Couldn’t say that I didn’t see this coming at some point. American Broadcasting Company (ABC) has announced it’s plans to produce a new series titled “SELFIE“, a scripted TV comedy about a self-absorbed 20-ish woman who is more concerned with “likes” online than being liked in reality. In short, it’s attempting to ride the money press gravy train that is the explosive SELFIE trend / popular song made famous by The Chainsmokers, #Selfie… but seriously? One could imagine how the email thread for this one was titled, maybe something along the lines of “ABC & The Quest for Cash n’ Ratings: Part VII“. This show looks like it was hastily thrown together on the back of a wet bar napkin one long night by some lone intern burning the midnight oil wick at both ends. These days who isn’t trying to cash in on the next viral one hit wonder? #SELFIEPOCALYPSE! Upon watching this three minute and seventeen second slow motion car crash, I am genuinely flustered that my time is now forever gone.
“After suffering a very public and humiliating breakup, [the 20-something] becomes the subject of a viral video and suddenly has more social media ‘followers’ than she ever imagined — but for all the wrong reasons. She enlists the help of a marketing expert at her company to help repair her tarnished image.”
The mainstream selfie trend has to end. Though will it die anytime soon? Probably not. Do you remember a time long ago where things were wildly popular until everyone saw them being “uncool” somewhere? Pepperidge Farm remembers. We’ve seen the Ellen DeGeneres world record for all-time most retweeted tweet of her selfie at the Academy Awards (which in itself was a MASSIVE product placement push for the Samsung Galaxy phone series) and we’ve seen The Chainsmokers move of pressing play and taking selfies with the crowd on American Idol, but we still wonder if we’ve really had enough of it. It’s only a matter of time until you’re sitting at home and you see your local state assembly womans cheesy low-budget ad pop up of her selfie music video begging you to get out and “Rock The Vote” in her favor. Then and maybe then you’ll have had enough.
Whatever the case, corporate America wont rest until this cash cow is bone dry and beaten dead. So best buckle up again, sit through it, and see what monsters arise from this one in the end.