Vote for your fave Transformer for hall of fame!

[SilverDragon]

Including a non-Gen1 (originating) character throws this open a bit, for the Beast Wars fans to unite behind. Still, a 'hall of fame' for 25 years worth of characters, only one isn't from the first two years.

I put that down to most of the characters people remember (and like) being from those first two years. While Hasbro picked the characters who were on the poll of who should be nominated, it was the fanbase that voted for them. Said fanbase picked what it felt were the ones who deserved Hall of Fame status, and those nominees were overwhelmingly from G1, regardless of what they did in that generation. What did Jazz do that distinguished him, aside from being the only black robot on Cybertron? He wasn't a leader, didn't have a particularly memorable personality (or voice), and to my memory didn't really do much anything special.

The same goes for Bumblebee. The problem I have with his automatic inclusion is that he effectivly vanished from the franchise from G2 until the movie (comics notwithstanding), and his recent popularity is the result of the movies.

[griffin]

I agree on the sentiments of Bumblebee - if this is for specific characters from a series, and not a character by name, then Gen1 Bumblebee is hardly a top-5 character. Bumblebee would only be an obvious choice if this were paying tribute to a name over the quarter century of TFs.

[tinyJazz]

What did Jazz do that distinguished him, aside from being the only black robot on Cybertron? He wasn't a leader, didn't have a particularly memorable personality (or voice), and to my memory didn't really do much anything special.

This is true, Jazz is hardly seen doing much of anything, except for that one time he punched Bludgeon in the face and told him to "eat floor" (or perhaps it was "dig floor"? I can't remember.)

Maybe they just put it down to him being "head of special ops" and thus away on top secret missions, which in actuallity probably involve sitting in front of teletraan-1 eating crisps and playing DDOS games. Therefore explaining his surprising absence from desicive battles in the G1 era. Hey! At least he didn't get shot in the head by Scrapper! Wow, what loser Autobot lets that happen?

But in all seriousness, I disagree with you on the other points... I think in terms of character it probably is his personality that people like most, because it is distinct. That's why he most likely got nominated.
Also, he's stylish. so. So there you go...and that is all I will say because I am probably being totally biased here :C

[GoktimusPrime]

What did Jazz do that distinguished him, aside from being the only black robot on Cybertron? He wasn't a leader, didn't have a particularly memorable personality (or voice), and to my memory didn't really do much anything special.

+ Jazz and Sideswipe rescued humans from Sherman Dam from a structurally compromised Sherman Dam.
+ Jazz formed the alliance between the Autobots and G.B. Blackrock.
+ Jazz was involved in the Dinobot hunt.
+ Jazz was a combatant inTarget: 2006.
+ Jazz was a combatant in the Underbase Saga where he was mortally wounded.
+ Jazz was rebuilt as a Pretender and helped to fight the Decepticon Sports Car Patrol - at the end of the battle Ratchet and Megatron were assumed KIA.
+ Jazz and the other Autobot Classic Pretenders significantly assisted the Autobot resistance on Cybertron - all quickly being hailed as heroes (and thus becoming targets for assassination by Decepticons)
+ The attempt to assassinate the Classics Pretenders accidentally led them to the discovery of PRIMUS! During the battle Primus was awoken and his scream alerted Unicron who then proceeded toward Cybertron.
+ Jazz was part of the Matrix Quest - it was his team who successfully found the Matrix (only to have lost it to Thunderwing, who admitted that their team put up a noble struggle).
+ Jazz was a combatant in the battle against Unicron.
+ In an alternate universe, Jazz was part of an Autobot-human resistance in New York against Galvatron and his Decepticons. They were instrumental in halting the rest of the world from launching nuclear strikes at New York.
+ Jazz was also involved in the now splinter continuity Earthforce Saga.
+ Jazz also fought in Transformers: Generation 2.

And that's just some of what he did in the comics alone. Click here to read more.

Personality-wise he stands out as being the one who loves Earthen pop-culture and attempts to adopt it. Hence his Afro-American mannerisms.