LATE SHOW NEWS #189 February 3, 1998 by Aaron Barnhart LATE SHOW NEWS, America's and Australia's favorite online source for news and views about the late-night talk show industry, is turning four later this month, and once again we'll commemorate the occasion with the annual LATE SHOW NEWS Great Graft Giveaway! Just make sure you're subscribed to LSN no later than Feb. 10, 1998. On or after that date, I'll grab the full list of subscribers and randomly select winners from it. They'll receive a Priority Mail shipment of some of the highest-quality items ever to be emblazoned with the crass company logos of the TV industry. I'll keep choosing winners until I run out of graft. The LATE SHOW NEWS fourth anniversary issue will appear on Feb. 17, 1998. *** Bill Lehecka's devotion to the Letterman show will land him in Dave's green room later this winter. Lehecka, a mild-mannered college student from Long Island, discovered early last year how easy it was to mail away for tickets to "Late Show" tapings at the Ed Sullivan Theater. He went a total of four times in 1997, and even managed once to ask the host a question during the pre-show routine. As is customary with audience members who interrogate the host, Letterman rewarded Bill with an oblique mention and a brief moment on camera during his monologue. Now Bill was completely stoked. He went to the "Late Show" a third time, and a fourth. Then he got tickets for the taping of Dec. 31. Bill took his sister Anne-Marie -- and our regular readers know the rest. Even though they had numbered tickets, they were turned away after a long wait in line, just like hundreds of other ticketholders that night. "It was 20 degrees, my sister was shivering, I was shivering, and then at the end it was, 'Bye,'" he said Monday. To top it off, when Bill got back home and on the Internet, he learned from reading LATE SHOW NEWS that ticketholders with numbers as high as 162 had been turned away that same night. That harshed Bill's mellow something strong. He composed an angry message about his experience and posted it to the alt.fan.letterman newsgroup. He cooled down, forgot about the incident and went back to Ohio. A week passed. Then Bill's parents got a call from Laurie Diamond, Letterman's longtime personal assistant and troubleshooter. She had Bill's message in hand; an assistant in Dave's office had spotted it online and passed a printed copy on to Diamond, who said she showed the message to Letterman. "And Dave said, 'On a freezing cold night, for people to be turned away just breaks my heart,'" said Diamond. So Letterman instructed her to "make restitution" to Bill, which came in the form of calls from Diamond and the show's audience coordinator Victoria Varela. Bill was offered seats to a later show. He chose March 16. Varela offered seats in the balcony. He wanted seats on the main floor. Instead, she offered him the green room. Bill gladly accepted, and is once again stoked. "The whole thing's going to be surprising," said Bill, who gets to take two guests backstage with him. "I haven't asked them for details." Diamond said it was just part of a campaign by the show to get better connected to its many online fans. "What I used to do at NBC that I don't have a chance to do anymore is -- because the viewer mail used to be collected in a box in the lobby, I used to come down and grab a bunch of mail out of the box," she said. Calling viewers who sent mail was one way for the show to build goodwill and a hardcore audience. "I was born in 1952. I'm 45 and not that much computer savvy. Helen Stoddard is a new assistant in Dave's office. She's 21 and one of these little geniuses. She pulls stuff off the Internet and brings it to my attention. She's getting us caught up again." So has Dave seen any viewer Web pages like Bill's at ? Diamond swears he has, pointing out that Late Show Online coordinators Jay Johnson and Walter Kim occupy an office next to a stairwell Letterman often uses. "He'll pop in from time to time and say, 'Okay, boys, show me what you've got,'" said Diamond. *** LATE SHOW NEWS caught a preview of "Blues Brothers 2000" Tuesday and declares it to be less a sequel to the original "Blues Brothers" film than a remake. Watching it, you realize how much dark comedy the late John Belushi supplied to the 1980 original, as well as to "Saturday Night Live," where he developed the Blues Brothers act with Dan Aykroyd. In Belushi's absence, announced in the movie's opening scene, Elwood Blues (Aykroyd) is paired with John Goodman as "Mighty Mack" Blues and a 10-year-old kid, played by J. Evan Bonifant, as Buster Blues. Unlike the first movie, there are no avenging girlfriends or rednecks throwing beer bottles at the band. After all, something might hit Buster. As those who caught the film in its early previews have already noted, enjoyment of "Blues Brothers 2000" rests largely on one's appreciation of its soundtrack, so find a theater with rich stereo sound or don't bother going. (The theater we sat in was a brand-new, state-of-the-art 32-screener, but aside from a resonant bass that thundered whenever something on screen exploded, the sound was surprisingly thin. On reflection, I decided this was because so few movies these days are musicals, but many movies are punctuated by big explosions.) Basically, any blues legend left out of the first movie gets shoehorned into the second (with the notable exception of Buddy Guy). Lonnie Brooks, Koko Taylor, B.B. King and Eric Clapton appear in an all-star band at the film's conclusion, as do music greats Clarence Clemons, Gary U.S. Bonds, Isaac Hayes, Wilson Pickett, Sam Moore, Lou Rawls and Bo Diddley. Making encore appearances in "Blues Brothers 2000" are Aretha Franklin and James Brown, which reminds me to remind you not to leave the theater until the movie has come to a full and complete stop or else you'll miss a musical gem featuring the godfather of soul. The story line has a very familiar feel to it: release from prison, "we're getting the band back together," laws casually broken, police chases -- all components of the first "Blues Brothers" film, with some variations. The deceptive booking at a country-and-western bar in the first movie becomes a deceptive booking at a county fair in the second. A militia group (headed up by "SNL's" Darrell Hammond, of all people) and the Russian mob take the place of the Nazis of the earlier film. There are plenty of over-the-top police chases and a car pileup to end all car pileups that got big laughs and a round of applause from the audience in the theater. New twists in the story don't add much, and the musicians from the original film who are reunited here -- Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Matt "Guitar" Murphy, Willie Hall, Murphy Dunne, Blue Lou and the "Late Show's" own "Bones" Malone -- certainly aren't any better at acting than they were 20 years ago. Again, the reason to come is for the music. Paul Shaffer picked some great tunes as the movie's music director and has a sorcerer's apprentice role at the end that he plays to the hilt. *** Al Franken's "Lateline" has its first deadline: The show's run will begin Tuesday, March 17, at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, replacing "Just Shoot Me," which is moving to the post-"Friends" spot on Thursdays in place of the canceled "Union Square" ... "Charlie Rose" has been picked up for another year by USA Networks, which has been the show's principal funder since January, 1996. Two more underwriters will sign on next month: Cisco Systems, which builds routers -- the kind that move data on the Internet, not the kind that put edges on woodwork and once gashed a finger of mine when I was in high school -- and booksellers Barnes & Noble ... Letterman's mom will be in Nagano, Japan, for the Winter Olympics, which begin Friday, along with stage manager Biff Henderson and, in her TV debut, Biff's wife Carolyn. Off-camera, a small contingent of staff from the show will accompany them to Nagano to coordinate talent and plan those funny remotes ... The Indianapolis Star's Steve Hall reports that Dorothy contributed more than $100,000 from the sales of her 1996 cookbook to a Kiwanis International campaign to wipe out iodine deficiency disorders in developing countries ... As for those "Late Show" tickets that Bill Lehecka seemed to have an easy time procuring, they're actually getting *harder* to obtain. Laurie Diamond told LSN that the show now receives 10,000 postcards and 30,000 requests on the Internet every week requesting tickets. This has led to a lottery system that rewards the persistent. Average waiting time is still about six months, according to Diamond; that's what it was in 1993, when the show moved to CBS ... Chris Rock has pledged money to get a "Harvard Lampoon"-like magazine launched at mostly black Howard University in Washington, D.C. ... Mike Judge has signed to make a movie about the nebbishy office drone Milton from a cartoon Judge did on "SNL" six years ago ... And Bobcat Goldthwait is developing a variety show for the FX cable channel. His manager described the concept this way: "If Dean Martin had hosted a game show, it would've looked something like this." *** A couple of readers noted a slight change in Dave Letterman's attire. Jeff Stein writes, "Am I wrong, or was last week the first time Dave has worn anything other than a fancy suit on the CBS show? On NBC, it was sport coats, slacks, and white socks, but on CBS, it was full business suits until last week." I don't know about that, but doesn't announcer Alan Kalter sound *brighter* these days? ... Rob Poodiack writes, "John Michael Higgins ('The Late Shift') has turned up at least twice on major sitcoms in the past year. He was on 'Seinfeld' playing one of Elaine's love interests, a guy who had been shaving his head for so long he was unaware that he was actually going bald. He was also recently on 'Mad About You' as Carol Burnett's new boy toy" ... Gert-Jan Kramer writes, "Just reporting that the late-night show that was on the Dutch RTL4-station, with host Peter Jan Rens, was taken off the air at the end of last year and won't be coming back. Why? Low ratings, no advertising money. The host said he regretted this decision, since he was just getting the hang of it. Well, at least he didn't try to be an exact copy of Letterman, Leno or O'Brien." *** Tom Heald's THIS NIGHT IN HISTORY Exclusive to LATE SHOW NEWS Mo 2/3: In 1918, The rich man's Buddy Hackett, talk show couch dweller (and host from 1967-'69) Joey Bishop is born. Tu 2/4: In 1945, Philadelphia cheesesteak David Brenner is born. Perennially the talk show bridesmaid, in the late '80s Brenner finally got his own show, "Nightlife," a brief syndicated "Tonight Show" challenger. We 2/5: In 1990, "CBS Late Night" returns to the schedule, once again using crime reruns to fill the hour vacated by the black hole that was "The Pat Sajak Show." Th 2/6: In 1931, a Torn is born, "The Larry Sanders Show's" Rip (Elmore Jr.) Torn, to be specific. Fr 2/7: In 1996, "The Chris Rock Show" debuts on HBO, on the host's 30th birthday. Sa 2/8: In 1986, one of the truly great moments in "Saturday Night Live" history, Ron Reagan Jr. reenacts Tom Cruise's underwear dancing scene from "Risky Business." Su 2/9: In 1990, Stuart Smalley performs his very first "Daily Affirmation" on "Saturday Night Live," allowing the '90s to become another of "The Al Franken Decades." [Thanks to Dave Tanny. Special thanks to Donz5, who has almost all sixteen years' worth on tape.] Tom Heald just inherited the Dennis Miller FAQ from Jen Laurie. Anything you think needs to be added, while he reformats it? Tell Tom at . THE LINEUPS with Sue Trowbridge LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS Tu 2/3 John Goodman, Jeff Gordon, Mitch Hedberg We 2/4 Dan Aykroyd, Naomi Campbell, Duncan Sheik Th 2/5 Mira Sorvino, cast of "Ragtime" Fr 2/6 Drew Barrymore, John Mellencamp Mo 2/9 Richard Simmons Tu 2/10 Bill Cosby, The Blues Brothers (John Goodman and Dan Aykroyd) We 2/11 Cindy Crawford Th 2/12 Adam Sandler, Jack Hanna Fr 2/13 LeAnn Rimes, Bryan White THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, NBC Tu 2/3 Kathy Ireland, Chow Yun-Fat, Jesper Parnevik We 2/4 Jeff Goldblum, Kent Mahaffey with singing birds, The Pate Brothers Th 2/5 Dennis Rodman, Jeri Ryan, 75-year-old Ben Roll (passed bar exam after 14 tries) Fr 2/6 Gwyneth Paltrow, Ryan O'Neal Mo 2/9 Kid inventors, Calista Flockhart, Lyle Lovett Tu 2/10 Singing dogs, Trisha Yearwood We 2/11 Robert Duvall, Julie Scardina and Sea World animals, Veronica Webb Th 2/12 Kobe Bryant, Animal Impressionist Contest Fr 2/13 Sharon Stone, 7-year-old actress Emily Young Mo 2/16 David Schwimmer, pigs and wiener dogs race LATE LATE SHOW WITH TOM SNYDER, CBS Tu 2/3 Robert Duvall, Mikal Gilmore We 2/4 Judith Miller Th 2/5 Christopher Reich, Angelina Jolie Fr 2/6 Oliver Sacks LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC Tu 2/3 Jerry Springer, David Brenner, Melinda Clark We 2/4 John Leguizamo, Victoria Williams Th 2/5 Dan Aykroyd, Rebecca Romijn Fr 2/6 John Goodman, Dikembe Mutombo Mo 2/9 Howard Stern, Lolita Davidovich, Freedy Johnston (R 3/13/97) Tu 2/10 Darrell Hammond We 2/11 Bob Costas, Louis C.K., Salt-N-Pepa Th 2/12 Paul Simon Fr 2/13 Adam Sandler, Marlon Wayans, Kenny Wayne Shepherd LATER, NBC Tu 2/3 Michael Rapaport with Clifton Powell We 2/4 Michael Rapaport with Q-Tip Th 2/5 Michael Rapaport with Lisa Nicole Carson Mo 2/9 - Th 2/11 Peri Gilpin with guests TBA CHARLIE ROSE, PBS Please note that Charlie Rose listings are very tentative Tu 2/3 Tom Peters, Dr. Angela Christiano, Rupert Everett We 2/4 Dame Joan Sutherland, Howard Blum, James Patterson, Michael Murphy Th 2/5 Martin Amis, Buzz Bissinger Fr 2/6 Dr. Nathan Mhyrvold Mo 2/9 Jack Lemmon, Marc Jacobs Tu 2/10 Brian Williams; Oscars Panel w/David Denby, Janet Maslin, Richard Corliss We 2/11 Joseph Heller, Willie Morris Th 2/12 Sandra Bernhard Fr 2/13 Randall Robinson POLITICALLY INCORRECT WITH BILL MAHER, ABC Tu 2/3 Bobcat Goldthwait, Bernie Taupin, Jim Cramer, Gloria Allred We 2/4 Pam Tillis, Robert Reich, Sugar Rautbord Th 2/5 Elayne Boosler, Robert Shapiro Fr 2/6 Meat Loaf, Gennifer Flowers, Terry Murphy Mo 2/9 TBA Tu 2/10 TBA We 2/11 Christine Lahti Th 2/12 TBA Fr 2/13 French Stewart, Merv Griffin VIBE TV, syndicated Tu 2/3 Janet Gunn, Fred Savage, Evan Bonifant We 2/4 Chow Yun Fat, Shawn Colvin Th 2/5 Avery Brooks, Nu Flavor Fr 2/6 Cindy Margolis KEENEN IVORY WAYANS, syndicated Tu 2/3 Loretta Devine, Gil Bellows, Lox We 2/4 Steve Harvey, Christa Miller, Paul Provenza Th 2/5 Matthew Lillard, Oasis Fr 2/6 Daisy Fuentes, Aries Spears Mo 2/9 Chumbawamba Tu 2/10 Robert Townsend, Something For The People We 2/11 TBA Th 2/12 Real Andrews Fr 2/13 Russell Simmons HOWARD STERN, E! Tu 2/3 Howard's Birthday Party '98 Part 2, David Duchovny Part 2 (R) We 2/4 Howard's Birthday Party '98 Part 3, Jasmine St. Claire Part 1 (R) Th 2/5 Howard's Birthday Party '98 Part 4, Jasmine St. Claire Part 2 (R) Fr 2/6 Howard's Birthday Party '98 Part 5, Jasmine St. Claire Part 3 (R) Sa 2/7 Judy Nelson Parts 1 and 2 (R) DENNIS MILLER LIVE, HBO Fr 2/6 Rerun TBA Fr 2/13 Michael Keaton SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST, Cartoon Network Fr 2/6 John Henson and Bob Goen (R) Bobcat Goldthwait and Judy Tenuta (R) Fr 2/13 Fran Drescher, Carol Channing, Alice Cooper (R) Carrot Top (R) DIE HARALD SCHMIDT SHOW, SAT.1 Di 3/2 13-year-old piano genius Victor Emanuel Also on late nights: NIGHTLINE and WORLD NEWS NOW, ABC CHARLES GRODIN, CNBC MAD TV, Fox SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, NBC (this season) and Comedy Central (classics) THE RUPAUL SHOW, VH1 LOVELINE and ODDVILLE MTV, MTV UP TO THE MINUTE, CBS NIGHTSIDE, NBC THE DAILY SHOW, Comedy Central ======================================== AARON BARNHART IN THE KANSAS CITY STAR (a Knight-Ridder newspaper) The URL for recent TV stories is Scroll to the bottom of the page. ======================================== Entire contents Copyright 1998 by Aaron Barnhart. All rights reserved. Current e-mail circulation: 11,809 subscribers in 54 countries. Guest lineups are updated throughout the week by Sue Trowbridge at LATE SHOW NEWS is made possible with the generous assistance of ECHO, New York City's premiere online service. Send news for and comments about this newsletter to aaron@tvbarn.com