Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year's Eve: Live Vs. TV

I'm sure you've watched one of Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year Eve shows in past years and wished you were right there within the chaos of Times Square to experience the thrill of the Swarovski crystal ball dropping and being around people in a state of drunken or sober euphoria. Being there seems like you're at the center of the world where anything is possible with a palpable kinetic energy mingling peacefully with people from all over the world. But from someone who hasn't been to Times Square on New Year's Eve, that's just an observant assumption on my part based on what you see on TV and how the show depicts the surroundings. I think it's accurate for the most part--but brief, uneasy mentions have been made (without thankfully showing it on camera) of people standing in 100-deep lines waiting to get into portable toilet stands...or the horrific thought of people just not waiting any longer. You also hear the usual stories of people's wallets being stolen that pretty much is a rite of passage when standing around in Times Square. Add rabid sign-waving fans coming to see their favorite artist perform--and it's close to a free, outdoor music festival with no chairs or grass to sit down on or in.

Despite all that, you'll still see close to a million people standing on the streets on this year's show. At least half of those people are probably so far away from the dropping ball that they can't see anything other than a sea of people and NYC skyscrapers. But are new people truly being drawn to the event every year just to be standing on the same ground of the event? Or are they increasingly staying home to watch it on TV? That may be where the art (yes, it's an art form) of enjoying something on TV will have to be promoted a little more. And then there's that option (and also art form) behind taking part in Dick Clark's Rockin' Eve pre-taped L.A. segments that I bring up later.