How a TV Exec’s Four-Word Advice Helped Me Embrace Change, Evolve, and Stay Relevant
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Every time I get stubborn about learning something new, evolving, or hopping on a trend, four words pop into my head: Don’t be a dinosaur.
And no, this has nothing to do with being a bad tipper—you know, T-Rex arms. It’s about not going extinct.
Years ago, while I was working on the Scott & Todd morning show in New York City, we were tapped to be part of a first-of-its-kind nationally syndicated TV show called Dish Nation.
The concept was simple and brilliant: film five morning radio shows from around the country as they commented on the day’s news and gossip. Then, edit all their best moments together into a 30-minute comedy-news hybrid show to air that same night.
The mastermind behind the idea was Stu Weiss, a legendary TV exec who founded Studio City—one of the most prolific media marketing agencies around. You know those promos for daytime TV shows that run all day long? There’s a good chance Studio City made them.
Although Stu was a “TV guy,” his first love was radio. He wanted to connect radio personalities with audiences beyond their local cities. And since he was entrenched in Hollywood, he pitched the idea around town and landed a deal with Fox Television to air Dish Nation coast to coast.
And just like that, Dish Nation was born—and I got to make TV money. Now, radio money in New York is very good. But TV money? VERY VERY good. But I digress…
It wasn’t just about the money (although… it was nice). It was exciting! Lights. Cameramen. Makeup artists. TV producers. It was full-on showbiz.
We’d do our usual radio thing, and during commercial breaks, we’d record extra footage for the TV show. Pretty slick.
Now remember, Dish Nation featured five morning shows. That meant the producers had about 20 hours of content they had to trim down to just 22 minutes (plus commercials).
Naturally, not everyone got equal screen time. Often, the stuff we recorded never made it on air. TV show money? Good. Getting cut from the TV show? Very bad.
The breakout star of Dish Nation turned out to be the Atlanta-based show hosted by comedian Rickey Smiley. And how did we know that?
Twitter.
The pre-Elon version of Twitter loved Rickey’s content. So, the producers leaned in and made him and his crew the face of the show.
Now, I wouldn’t say we were jealous…Okay, maybe a little.
Doing all that extra work on top of a daily 4-hour radio show—only to see it get left on the cutting room floor—started to wear us down.
Stu and I had become good friends, and I’d get into these semi-friendly arguments with him.
“Why would you let Twitter dictate what ends up on your show?” I’d ask.
And then he hit me with some four-word wisdom: “I don’t want to be a dinosaur.”
Stu had been in the business for nearly 40 years. He’d seen it all. Survived it all. And he told me, “I’ve watched so many of my colleagues and competitors refuse to change or innovate. They lost their way—because they were dinosaurs.”
And wouldn’t you know it—he was right. Eventually, we were dropped from the show. No more TV money. Meanwhile, Dish Nation has been on the air for over 13 years, still going strong across the country.
That’s how the biggest stars stay relevant. Take Madonna. Every time a new pop star emerged, she didn’t get salty or stuck in her ways. She collaborated.
She didn’t fossilize—she evolved.
When video podcasting went mainstream, I resisted. “Podcasts should be audio-only,” I told myself.
But then I saw the data. YouTube had become the top platform for podcast discovery and consumption.
So, I adapted.
The next time you feel yourself resisting the next big thing—whether it’s technology, a trend, or a new way of doing business—just remember what my friend Stu said: “Don’t be a dinosaur.”
Change doesn’t wait for our permission. And the longer you resist it, the more likely you are to get left behind.
Take it from someone who’s been cut from a TV show, clung to “audio-only podcasting,” and lived to blog about it:
Evolve early. Evolve often. And whatever you do—don’t be a dinosaur.
TL;DR: Change is uncomfortable—but necessary. Whether it’s adapting to new platforms, trends, or technologies, the ones who thrive are the ones who evolve. I learned that the hard way when a TV opportunity faded and a wise exec reminded me: “Don’t be a dinosaur.” Embrace change, stay curious, and keep moving forward—or risk becoming extinct.
