Change Preferences | Sign Out
SEARCH:
washingtonpost.com
Web
| Search Archives
Page 3 of 3   <      

Rukeyser Pioneered TV Stock Talk, and Cramer Added the Laugh Track

Jim Cramer, left, employs sound effects and other gimmicks on
Jim Cramer, left, employs sound effects and other gimmicks on "Mad Money," his CNBC show. On "Wall Street Week," Louis Rukeyser cracked the occasional pun. The shows' differences reflect how investing has changed over the years. (Nbc Universal)
TOOLBOX
Resize
COMMENT
0 Comments 
Discussion Policy
CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging
» Links to this article

Stocks mentioned on "Wall Street Week" on Friday evenings tended to rise on the Monday after the shows, then drift downward for the rest of the week. Over time, the effect wore off, so buying on Monday was a sucker bet.

So too with people who rush to their computers to buy stocks mentioned on "Mad Money." You no longer have to wait for the market to open to make a sucker bet. You can place an instant order online in the "aftermarket" where stocks trade electronically even when Wall Street snoozes.

"If you buy in the aftermarket, you will get picked off," Cramer said -- picked off by someone who will gladly sell stock at top dollar to people too impatient to follow his advice to do some homework and wait for the bubble to pass before clicking on the "buy" button.

Though Cramer issues that warning several times a week, enough people keep doing it to perpetuate the morning-after phenomenon. After all, how can you hear such cautionary notes when the host is jumping around honking a horn? As big a fan as I am of Cramer -- and his Web site, TheStreet.com -- I prefer puns to whoopee cushions.

Which is to be expected. Demographically, "Wall Street Week" used to "skew old," as the TV marketers say. Rukeyser's audiences were affluent enough to buy stock but not the other stuff sponsors want to sell. Cramer takes his show on tour to college campuses, pitching it to the consumers TV craves most.

Footnotes and full disclosure: The syndicated radio version of "Mad Money" airs most weeknights on Washington Post Radio. And I've been a guest on Cramer's previous show and other CNBC programs.

Jerry Knight's e-mail address isknightj@washpost.com.


<          3


© 2006 The Washington Post Company