.
Suddenly, it hit me: Dick Cavett was the original blogger. While I've claimed credit for inventing blogging, I realized as I watched Dick in action that he was the master. The truth is: Dick's educated love for words and conversation and community made him an icon that bloggers should aspire to emulate.
Here are 6 characteristics that blogs have in common with Cavett and his show–evidence enough to crown him the original blogger:
1.
Alternative media. Just as bloggers represent an alternative to the traditional sources of print and broadcast media, Cavett represented an antidote to the mainstream Carson on late-night TV. The Dick Cavett Show aired at 11:30 PM on ABC, smack opposite NBC's The Tonight Show. Already, Carson was an icon, firmly entrenched in American TV culture. But the Cavett show is generally acknowledged as the most noble and worthy attempt to take on the "unassailable" Carson.
2.
Conversation. The best blogs are conversational; they encourage feedback via comments and trackbacks, and the conversation is unedited and unfiltered (within reason). In my mind, the "comments" area is where some of the best stuff happens on a blog.
Similarly, Cavett encouraged real conversation with his guests; he didn't allow publicists to script it too closely. And occasionally he challenged them in ways that led to some unpredictable moments. When Dick asked Jimi Hendrix to explain his unconventional riff on the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock–he then took the heat when Hendrix dissed him right back, stating unequivocally that his take was "beautiful," not a mock of the flag. In an era of Merv Griffin and Mike Douglas spooning out publicity pablum on their own talk shows, Cavett walked closer to the edge.
3.
Community. Bloggers embrace their community, both by encouraging comments and conversation and by participating in conversations going on elsewhere in the blogosphere. Cavett did the same–embracing his guests and encouraging their full participation in every show. He encouraged his guests to stick around after their own interview ended, simply to chat it up with those who were up next. Cavett didn't invent the multiple-guest format, but he excelled at it.
4.
Well-written. The best blogs are written by those who have a love of language -- or at least a healthy admiration for it. Cavett was a Yale graduate; he was smart and well-read. He hosted his share of vacuous celebrities. But he rounded out his three-year tour with writers, authors, artists and intellects like Al Rowse, Gore Vidal, Norman Mailer, Noel Coward, Truman Capote, and Salvador Dali.
5.
Point of view. The best blogs serve up an author's point of view, and sometimes, bloggers take some heat for it. Similarly, Cavett famously disagreed with former Georgia governor Lester Maddox's views on segregation, took issue with Norman Mailer's patronizing arrogance, and called Timothy Leary on the carpet for his unsubstantiated ideas. That leaves Cavett with critics, certainly, who call him smug, smarmy, and an intellectual poser. But, like any brand or product, it's better to be loved or hated than to inhabit someplace like the mushy middle. (Right, Mike?)
6.
Dog lover. Dick is (or at least, was) a dog person: He owned a Yorkshire-Cairn terrier mix named Daphne, and named his production company after her. The best bloggers are dog people, too.
Truth be told, there is absolutely no validity to this one; it's total rubbish. I'm sure there are some cat people, for example, who make excellent bloggers. But I threw in this completely unsubstantiated claim because– well, I'm a dog person, too. And like most other dog people, I have a soft spot in my heart for dog people.
But you know, the more I think about it, the more I'm wondering whether there might be something to this–. Like good dogs, good bloggers are social, interactive, and need constant feedback: "Good dog! What a good dog!!"
I'm sensing a topic for a future post–.