Photos
Whoa. Sunday night’s Super Bowl was the most watched television broadcast in herstory! From the AP:
NEW YORK – The New Orleans Saints’ victory over Indianapolis in the Super Bowl was watched by more than 106 million people, surpassing the 1983 finale of “M-A-S-H” to become the most-watched program in U.S. television history, the Nielsen Co. said Monday.
Nielsen estimated Monday that 106.5 million people watched Sunday’s Super Bowl. The “M-A-S-H” record was 105.97 million.
Of course, there are some aspects of this story that make it less impressive. For one thing, there were approximately 233,000,000 people in the United States in 1983, and now there are more than 303,000,000. I’m not a math expert, or even a person who can do basic math, but I know that if we’re talking about percemangers, the number goes way downer. The other thing that no one seems willing to face is how crazy it is that up until now the series finale of M-A-S-H was the most watched show of all time. No offense to the M-A-S-H heads out there, I am just surprised that it was a record no one had been able to surpass. You really dropped the ball on that one, series finale of The Nanny (May 12, 1999).
But the real question, of course, is who was watching all that Super Bowl?
America #1.
 |
 |
You Might Also Like
 Getting Used To My Husband’s Bat Cave |  But Wait, What Did Donald Trump Think Of Beyonce’s Super… |  This Week In GIFs! |  Here Are Some Morning Links! |
Leave a Reply
Sign inSign in with FacebookYou must be logged in to post, reply to, or rate a comment.
We prefer M-A-S-H faces. Thanks.
This will be an ongoing feature until all 106.5 million people are covered, yes? “What’s Up With Super Bowl Television Audience Member #99,546,923?”
That’s like how Avatar isn’t really the highest grossing movie in forever when you actually account for inflation. It’s like, Gone with the Wind or something.
It is Gone with the Wind. Did we talk about this already? Because I’d like to think it took some of the poof out of that Fraggle’s Hair.
But as commenter Jimmy JD points out: this was before interwebs and dvds, when people had nothing better to do except read books, pray and do drugs.
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Boffo+mania+grossing+movies+time+adjusted+inflation/2513532/story.html
Yeah, people used to watch M*A*S*H Alda time.
(I have another one about Loretta Swit, but it’s a little racy for here.)
There are also a lot more television viewing choices in America now. More channels, shows, etc. I know very few of them are actually good choices, but they are choices nonetheless.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE60U0G220100131
Just sayin.
They’re talking about last year’s Super Bowl, brah.
It still trumps this year’s Super Bowl
well, it sure wasn’t ME! *cough*
lots of love for the choice in-game photo, gabe.
Instant classic
No homo.
I agree. That picture gets all the up votes I can give.
“I just watch it for the ads… to remind me how sick and FUCKED UP this so-called culture is.”
-Your girlfriend in the ’90s
I wonder if 105.97 million people would have tuned in for the M*A*S*H finale had they known it would run in syndication for the next 26 years.
Huh-huh, huh-huh-huh… “Gay”.
Needles to say, Pennywise the Clown = your boyfriend.
I really didn’t expect this thread to become Nightmaregum with that picture of Pennywise at the end. Thanks for dredging up childhood fears, Gabe!
The AP report has it right – most viewed in U.S. TV History – but most other media I’ve seen/heard reporting this simply state that it was the most viewed in TV History. Sorry, no. Both soccer matches and olympic ceremonies have topped it. Get off your high horse USA! I am curious as to whether this count is estimated people or based on television sets – there’s gotta be a pretty high ratio of people to TV’s for Super Bowl viewership.
Oh man, I can’t even describe how much I’ve missed “Who’s Been Watching All This _____” on Videogum. Dreams = answered.
I’m not a huge a sports guy, but I am a big New Orleans guy. And watching the Saints take that home was pretty kick ass and fun.
Sorry that was the weakest first Videogum post ever. I’ll do better next time.
bah! i was watching the superbowl at my local favorite drinking establishment! and then afterwards i biked down to the french quarteri got crazy hammered and watched everyone in the city freak the fuck out and it was awesome. so whatevs, everyone make fun of me, blahblah sports are for meatheads, but sunday seriously RULED. nothing like watching drunk ass grandmas do the stanky leg to a brass band in the middle of the street while screaming who dat. the hangover yesterday was totes worth it.
Yay for New Orleans Monsters! We’re the few but also the proud.
I am so glad there are other New Orleans monsters! Hooray! Oh, and Sunday night was totally the best time to be here ever. Now I just wonder how long it’ll be till there isn’t at least three radio stations blasting Saints-themed songs all day e’ry day.
That picture needs a Homophobia tag
I bet if they aired the M*A-S!H finale every year it wouldn’t get half the ratings the Super Bowl gets. This was a fair comparison that needed addressing!
My favorite part of the Super Bowl is (are?) the crazy Roman numerals. I find them overwhelming, but comforting. Maybe because I know they will keep getting bigger and more complicated every year?
Just wait until superbowl 50…it’s gonna be called superbowl L right? That’s weird?
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see
this rumor shall burn for all eternity. – hoosier
I want Donahue to deliver conspiracy theories to my browser window every day.
Uh oh, was the Super Bowl not Videogum-approved? I watched it while eating gumbo with about 50 cajuns, but we flipped over to Puppy Bowl during half-time and commercial breaks.
Yay Cajuns! I’m half-Cajun so I just had to acknowledge your comment and work the word Cajun into my comment as many times as possible. Cajun.
I also watched the Superbowl and am so Cajun my grandfather only spoke French ’till he was 12. It’s all Cajungum in here.
aaaand my boyfriend is also cajun. and some people say its a dying culture! (actually it is and it’s really sad.)
My grandparents totally speak Cajun-French, but decided to use it to talk in front of the children instead of passing it on! I am so bitter about that.
Cajun-Style.
“I enjoy football because it’s the least gay sport. And Super Bowl commercials placate my insecurities as a man who is very not gay. Also: commercials with no pants sound like an homage to Risky Business. Remember Risky Business?”
totally unrelated but your boyfriend is the guy that took this photo. Following Randall Gay around waiting for the perfect moment to snap the perfect shot.
Remember when that guy kicked a ball through the two forks? Then another guy ran and some people chased him. Priceless.
Can I just say how much I missed this pseudo-feature?
Think how many MORE people there will be in the NEXT 27 years, now that Tim Tebow talked us all out of getting abortions.
Why abort when a tackle-miscarriage is so much cheaper?
I cannot tell you guys how happy “old friends bookends” made me. MLIS&G
1983: 233,000,000
2010: 303,000,000
Keep in mind these aren’t the REAL population numbers, they’re estimates adjusted for human weight inflation. Don’t ask me why they do the census this way…
I would just like to say that I completely missed the Super Bowl because we were having my daughter’s first birthday party and I was watcher her play with balloons. Believe me, if America could have fit in my living room Sunday night my daughter could have beaten M*A*S*H.