You Are Andy Rooney's Successor

Everyone is a writer, everyone has something to say. It's just how well you write it or say it. In essence, that was the parting comment from Andy Rooney during what was his last regular appearance Sunday night on 60 Minutes. His words got me wondering. Who is going to replace Rooney with his weekly rants about everything from paper bags to light bulbs to 9/11?

Here is a guy who self admittedly shouldn't have been on TV ... only his words should have been there. And in fact, that is how it all started for him. Early on writing as a correspondent in WWII, then onto being a writer for Arthur Godfrey, newspapers, books, and eventually 60 Minutes. It was his writings, not his appearance, that made him what he is. It might be a bit of a stretch to say he was the conscience of America, but more often than not, his whiny words were able to ring true with many of the people who watched him regularly. While he apparently did not relish the notoriety that came with being on one of television's more enduring shows, he did love the words he wrote. He was a master at thought.

So, back to the question. Who replaces Andy Rooney? It won't be the blabber mouths on FOX or MSNBC whose whose incessant spewings qualify for little more than diarrhea of the mouth. It likely won't be any great newspaper columnists because, although I hate to admit it, the state of most newspapers today really doesn't allow for any great columnists anymore.

Perhaps I should refer back to what Rooney said last night. Basically, we are all people with thoughts, we are all people who can write. Maybe collectively, we should all take over for Andy Rooney. Take some time each week to write something that is on our minds. Put it on Facebook. Tweet it out. Send it to someone who you think might be interested. While writing sometimes can be a chore, it can also at times be rewarding, cathartic, revealing. I throw down the gauntlet. Write something, share your thoughts and observations, get people thinking and talking. Even if it's about a brown paper bag or a dead light bulb.