2007's Person of the Year Is ...

By: Matthew Felling
Topics: 4th Estate Debate

(AP / CBS)

Game, set, match, asterisk. The contest/discussion about who or what will be Time's "Person of the Year" is over.

It's Steroids. Yesterday's federal indictment of Barry Bonds only sealed the deal.

From the home run king to 2000 Olympic champion Marion Jones's public confession to professional wrestler Chris Benoit's double murder-suicide to the forthcoming George Mitchell investigation to Americas competitive bicyclists, steroids have been in the news every month of this year, casting a pall over the sports worlds and American culture as a whole.

And let's not get too attached to visualizing "Person of the Year" as a walking, talking human being. As noted in this space last week, past PoYs have included 'the computer' and 'the planet Earth.' So a fluid or powder – or 'cream' or 'clear' or whatever euphemism is being used today – would not be a stretch.

Particularly when that powder or fluid can also serve as shorthand for America's bottom-line fixation. Any feature writer or opinion-monger at the magazine could wax philosophic about how steroids is a symptom of our culture's "ends justify the means" competitive mentality. And though the topic would fly in the face of Time's 20-year 'feel-good' streak, it could still be written in a way to show how justice is served and The Truth Will Out.

Picking steroids would be the perfect concept. It's timely. It's culturally relevant. It's completely apolitical. (A big plus in the run-up to the primaries, since they don't want to alienate readers.) It's gimmicky enough to create added buzz. And it would fly off the shelves over the holidays. Whether readers are sports fans or not, every single reader has been tempted to take competitive shortcuts over the course of their lives.

Time has an online poll now featuring "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling as the frontrunner, ahead of Al Gore, Barack Obama, Condoleeza Rice and Steve Jobs. But the decision for this year's "Person of the Year" has been made for them -- and will continue to be for the next month, as Bonds is arraigned and the Mitchell investigation is released.

Time should name steroids the newsmaker of 2007.

3 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment


by boogydown3 November 19, 2007 2:18 PM EST: Other thoughts: I strongly believe that ''The PERSON of the Year'' SHOULD be a PERSON! Do you agree?! Otherwise, perhaps they can add another category and call it ''FIXATION of the Year'' or something far more catchy.; Reply to this comment


by boogydown3 November 18, 2007 11:16 PM EST: My top choices: President George W. Bush- because I''m tired of hearing the negativity from the press. And I admire his firm commitment to stay the course in Iraq despite so much opposition. Another choice: President Musharraf of Pakistan-- because I sense he''s simply sincere in what he''s doing. That lady who''s coming in there and causing so much trouble doesn''t pass the "smell test". Another possibility: The late Mother Theresa: for her honesty in her journal. Other choices: Joyce Meyers (for living her faith), the average Joe/Jane american who''s making it on less than 40k/year and might be a single parent with little family/financial/emotional support.; Reply to this comment


by memekiller November 16, 2007 8:48 PM EST: I simply refuse to hand my title over to steroids.

My choice: President Musharaff. He''s an ally, so no stupid people complaining he''s a "bad guy", it cuts across party lines yet is not so embarassingly safe as last year. Most of all, the War on Terror probably hinges more on what happens in his country than Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Iran combined. Then again, he or his successor might be NEXT year''s POY.

Second choice: Public Restrooms.; Reply to this comment