NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

July 12, 2011

NBC's Today Show featured a segment this morning called "The Other View: Getting A Guy's Perspective On Love." Along with hosts Kathie Lee Gifford and Hoda Kotb, TV personality Donny Deutsch was asked to address several questions about relationships from a man's perspective. Deutsch is the host of the relationship show "The Big Idea" where he doles out advice to men and women on a variety of topics.

But the most important part of the segment, and relevant to our readership, is Deutsch's answer to the question: "Is it normal for men to play games in their 40s?"

According to the male equivalent of Dear Abby, "When you're 30, there should be something more on your mind than video games, that's it," Deutsch said.

The hosts agreed, calling it "weird."

Of course if playing videogames is weird then there an awful lot of weirdoes in America. A recent NPD report said that the average gamer is male and 37 years old.

So I guess the real weirdoes’ are those people that don't play video games. In the 1950's Deutsch's mom and dad probably would have called him a "square."

Watch the video and enjoy. MSNBC's In-Game has an interesting analysis of the segment, if you are interested..

Thanks to @WindaBenedetti and our very own PHX Corp. for the tips.

Comments

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Yammo on Mon, 07/18/2011 - 06:05.

It becomes funnier when you reverse what they just said:

- "Woman above 30 who still watches TV & Movies are weird... I mean, they should really have different priorities by then." (Of course implying cooking, cleaning, etc...)

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by CyberSkull on Thu, 07/14/2011 - 00:15.

I hate it when those weirdos on TV call us norms freaks.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Cecil475 on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 14:49.

I remember Donny Deutsch. The last time we heard from this douchbag, he was grilling some industry guy over a videogame bill. While claiming to be a champion of free speech, He didn't believe videogames were speech. He really raked this guy over the coals. I can't remember who this guy was. I am on a Kindle and unable lto look for it right now, otherwise I would post a link.

 
 - W
 
edit - Fixed grammar and misspellings. Sorry.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Erin on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 12:55.

"When you're 30, there should be something more on your mind than video games, that's it," Deutsch said.

Like what, Donny? Golfing? Watching sports on TV? Hunting? All things that men (and women) do well past their 40s without any social stigma.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by GTCv Deimos on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 12:01.

So I guess the real weirdoes’ are those people that don't play video games.

Absolutely. There are two types of people in this world that I don't trust: People who can't empathise with animals, and people who don't play video games.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by BearDogg-X on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 22:11.

Yes, I'm going to take my advice on how to live my life from two ladies who spend an hour in the morning getting drunk and gossiping about things that don't matter. Or some retarded douchebag with a clear agenda against video games.

When Kathie Lee Gifford quits using sweatshops to make her shitty clothing line, then I might give more than a rat's ass in what that idiot has to say.

I guess Kathie Lee and Donny Douchebag think getting divorced is more fun.

Geaux Saints, Geaux Tigers, Geaux Hornets, Jack Thompson can geaux chase a chupacabra. Hell will stay frozen over for quite a while since the Saints won the Super Bowl.

Geaux Saints, Geaux Tigers, Geaux Hornets. Solidarity for the Saints = No retreat, no surrender. Even through the darkest days, this fire burns always.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Kal on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 20:06.

Eh, it's not like anyone actually watches those two anyway. I'd like to think that most people just watch the first 20 minutes or so, (That is, the part that's actually news) and go to work. So what does it matter if Hoda Kotb thinks we're weird?

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by RedMage on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 18:24.

As mentioned, the 4th hour of the Today Show is basically the ass shavings of TV programming in general. 

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Kojiro on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 18:22.

I think anyone who sits around at home to watch a 4 hour talk show is weird.  Get a job people! 

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by greevar on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 10:20.

By the merit of this article, it must be someone's job to watch this crap.

-Greevar

"Paste superficially profound, but utterly meaningless quotation here."

-Greevar

"Paste superficially profound, but utterly meaningless quotation here."

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Austin from Oregon on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 17:48.

If any female isn't playing games in their 40's, I wouldn't want to date them anyway.

-Austin from Oregon

Feel free to check out my blog.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Iris on Wed, 07/13/2011 - 09:08.

Yeah, on the flip side of this, my husband was almost 30 when I met him, and I wouldn't have been interested in him if he hadn't been a gamer.  

I imagine that concept would blow Deutsch's mind :P

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Craig R. on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 17:38.

When I'm 40, I'll be weird and proud of it then.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Nerd42 on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 17:05.

... how many Beatles fans are over 40 ??? Shouldn't they have something more on their mind than the Beatles? Or Elvis or whatever??

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by ecco6t9 on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 16:09.

It's sad that this passes as journalism these days.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Algus on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 14:34.

Well I'm off to AtariAge to find out what those guys have to say about this lol.  Older gamers are some of the most informed people I know when it comes to electronics.  Probably because they've spent a good part of their lives learning about a hobby they love.  

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by airford on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 14:11.

To be fair the 4th hour of the Today show is very much a joke few take seriously, but the sentiment is annoying in that video games are less important than movies or TV for adults.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Papa Midnight on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 16:08.

I never watch but based on that whole segment, which was a joke from start to finish, I'll take your word for it.

----
Papa Midnight
http://www.thesupersoldiers.com

----
Papa Midnight

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by Vake Xeacons on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 15:28.

Especially when they attributed it to "locked in the basement." Okay, so "playing it with your kids" is okay, but otherwise, going near you console is an addiction.

Yeah, they might as well have said, "give up all entertainment, movies, games, etc, at the big 3-O."

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 16:21.

Well, all hobbies in general.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by DorkmasterFlek on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 14:11.

I think I speak for all gamers when I ask the question, who the hell is Donny Deutsch?  And do I pronounce his last name like "douche"?  Because that's pretty funny (and appropriate) if I do.  Even if it's not pronounced like that, I think I'll go ahead and use it anyway.

Back on point, nobody under 50 gives a rats ass about what this random douche and Kathie Lee Gifford think.  Pretty soon, it will be nobody under 60.  When they're rotting in the ground, adults and kids alike will still be rocking Mario like nobody's business.  It just goes to show how completely out of touch with the mainstream public these high society types are.  I shudder at the type of person who gets relationship advice from these people.

Re: NBC's Today Show Calls 40-Year-Old Gamers 'Weird'

Submitted by hellfire7885 on Tue, 07/12/2011 - 13:56.

So by that logic when am an hits the 30s he should give up hobbies period?

 
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