Investment Intelligence When it REALLY Matters.

CNBC, the Bubble Network

While some would consider Cramer a “stock pumper,” others would consider him their savior. I would consider him the “Dr. Phil” of Wall Street because, similar to Phil, he designs shows based on resolving some controversial issue with the intended goal of helping lost souls.

I find it of no surprise that Cramer has made appearances on Dr. Phil. Both are in the same line of work – cheeseball marketing. 

At the end of each show both Dr. Phil and Cramer emerge as some sort of “Superman.” In short, both of these shows are more about entertainment than anything else and they create an illusion of “value” for their misguided viewers.

While this approach isn't really damaging for the Dr. Phil Show, it can be highly damaging for a show based on investments. As a result, Jim Cramer and the rest of CNBC serve as stock pumpers because the financial industry pays the bills there through buying ad time.

So the question is whether Cramer is intentionally manipulating stocks. Many people would say yes. I would tend to agree.

What we do know is that he likes a stock one day and often hates the same stock a few weeks or even days later. Of course, after a stock he previously told you to buy collapses, he never bothers to remind you how terrible his advice is. This man has no conscious and does not know the meaning of the word “accountable.” 

This on-off approach serves a purpose. It forces you to watch the daily drama so you won't miss when he turns sour on a stock you bought based upon his favorable review, which often includes yelling and screaming “Buy! Buy! Buy!” It’s possible that Cramer has more “Buys” than Wall Street.

Meanwhile, he mentions so many stocks that it is virtually impossible to keep up with what he says. This too is intentional. It is designed to confuse you; to overwhelm you so you won’t remember how poor his track record is. 

Why would anyone with a brain waste their time following this guy other than to research his horrendous track record for a piece like this?

I do know that some hedge funds watch in order to make easy money because they know the sheep are all in. But these are the small-time funds that are incapable of performing well without stooping to these shady tactics.

Has anyone ever bothered to count the number of different stocks Cramer mentions each year and how many his likes and dislikes?

If you ever thought Cramer was ahead of any curve you have been fooled – exactly what his show is designed to do. And the facts show that his "picks" underperform the S&P 500 Index. Are you surprised?  

Come on now. Looking at this marketing ad, can you really take Cramer's show seriously? Notice “Watch T.V. Get Rich” slogan. That's manipulation and deceit in its most obvious form.

How many of you have become rich by watching Cramer?

I'll guarantee none of you have.

If you became rich it wasn't because you watched Cramer or other programs on CNBC. You became wealthy despite watching this trash.

If you think you will be ahead of the curve by watching Cramer or anyone else on CNBC, just take a look at the archives in YouTube – the ridiculous statements and predictions.

A Closer Look at Cramer

I would say that he is on TV for the same reason that other self-proclaimed investment gurus are….their investment days are over. For some, their investment days only began after they launched a successful career on television serving as hacks for Wall Street because they didn't have any money before then.

Perhaps Cramer did well in his hedge fund. But recall that he got in at the bottom (1987) and left at the top (2001). Thus, he pretty much rode market gains that averaged more than 18% annually. Remember, everyone did well during the great bull market.

UPDATE (August 22, 2012): We released an article showing that Cramer's hedge fund blew up, which is why he went into the media.

For a seemingly fairly bright guy (who has admitted having some mental issues) who spent two decades on Wall Street and ran a hedge fund, I do not view Cramer to be that sharp when it comes to investments. But for the sheep who watch his show, it's tempting to accept what Cramer has to say

  • After all, HE worked on Wall Street. Most likely you have not.
  • After all, HE ran a “highly successful” hedge fund. Most likely you have not.
  • After all, HE went to Harvard. Most likely you have not.

You need to realize that Cramer is a herdsman for sheep. And each day he leads you into the slaughterhouse.

 

Larry Kudlow is Much Worse  

There are other clowns on CNBC (like Larry Kudlow) who are even worse than Cramer. In fact, Kudlow has and continues to be dangerous to anyone looking for a realistic assessment of the U.S. economy.

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