>> SINCE WE'RE ALL SHARING DATES TO ANY, I LOOKED ALL THE A CALENDAR.
I WAS LOOKING AT THE CALENDAR THE OTHER DAY AND I REALIZED SOMETHING I ALMOST COULDN'T I HAVE BEEN DRAWING ILLUSTRATED ESSAYS FOR "ALMANAC" FOR 19 YEARS!
TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU, I WANTED TO MAKE AN ESSAY THAT CELEBRATES THIS WEIRD, WONDERFUL SHOW.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> David: WHAT ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO DO WITH A NUMBER LIKE 40?
40 MILES PER HOUR WHILE MERGING?
THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
40 ANGRY SEA GULLS?
THAT'S TOO MANY.
HOW ABOUT 40 YEARS OF A SHOW LIKE "ALMANAC"?
IS THIS A 40 THAT MEANS ANYTHING?
ON NE HAND, OF COURSE, YES, "ALMANAC" IS MINNESOTA'S LONGEST RUNNING TELEVISION SERIES.
"ALMANAC" HAS BROADCAST MORE POLITICAL DEBATES THAN ANYONE ELSE.
"ALMANAC" HAS MANAGED TO STAY ON THE AIR THROUGH 127 PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATIONS.
BUT THESE ARE THE STATS WE ROLE OUT DURING A PLEDGE DRIVE.
TONIGHT I WOULD RATHER CELEBRATE THE 40 THINGS "ALMANAC" IS NOT.
IS ALMANAC FLASHY?
NO.
IS ALMANAC INTENTIONALLY ARGUMENTATIVE?
NOT VERY OFTEN.
IS ALMANAC CONSTANTLY CHASING THE LATEST FORMAT TRENDS?
UM, CLEARLY NOT.
I BRING UP THESE EXAMPLES BECAUSE THEY REPRESENT THE EVER-PRESENT TEMPATIONS OF THE TELEVISION INDUSTRY.
IF YOU WANT TO GO VIRAL, BOOK AN ARGUMENT.
IF YOU WANT TO IMPROVE YOUR RATINGS, EMBRACE PARTISAN TALKING POINTS.
IF YOU WANT TO MOVE THROUGH SOCIETY LIKE A WRECKING BALL, WELL, BASICALLY JUST DO EVERYTHING "ALMANAC" DOESN'T AND YOU GET THE POINT.
TONIGHT WE'RE CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF LISTENING, 40 YEARS OF THOUGHTFULNESS AND 40 YEARS OF RESISTING TEMPTATION GO WHICH AMERICAN PEOPLE CALL BORING BUT I WOULD ARGUE BORING IN A WAY THAT MATTERS.
IMAGINE IF WE WERE HERE TONIGHT CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF YAPPING