'The DNC right now is like a 3am infomercial but has less sex appeal': Viewers slam 'boring' and 'unwatchable' first night of DNC - and there are three more nights of the 'awkward' convention
Viewers have slammed the 'boring' and 'unwatchable' first night of the Democratic National Convention, as America braces for three more nights of what many described as little more than a two-hour 'infomercial'.
'The DNC right now is like a 3am infomercial but has less sex appeal,' one person tweeted Monday night.
'Watching DNC convention, five minutes in... LAME... BORING... EVA LONGORIA... who cares,' another tweeted.
The convention opened Monday night with a stellar cast of Democrat supporters including former First Lady Michelle Obama, former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and the family of George Floyd - the black man whose 'murder' by a white cop in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests calling for an end to systemic racism across America.
However, despite the impassioned speeches, viewers were left struggling to connect with the convention after it shifted to a virtual format for the first time in its history in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Viewers were left struggling to connect with the DNC convention after it shifted to a virtual format for the first time in its history due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Joe Biden appeared by video feed from Delaware at the start of the programming
Biden speaks with Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, author Gwen Carr - mother of Eric Garner, Houston Police Chief Art Acevdeo and social justice activist Jamira Burley
Representative for Wisconsin Gwen Moore prepares to speak at the DNC in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, most of which took place virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic
The party decided to scrap an in-person event in exchange for two hours of programming each night from Monday through to Thursday this week which will culminate in Joe Biden accepting the Democratic presidential nomination in his adopted hometown of Wilmington, Delaware.
The Republicans are opting for a similar model when they too take the Republican National Convention virtual in a four-day event next week.
But concerns are now building that voters will tune out of the key events in the campaign calendars as a lack of live crowds, pre-recorded conversations and speeches, and 'stilted' programming failed to excite the audience on opening night.
The control room for the DNC. A lack of live crowds and 'stilted' programming failed to excite the audience on the convention's opening night
The party decided to scrap an in-person event in exchange for two hours of programming each night from Monday through to Thursday this week. Pictured is the control room
Staffers donned masks as they worked in the control room during the two-hour broadcast
Frustrated viewers took to social media Monday night to complain about the 'boring' first night of the DNC event. Staffers can be seen working in the control room
Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore took to the stage in a make-shift studio
The virtual conference even came with a virtual crowd who applauded as Michelle Obama finished her speech
Frustrated viewers took to social media Monday night to complain about the 'boring' first night of the DNC event.
'This DNC is so boring like I want 1996 again where everyone was doing the Macarena,' one person tweeted, referencing the footage that recently resurfaced of then-First Lady Hillary Clinton clapping and dancing along to the 90s dance craze at the convention that year.
'The DNC is so boring that Joe Biden already forgot who the nominee is,' added another.
Another suggested making up a drinking game to get through the two-hour event: 'Biden DNC Drinking Game Rule: Drink every time there's Amtrak.'
The Milwaukee convention had been expected to pull in crowds of around 50,000 delegates, journalists, party officials and VIPs but the party was forced to scale this back first to 5,000 attendees then to 1,000 and going almost-entirely virtual.
The absence of a live crowd wasn't lost on viewers, with one person commenting on social media: 'Oh is the crowdless DNC program coming off a bit stilted?'
Viewers have slammed the 'boring' and 'unwatchable' first night of the Democratic National Convention, as America braces for three more nights of what many described as little more than a two-hour 'infomercial'
Viewers were left baffled by the format which, instead of a high-energy live event on stage, many likened to an infomercial.
'I had to turn off the DNC because it was unwatchable but it was real weird going from commercials for super specific prescription drugs to prerecorded DNC Skype calls were everyone is speaking in the same tone as a Drug ad warning you about the side effects of Otezla,' one person tweeted.
'OK this definitely feels like a telethon,' tweeted another.
Another agreed: 'I don't have enough cannabis to get through this insipid DNC infomercial.'
Many viewers were left struggling to connect with the convention after it shifted to a virtual format for the first time in its history in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic
Criticism didn't just come from Republicans either, with Democratic supporters lamenting the 'weird' and 'awkward' infomerical and crying out for some 'energy'.
'I desperately want @JoeBiden to win. But does anybody else feel weird and embarrassed by this awkward @DNC infomerical?' wrote one supporter.
'This show is desperately in need of some @AOC @staceyabrahams @MaxineWaters @Oprah energy.'
Another person was in agreement comparing the two-hour event to what would happen if Saturday Night Live 'didn't do comedy'.
'I'm trying to be here for you @DNC, but the @DemConvention (9-11 pm et) is like if @nbcsnl didn't do comedy,' they tweeted.
'I can't believe our industry artists let the DNC go on TELEVISION like an infomercial!'
Criticism didn't just come from Republicans either, with Democratic supporters lamenting the 'weird' and 'awkward' infomerical and crying out for some 'energy'
Another supporter wrote that the 'message is good' but the format was 'unwatchable'.
'Holy cow. I'm dying watching #DNC,' they wrote on social media, alongside an image of the Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo speaking at the convention.
'Message is good but wow just unwatchable.'
Former Desperate Housewives actress Eva Longoria hosted the event from a TV studio in Los Angeles, and many of the speakers gave their speeches - not live - but via pre-recorded messages.
The presidential candidate himself addressed the audience in a pre-recorded video conversation with social justice activist Jamira Burley, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo, NAACP President Derrick Johnson and Gwen Carr, mother of Eric Garner.
Questions are now being raised over the success of the virtual model as Americans face another three nights this week from the Democrats and four more next week from the Republicans.
The second night of the convention will hear frFormer Acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Yates, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Former Secretary of State John Kerry, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Former President Bill Clinton, and Former Second Lady Dr. Jill Biden.
'The DNC right now is like a 3am infomercial but has less sex appeal': Viewers slam 'boring' and 'unwatchable' first night of DNC - and there are three more nights of the 'awkward' convention
!['The DNC right now is like a 3am infomercial but has less sex appeal': Viewers slam 'boring' and 'unwatchable' first night of DNC - and there are three more nights of the 'awkward' convention]()
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August 18, 2020
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