Author: John Gerard Lewis,
Gerard WealthCovestor model: Stable High Yield
Are you a "Home Gamer"?
Jim Cramer says you are. That's how the ubiquitous CNBC Pied Piper refers to his viewers. And it's not an altogether faulty label – Cramer is indeed urging them to play a game.
Many of the Home Gamers probably don't recognize it as playtime, because they think they're getting astute investment advice. They're spellbound by this whirling dervish who rattles off sophisticated jargon so fast that they can't decipher what he's saying even if they do understand the jargon (which many of the Home Gamers surely don't). But that actually makes him even more impressive, because for that talent alone he is clearly a financial genius - never mind the articulatory blur.
Since so many people at home don't know what to do with their money, and this captivating maestro is right there on TV every night, then of course it makes sense to just kick back in the recliner after dinner and do what he says. A free, daily financial adviser, all from the comfort of home!
Jim Cramer and CNBC have turned the time-honored concept of prudent investment advice on its head. Cramer, as he is simply known (like Cher or Madonna - and you might as well get your advice from them), expresses almost no regard for the tried and true tenets of personal investing. He's a former hedge fund manager, and he spews "advice" as if the Home Gamers are too.
Proper counsel for individual investors commonly includes consideration for diversification, low transaction and carrying costs, and suitability as to age – all of which Cramer's guidance is bereft. His is irresponsible, agitated "McAdvice" and it's exactly the wrong way to advise individuals about investing their money.
Bill from Wisconsin, obviously an older man, calls in to Cramer's aptly titled "Mad Money" show and asks about Acco Brands (ABD). Mike in Utah, another older fellow, inquires about U.S. Silica Holdings (SLCA). Debbie, a woman in Massachusetts, wants to know what he thinks about Mako Surgical (MAKO). Each gets a breathless answer best measured in nanoseconds.