Ten, nine, eight, seven ...

This New Year's Eve, Dick Clark will again be on TV, counting down the seconds to midnight. But in his slurred speech, the result of a 2004 stroke, some of us can't help but hear the countdowns in our own lives—to the end of our careers, to the difficulties of old age, to the decisions we must make about closing chapters that defined us.

Dick Clark: Still Rockin'
Dick Clark has been hosting TV shows for more than 50 years, and some people wonder if it's time for him to retire.

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Associated Press / ABC

Dick Clark posing with Ryan Seacrest.
Mr. Clark turned 80 this past Monday, and a lot of people consider him a hero for remaining on the job. They see him as a role model for resiliency, and a vital steward of New Year's Eve, a holiday designed to look back as well as forward. They ask: Why surrender Dec. 31 to the young?

Others argue that Mr. Clark has become an inappropriate symbol for what should be a happy celebration, because he reminds viewers of sadder things: the ravages of illness and the hazards of aging. He had his time, they say. He ought to let go of the baton and allow a younger generation to run with it alone.

We heard similar drumbeats around 80-year-old Bobby Bowden, the legendary Florida State football coach. In the wake of the team's lackluster record this year and calls for his resignation, he announced his retirement on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey has confirmed that she will end her talk show in 2011, after she completes 25 seasons. "This show has been my life," she said, "and I love it enough to know when it's time to say goodbye."

These public figures remind us of the hard decisions that often accompany letting go. It is an inexact process. It can be a mistake to leave a job too early, and it can be easy to stay too long.

"A lot of people retire because they have enough money. I call them 'the bored affluent,' " says John Sondereker, who retired in 2003, at age 60, as an executive vice president at Wells Fargo Financial. "Golf will never replace a good career."


Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Dick Clark, on 'American Bandstand' in 1970: He's still in the spotlight.
But staying too long in a job can be worse. I've heard from readers over the years offering sharp advice about clinging to a fading career. Here's how one summed it up: "When the horse dies, dismount."

When people can't bring themselves to retire, it is often because they look for evidence that confirms their urge to hold on, says Richard Staelin, a professor at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business, who studies "confirmation bias." Those who hang on too long tend to ignore things that would tell them it's time to leave, he says.

Since his stroke, Mr. Clark's show has continued to be television's top-rated New Year's Eve program. It's not as if he's a football coach whose team has stopped winning, says Larry Klein, the show's longtime producer. "We don't have losing seasons. We win every single year."

Also, feedback from viewers has been far more positive than negative, says Mr. Klein. "They say Dick shows strength and courage. He created the show. He's an American institution. He deserves to decide on his own when and if he'll leave." (Mr. Clark, who launched his New Year's Eve show in 1972, declined to comment for this column.)

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It wouldn't be the same without Dick Clark on New Year's Eve. Everything on tv anymore is geared toward the young. Dick Clark is one of the few tv legends that are still around. He should stay until he wants to leave.

I agree :wave:

It wouldn't be the same without Dick Clark on New Year's Eve. Everything on tv anymore is geared toward the young. Dick Clark is one of the few tv legends that are still around. He should stay until he wants to leave.

Dick Clark is an icon and a great American. He should host these events until he dies. We dont have great TV personalities like him anymore sadly.

Don't forget Dick Clark's production company owns the show so only he can ultimately decide if he stays or goes. I suspect that continuing to do the show is great therapy for him and I know he's a great inspiration to many. Rock on Dick!!

I think the decision should be up to Dick and his health. I think he will retire sometime in the next couple of years.

It wouldn't be the same without Dick Clark on New Year's Eve. Everything on tv anymore is geared toward the young. Dick Clark is one of the few tv legends that are still around. He should stay until he wants to leave.

Yeah, that sounds about right. I mean, honestly I think he's pretty much "retired" from most stuff except the New Year's Eve gig, and why not allow the man to continue? He's contributed so much to our TV culture in the past 50 plus years. Rock on, Dick! :)

I agree with all of you guys. I mean we all grew up with Dick Clark. I am no big fan of Ryan Seacrest, but I do think he has done an admirable job as host.

It wouldn't be the same without Dick Clark on New Year's Eve. Everything on tv anymore is geared toward the young. Dick Clark is one of the few tv legends that are still around. He should stay until he wants to leave.

Honestly, it really hasn't been the same since DC had his stroke!

He may not be the same due to the storke but, no one should be made to retire that's taking away their dignity. I hated that they made Bert Parks retire from his hosting the Miss America Pageant so many years ago. It has never been the same since.

It wouldn't be the same without Dick Clark on New Year's Eve. Everything on tv anymore is geared toward the young. Dick Clark is one of the few tv legends that are still around. He should stay until he wants to leave.
:yeahthat My feelings exactly!!

Although I'm sad when I see Dick sick looking on NY's Rocking Eve. I still watch it. On his retirement.... I leave it up to him.

Only if he wants to, he's still doing it, so it's clear he still wants to. It probably has done a lot to help keep him going after his illness.

I agree

I think he should stay. It's something he loves and he should do it as long as he can. I remember one year didn't Regis fill in a little bit but Dick Clark was still there? I don't watch that show like I used to because the past several years haven't featured anyone that I really like that much. I'd love to see Harry Connick Jr on there, but he's not exactly a rock star!

It wouldn't be the same without Dick Clark on New Year's Eve. Everything on tv anymore is geared toward the young. Dick Clark is one of the few tv legends that are still around. He should stay until he wants to leave.

I agree... New Year's Eve just wouldn't be the same without Dick Clark, as I've watched him for seemingly my entire life host the show live from Times Square. It's comforting and touching to see him there and to watch him give his wife of well over fifty years a kiss each year at the stroke of midnight. We all realize that he will not be around forever, but it certainly is nice to have the shared experience of having his presence in Times Square as long as he is still alive and kicking to ring in a New Year... and yet another new decade...

I think that Dick Clark do his New Year's program until he decides to retire. Like a lot of you have said there aren't many icons like him around anymore.

Ryan Seacrest should take over this year.

:thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow :thumbsdow Ryan Seacrest should take over this year.

no hes an icon and should stay on as long as he wants too

I think Dick played it good by having Ryan Seacrest as his sidekick. I think they work well together and I'll be seeing them together this year again.

The Show would not be the same if Dick Clark was not on.

I think Dick should continue on till HE feels he can't do it anymore. For all we know doing this might be therapeutic for him in alot of ways. I know when he doesn't do it, it's just not the same.

My sister in law once joked that the one year he didn't do it, the ball was a few seconds late dropping LOL

My sister in law once joked that the one year he didn't do it, the ball was a few seconds late dropping LOL

:lol: :lol: :lol:

As far as I am concerned, Ryan Seacrest isnt fit enough to shine Dick Clark's shoes.

As far as I am concerned, Ryan Seacrest isnt fit enough to shine Dick Clark's shoes.

I apologize for my comment. And how difficult was it when Johnny Carson left and Jay Leno took over?

I apologize for my comment. And how difficult was it when Johnny Carson left and Jay Leno took over?
I haven't watched the Tonight Show since Johnny Carson left but it's not the same thing. Johnny voluntarily left. It was his decision to retire. If Dick Clark decides on his own that he doesn't want to do it anymore then I'm fine with that but nobody should force him out.

I apologize for my comment. And how difficult was it when Johnny Carson left and Jay Leno took over?



What are you apologizing for??? You are entitled to your views just like anybody else.

As far as I am concerned, Ryan Seacrest isnt fit enough to shine Dick Clark's shoes.
:yeahthat :nod:

What are you apologizing for??? You are entitled to your views just like anybody else.

Okay...maybe I was a little oversensitive. :o

As long as Dick Clark is healthy and that's what he wants to do, let him do it.

I felt bad for Dick last night. I give him credit though for still doing it. Don't think I would knowing that I might make a mistake.

To me, Dick looked and sounded better than he has the last few years. Plus, he's as much a part of New Year's Eve as the ball drop. :cool:

I hate to say this but I did shudder when I heard his voice. He sounded so different (Like a different person).

My husband said he bets......... that Dick will be sitting up in the hospital bed and still be doing New Years Rockin eve.

I am just glad to live in a country that gave us Dick Clark. I know there are a lot of young people here, but Mr. Clark is an American Icon.

Dick Clark did a great job last night.

I am just glad to live in a country that gave us Dick Clark. I know there are a lot of young people here, but Mr. Clark is an American Icon.
:yeahthat

I saw the show last night and he has 5, maybe 10 years to do the show....Dick Clark that is.

ABC has continued its stranglehold on the New Year's Eve ratings race, dominating again last week even though NBC's festivities also found an audience.
Nielsen overnights for Thursday show "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" on ABC averaged an 8.7 household rating/21 share from 11:30 p.m. to 1:15 a.m., up 2% from last year's 8.5/20. The Alphabet's extravaganza, again co-hosted by Clark and Ryan Seacrest, featured musical guests including Jennifer Lopez and Daughtry.

Clark has served as host of "Rockin' Eve" every year since the show debuted in 1972, while Seacrest has been aboard as well for the past six years.

At NBC, "New Year's Eve With Carson Daly" averaged a 5.2/12 in overnight households -- also up slightly vs. last year (5.0/11) and better than the show's five prior annual telecasts. The Peacock noted that preliminaries also show the telecast earning its best demo scores to date.

Fox's "Billboard's New Year's Eve Live" earned a 2.7/6 in the overnights (down 21% from last year's 3.4/7), and CBS went with a repeat of "The Late Show With David Letterman" (2.4/5, off a tick from last year's 2.5/5).

Overall viewer estimates for New Year's Eve won't be available until the end of the week.

I think he should sign off. I have to admit I have a hard time understanding him (and pretty much everyone else by the time that show comes on) because I am usually pretty far gone by then. Usually someone at the party goes into a Jim Ross impression at some point during the show... I think his time has come and he should step aside.

He had a great run, so no shame in moving on.

At least I have his autograph on a couple of photos from the movie Killers Three (1968) which he co-wrote and starred in. It was also filmed in Randolph County, NC which is where I live. The movie wasn't much to brag about but it was a big thing for the locals back then. One of the actresses that had a supporting role told me that there was a scene in which Dick Clark, Robert Walker Jr. and Diane Varsi were in a field and all 3 were severely bitten by chiggers and after that, Dick Clark said he'd never return to NC. :lol:

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