Actor John Ratzenberger is most famous for his role on the TV sitcom "Cheers" in which he played Cliff Clavin. Initially, there was no such character in the show. Ratzenberger tried out for the role of Norm, but says that his audition was a disaster — totally bombed it.
In an effort to save his ego and dignity, on his way out he asked the producers if they had a character as the bar know-it-all. They asked him what he meant, and he replied that every bar that he had ever been in had at least one horse's ass who pretends to know everything. Then he went into a bit to demonstrate, got them all laughing, and the role of Cliff was born.
Ah, the good ol' days when you could just stay out of bars to avoid being subjected to a know-it-all.
Now, however, the Internet has provided the Cliff Clavins of the world with both a community (so they can breed their idiocy) and a megaphone (so we all can't help but to hear them). Worse, some of the richest ones control much of our media (traditional and social) and are taking autocratic steps to ensure we have to suffer their thoughts and opinions.
Case in point, the misinformation and conspiracy theories about the California wildfires. Yes, of course, mistakes were made by government agencies, public officials, and state politicians. And like any disaster, it will be important to investigate and learn lessons. But Elon et al. going off like frickin' Cliff Clavins? Nah. Nobody needs that right now.
Editor's note: John Auchter is a freelance political cartoonist. His views are his own and do not necessarily reflect those of Michigan Public, its management, or its license holder, the University of Michigan.
