Jason Hirschhorn

A Note from @JasonHirschhorn: Boy Did I F*ck Up!

Dear Media ReDEFined Fans,

WARNING: What you are about to read qualifies as an "overshare".

I want to apologize for not sending out the newsletter these past few days. Let me explain what happened.

I woke up one morning in early April to find that I had double vision. After a lot of doctors, MRIs and tests it seems to have been brought about by not controlling my Type 2 Diabetes. This caused, so the doctors say, nerve damage in my eye which caused Diplopia, or double vision.

It's been my own private hell. Walking around, watching TV, let alone curating has been rough. It won't heal for about another 3 months if at all. If not, I have to have surgery. I've learned some tricks and workarounds in the last 2 weeks which have helped. But my eyesight seems to jump all over the place daily. It's actually quite fascinating if it wasn't happening to me.

This will sound incredibly stupid... But, guess what? You need your eyesight! I suppose double vision would be great if I were on a nude beach full of supermodels. But that's not quite what I'm living right now. :-)

The newsletter resumes today. I know you depend on it and I apologize for missing a few days, the only ones I've missed in around 6+ years.

I've also codified a bit of how I do this each day and will soon be bringing some great staff on and launching some new content categories as I realize a product dream I've had for many years.

One important note, Media ReDEFined is available on Twitter at @MediaReDEF and Facebook here. In addition, beautiful visual app-based versions are available on Flipboard under "Cool Curators" and Pulse under "Technology". Those versions are updated hourly regardless of the newsletter send. Be forewarned that the volume of articles on those platforms are about 2-3x of what you see in the newsletter.

So, I f*cked my health up good. That's the last time it will happen. It truly scared me enough to pay attention and I am getting it under control. My blood sugar is almost back to normal and I've lost about 25 lbs.

I'm a so-called type-A person. Almost anything I have control over I will do well. But to paraphrase the great Tom Petty: "the waiting (for the eyesight) is the hardest part". That's all I can do.

The upside of all this is the reminder that I have good friends and family who have checked-in on me when I've been in a, let's say, irritable mood.

I'll save my newly formed thoughts on doctor bedside manner and the health insurance industry for another post.

Now back to the amazingly crazy and ever-changing world of media and technology. For those of you not subscribed to Media ReDEFined, you can do that here.

Thank you for your support and patience.

JH.

Oy vey, Yahoo!

There's been a lot of talk about Yahoo suing Facebook over patents they hold that cover some basic web site and social networking features. I've read a ton of pieces arguing all sides. And certainly most of you have seen takes by Mark Cuban and Fred Wilson. Views by two people I respect.

Whatever side you come out on (I'm still thinking about it) the timing is so ridiculously poor it's hard to imagine what the new CEO of Yahoo, Scott Thompson, was thinking. Some say the timing of this is perfect given the leverage Yahoo may have given the impending Facebook IPO. Ok, that may be true. But that's not what I'm talking about.

Yahoo is a company adrift. One without a true north. It doesn't know what it is or what it wants to be. There are internal diagreements over the direction. We don't know what it is. It doesn't stand for anything.

Even the tag lines of Yahoo vs. Facebook show us the differences in confidence of direction.

"Yahoo! is the premier digital media company" - What the hell does that even mean?

"Facebook helps you connect and share with the people in your life." - Now that makes sense to me.

A new CEO must set a direction and get moving. Inspire and lead. This decision makes them look like a desperate leech even if they have a case. Sometimes, timing is everything. This first big move will be followed by a huge round of layoffs. One I suspect could lead to other phases that reduce the workforce by as much as 40-50%.

Yahoo employees are embarrassed about what just happened. Layoffs (I've had to do them) and lawsuits don't inspire the staff to stay, to create, to re-invent a once great company. It also possibly telepaths a strategy of sell-offs, lay-offs and more patent trolling. Not growing and leading.

The site is still huge. Their content channels are often #1 or #2 in their categories. Traffic a start-up would kill for. They do real revenue. People use it everyday. But, we don't have to have Yahoo right now. It's not irreplaceable. The brand wasn't tarnished, it's stale. But this action, right now, has the power to tarnish it. Especially on the internet where a brand, person or government can be destroyed in a day.

I don't "hate" Yahoo right now. There are too many good people that work there for that. I am mystified by its actions and leadership.

Protecting your assets is something I normally agree with. But Yahoo mistakenly thought the most important asset right now were patents. It's actually their audience, their employees and their partners.

The only thing that will save those is to delight with direction, product, content and solutions. If they do that not only will morale turn around, but so will their currently bleak future.

Republish this at will. I won't sue you.

Jay-Z Live at Carnegie Hall: One of Those New York City Moments

I'm a big Jay-Z fan.

If you follow me on Twitter or read my daily newsletter, Media ReDEFined, then you know I quote his lyrics all the time. He's one of just a few artists I call my favorites. I've been listening for close to 20 years. Even before his now classic "Reasonable Doubt" came out, If you were a hip-hop fan in New York City, you heard about Jay-Z. He was guesting on tracks like "Can I Get Open" with Original Flavor and showing up in clubs.

While I was building my first company in the late 90s and pulling all-nighters, it was Jay-Z tracks on Hot97 that pulled me through the night. When you went out, you heard his songs bumpin' from cars. No artist has epitomized the sound and feel of New York City in the last decade or so more than Jay-Z (and Biggie of course).

And now, all this time later, Jay-Z is an international star with a deep catalog and more recognizable songs than just about any modern day artist. He's a pop culture icon that has broken down every wall critics, media and commerce try to surround him and hip-hop with.

Tonight, close to two decades after his start, he played Carnegie Hall in A Benefit for United Way of New York City and The Shawn Carter Scholarship Foundation. A great moment for him at the continuing heights of his career. The crowd was pure New York and one only Jay-Z could pull together: Hipsters, young kids, sneakers, 70 year-old couples, tuxedos, yarmulkes, baseball hats, chains, hedge funders, hoodies, mommies, daughters, Liza Minelli, CC Sabathia and more. Every age, race, color and creed. It was like Ali at Madison Square Garden. An event.

In recent years, his live show has reached another level. Jay-Z has learned how to master the stage and rock the house with live musicians. This time decked out in a tuxedo, a bottle of champagne in hand (he swore it was tea) and a full band and orchestra behind him. Carnegie Hall was on fire with what sounded like 50,000 fans. Alicia Keys joined him. So did Nas.

At the end of the show he came back out for an "Encore" that turned Carnegie Hall into a NYC club from the 90s. It could have been The Tunnel or Red Zone. But now he was clad in a black baseball hat, black t-shirt, jeans and one big diamond chain. He ascended into the balcony with the DJ backing him from the stage and swept through tons of old school hits with every single fan singing every lyric.

A night that could only happen in New York. Yes, Jay-Z is the "Brooklyn Boy". He's a lot of things to a lot of people: Rapper, artist, entrepreneur, author, son, husband, father, friend, star. Jigga. HOVA, Jay-Z. He's also a symbol of New York around the world and tonight he showed us again why he's the undisupted King of the City.

Amazing. 

 

Thinking About Movies From My Youth

I watched a lot of movies when I was kid. Still do. My tastes tended to be slightly darker. This will be a regular feature. Enjoy my friends...

Over The Edge (1979)

Families move to a new development in the suburbs of Denver called New Granada. But city planners are late in building recreational resources for the kids. What happens? Drugs, sex, vandalism, Van Halen, Cheap Trick, death, anarchy and juvi. It was Matt Dillon's first time on screen and apparently Kurt Cobain's favorite movie.

 

 

The Parallax View (1974)

Warren Beatty stars as a journalist trying to expose a dark, shadow organization that recruits political assassins (and patsies). Born out of the deserved and obvious paranoia following the assassinations of the Kennedys, MLK and others. I love a good conspiracy movie. Beatty is great here.

 

 

Bugsy Malone (1976)

I love gangster movies. But give me one where the gangsters are kids dressed up in suits, carrying whipped cream-filled machine guns, starring Jodi Foster and Scott Baio, with music by Paul Williams and directed by Alan Parker. Done. Awesome. Big part of my days spent indoors.

 

 

The Warriors (1979)

"Warriors, come out and playee-yay." As Jay-Z would say, "What more can I say?" Gangs in NY try to unify and then all hell breaks loose when their leader gets one in the coconut. The Warriors, a small gang, are wrongfully accussed and fight all night to get to safe ground. Favorite parts? The narrating DJ throughout the movie. We only see her mouth and mic. And of course the colorful uniforms of each gang. The names and dress remind me of the gangs of the five points in Scorcese's "Gangs of New York". Starring lots of unknowns and a few actors that tried to kill Eddie Murphy in 48 Hours.

  

 

The In-Laws (1979)

For me, hands-down, one of the funniest movies ever made. Peter Falk as a wackadoo CIA agent who enlists a dentist (and soon to be in-law) Alan Arkin into an intricate plot to get a Latin dictator. Pure genius every minute. And it doesn't hurt that there is a "Mr. Hirschhorn" character. One of my all time favorite movies.

 

 

Logan's Run (1976)

Fun, slightly cheesy 70's sci-fi. Hot future people of the 23rd century live in a world of pure pleasure. Only problem is you have to die young. Those that don't want to, well, they "run". Logan is a policeman who chases those runners. Until he becomes one himself. Good grilled cheese. Can watch this 100 times.

  

 

The Long Good Friday (1980)

Bob Hoskins stars as London's prime gangster. But forces are out to get him and things are not going his way. He has 24 hours to fix it. Love the accents, Helen Mirren as his girlfriend and the cameo by a young Pierce Brosnan at the end.

  

 

Executive Action (1973)

Way before Olive Stone's "JFK" this film guessed at the why and how of the JFK assassination. Starring Burt Lancaster and a bunch of old recognizable codgers as the conspirators. Another of the great paranoid 70's conspiracy movies. My Dad loved this one.

 

 

The Little Girl Who Lives Down The Lane (1976)

Jodi Foster was so prolific an actress in the 70's it's really hard to compare to anyone else these days. Especially at her young age. This is a freaky little film about a little girl living alone in a New England town. Where are her parents? Well, lots of weird, disturbed and curious neighbors want to know. Just saw this again on the MGM HD channel.

 

 

Thief (1981)

The 80's had lots of style. Good and bad. A lot of the good came from director, Michael Mann. This film stars James Caan as a top notch thief taking down scores and buying watches, houses, cars and clothes. Until the local mob wants a piece of him. Great vibe. If you liked the recent film with Ryan Gosling, DRIVE, notice how much of that vibe comes from this film. Can't forget that Jim Belushi is in a good supporting role either!

 

 

more soon... - JH

Some Great Random Live Performances By Artists I Like (12.19.2011 Edition)

Ah, YouTube. Treasure in every corner, especially live music performances. Here are a few I dig. This will be a regular feature...

 

The Killers: Read My Mind

When The Killers hit the right groove, their songs just flow. A little Springsteen with a dash of U2 but totally Killer-unique.

 

 

Betchadupa and Eddie Vedder: History Never Repeats

Crowded House are one of my favorite bands ever. I think Neil Finn is an extraordinary songwriter. Before that he led Splitz Enz who are also great. Turns out Neil's son Liam is a huge Pearl Jam fan and they were able to get Eddie Vedder down under to play with both Neil and later (seen here) with Liam's band Betchadupa. They cover Splitz Enz's "History Never Repeats".

 

 

AC/DC: Highway to Hell

Who doesn't love AC/DC? I think Back in Black was the first album I ever bought on my own. This video is so great because it gives you a sense of how wonderful it is to be a rock star. Look at how insane this crowd in Buenos Aires is. They literally sing the guitar parts. I'm not sure how the stage was left standing. We're talking earthquake movements by this audience.

 

 

U2: Out Of Control

Yes, I'm sure you know by now but U2 are probably my favorite band ever. I've seen every tour since The Unforgettable Fire. I love them for many reasons. Their music. The fact they stayed together and are close friends. And most of all... their live shows can be epic. I prefer them in an arena above all else. But this show was special. Beautifully shot by director Hamish Hamilton at Slate Castle in Ireland. They perform their first single "Out of Control" as if it's the night years ago when they first played it live. This time though they are infinitely better musicians rocking a loving hometown crowd and Bono get's some storytelling in of course. Another great example of an audience lifting a show to new heights.

 

 

More soon...