LATE SHOW NEWS #166 August 19, 1997 by Aaron Barnhart NOTE: This issue is rated GV for game-show violence. Univision soap opera hunk and former imitation highway patrol officer Erik Estrada knocked "Politically Incorrect" host Bill Maher cold -- accidentally -- during a taping of the new Alan Thicke-hosted game show "Pictionary," which debuts Sept. 22 in syndication. An exuberant Estrada flung up his arms after winning a game, clobbering Maher, who fell backwards and was briefly unconscious ... Dave Iaia was the first to say it. "Why do I have the feeling that I'm going to be just one of 50 e-mail messages you get about this? Anyway, 'G.I. Jane' is actually about the Navy SEALS, so the Mousetrap's tune was ok. (You're probably wondering why it's called 'G.I.' if it's a Navy picture ... well, they did think about changing the title at the last minute when they realized their goof, but decided to stick with it.)" Dave was also incredibly prescient; about 50 more e-mails arrived after his, making this the most-corrected item I can ever recall in LATE SHOW NEWS. Brian Gross sent in the most useful correction, a URL with more info on the movie: ... That AP report that Stern was collaborating with the Letterman show on a show to compete with "SNL" has been flatly denied by both sides. Rob Burnett told the New York Post he's never spoken with Stern about such a thing. And reader "Guardian," who gets Howard Stern's show (we here in Kansas City are stuck with Mancow Muller), writes that Stern went on the radio the day after the AP report and called it ludicrous. For one thing, said Stern, Letterman's Worldwide Pants hadn't produced anything worthwhile, so why would he want to link up with them; and for another, Stern has already competed with "SNL" (his old WWOR show in the early '90s), so why would he need *anyone's* help to do it again? (Which raises the question: why hasn't Stern competed with "SNL" yet? Two words: Private Parts) ... Also from the rumor mill: Lloyd Grove reports in the Washington Post that the most likely next president of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is former NBC "no" man John Agoglia ... This one's for sure: Eddie October, former supervising producer of "Later with Greg Kinnear," was named co-executive producer of next year's "The Roseanne Show" ... Ever wanted to attend a late-night TV taping in Hollywood but didn't want to make a long distance call to the various TV studios' hotlines? Check out this site, which is issuing tix to "Vibe," "Dennis Miller Live," and other fine made- in-America shows: ... The Museum of TV & Radio in New York is sponsoring a seminar with Conan O'Brien, Andy Richter, head writer Jonathan Groff, director Liz Plonka and the always-handsome producer of "Late Night," Jeff Ross, Monday, Sept. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $10 and sell out fast, so call Barry Diller's TicketMaster (212-307-7171) now. If you miss it, you can view it at a later date from a MTV&R carrel (thanks Don Brockway) ... Cartoon Network is sponsoring a "Space Ghost Coast to Coast" contest next month in which two lucky amateur haiku composers will get to film an episode with Spacey. Look for details on the show and at Tower. *** Reader mail: LATE SHOW NEWS is read by subscribers in 50 countries, including Poland, and my sole Polish sub just dropped me a note, which I quote as follows: "Hi, it is Paul from (far) Poland. I am a big O'Brien fan. When I got my cable system in 1995 I started watching 'Late Show with David Letterman' on RTL2 (in English, of course). They aired it late at night and I had to sit up sometimes till 3 a.m. ... And then, out of the blue RTL2 canceled 'my' 'Late Show.' I e-mailed them several times bagging to bring it back, but the answer was that they are not interested in broadcasting Dave anymore. So, I had to resort to NBC Europe (brrrr...). We have Leno and O'Brien here in Europe starting from 22.00 cet (Leno) and 23.00 cet (Conan). I didn't like Leno from the very beginning. He was talking too fast for the European. ... His monologue is too long and that is why you cannot avoid lame and boring jokes (it happens so often!). Then, comedy bits. Only Headlines are sometimes interesting. The worst ones contein scenes from Leno's life ("I have to carry my own crew with camera to record my life for legal purposes" -- when I hear that sentence I turn off my TV set and go to the WC). ... Sly Stallone had an appearance on Leno and right after that on Conan. For me it was the last proof how Leno can be lame talking to a star in comparison to Conan. On 'Late Night' there was enough to laugh at both of Sly and Conan, enough to be informed and generally to be entertained. On TS there was something just to listen and leave the room, what I did." *** CORRECTIONS DEPARTMENT: As many of you were kind enough to point out, a few minor errors slipped out in the last issue of LATE SHOW NEWS. We inadvertently listed the branch of the military shown in the movie "G.I Jane" as the Army, when it is about the Navy Seals. Also, we listed Demi Moore as the star of said movie when it actually features Jane Fonda. And finally, we'd been planning to reveal this after the column had been running a full year, but LATE SHOW NEWS feature "This Night in History" has actually been written under the pseudonym "Tom Heald." "Heald" is actually a front for television critic Myron Schoenblutz. We regret any confusion these errors might have caused. And now... Myron Schoenblutz's THIS NIGHT IN HISTORY Mo 8/18: In 1995, after being used as a punchline for three weeks on CBS's "Late Show With David Letterman," Canadian filling station attendant Dick Assman finally make a cameo appearance on the show. Letterman presents him with a bouquet of roses. Tu 8/19: In 1995, One of the most famous weddings in television history is repeated as frequent "Tonight Show" guest Tiny Tim gets married again (for the last time) ... this time to Susan Gardner, in a private ceremony. We 8/20: In 1993, "The Building" debuts on CBS. The series' executive producers? Star Bonnie Hunt, and her friend David Letterman. It's the first sitcom to come from Letterman's new production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. Th 8/21: You've been asking me for a month how "Saturday Night Live" castmember Danitra Vance died. Cancer finally ended her life on this day in 1994. Fr 8/22: In 1988, "Later with Bob Costas" debuts on NBC. First guest: Linda Ellerbee. Sa 8/23: In Viewer Mail on "Late Night with David Letterman," David Tanny asks how Letterman can say "G.E. Sucks" without getting fired? The answer from General Electric? "We really do suck!" Su 8/24: In 1951, The Grandaddy of late night talk, NBC's "Broadway Open House" airs for the last time. Mo 8/25: In 1933, One of David Letterman's alter egos, Regis Philbin, is born. [Thanks to David Tanny, Tim Brooks, and Earl Marsh. Extremely special thanks to Donz5, without whom I'd be just another Schoenblutz.] [Got a problem with any of this? E-mail Myron Schoenblutz at ] THE LINEUPS with Sue Trowbridge LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS Tu 8/19 Barbara Walters, Charles Dutton, Morrissey We 8/20 Mira Sorvino, Coolio Th 8/21 Charlie Sheen, Janine Turner, Bonnie Raitt and Ruth Brown Fr 8/22 Alicia Silverstone, George Miller, Todd Barry Mo 8/25 Vanessa Williams, Joe Montana Tu 8/26 Paul Reiser, Tia Carrere, Echo & the Bunnymen THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, NBC Tu 8/19 Newt Gingrich, Chris Tucker (Life cereal's next "Mikey") We 8/20 Demi Moore Th 8/21 Paul Reiser, Cameron Finley, k.d. lang Fr 8/22 Steven Seagal, Christopher Walken Mo 8/25 Sandra Bullock, Maestro Harrell, Charles Shaughnessy (R 6/9/97) Tu 8/26 Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tim Allen, animal impressionist Hank Shores (R 11/21/96) We 8/27 Tom Jones, Will Smith (R 6/26/97) Th 8/28 John Travolta, 6-year-old Emily Young, Tom Dreesen (R 6/27/97) LATE LATE SHOW WITH TOM SNYDER, CBS Tu 8/19 Mike Luckovich We 8/20 Ray Bradbury, Barry Sonnenfeld Th 8/21 Cathy Moriarty Fr 8/22 Queen Latifah, Christopher Cuomo Mo 8/25 John Cleese, Al Roker (R 1/15/97) Tu 8/26 Brian Williams, Arlene Friedman (R 1/9/97) We 8/27 Lou Holtz, David Brudnoy (R 1/28/97) Th 8/28 Lisa Hartman-Black, Thomas Mallon (R 3/17/97) Fr 8/29 Dave Thomas, Mary Karr (R 2/28/97) LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC Tu 8/19 Blues Traveler We 8/20 Jay Mohr, Charles Dutton, Dom Irrera Th 8/21 Mira Sorvino, Marc Maron, Cake Like Fr 8/22 Janine Turner, Taj Mahal LATER, NBC Mo 8/18 Jerry O'Connell with Leigh Steinberg Tu 8/19 Jerry O'Connell with Jennifer Love Hewitt We 8/20 Jerry O'Connell with Steve Oedekerk Th 8/21 Jerry O'Connell with D.B. Sweeney CHARLIE ROSE, PBS Tu 8/19 Gen. Colin L. Powell (R 6/23/97) We 8/20 Terry Sanford Th 8/21 Mirage Resorts chairman Steve Wynn (R 5/20/97) Fr 8/22 Ted Forstmann (R 6/20/97) Mo 8/25 Liam Neeson (R 1/22/97) Tu 8/26 Clint Eastwood (R 11/15/96) We 8/27 Winona Ryder (R 2/03/97; includes 15 minutes of previously unseen footage) Th 8/28 Tim Allen, Roseanne (R 11/21/96) Fr 8/29 Garry Wills (R 3/07/97) Mo 9/1 Don Imus (R 4/09/97) Tu 9/2 Maya Angelou; U.S. Open With Pancho Segura We 9/3 Aerosmith (tentative); Charles S. Dutton Th 9/4 Michael Douglas Fr 9/5 F. Murray Abraham & Bruce Davison POLITICALLY INCORRECT WITH BILL MAHER, ABC Tu 8/19 Rep. Joe Scarborough, Paul Rodriguez, Dee Dee Myers, Rick Schroder We 8/20 Rep. Barney Frank, Lisa Schiffren, Beth Lapides Th 8/21 Rep. Maxine Waters, Norm Crosby Fr 8/22 Dr. Drew Pinsky, Nely Galan, Dave Higgins VIBE, syndicated Tu 8/19 Elise Neal, Joe We 8/20 Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jennifer Grey, Laurnea Th 8/21 Theresa Randle, Eric Benet Fr 8/22 Snoop Doggy Dogg SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST, Cartoon Network Fr 8/22 Ice, Tower (American Gladiators), and the "lost pilot" of a competing program starring Spacey's rival Birdman Fr 8/29 Jimmy Cliff, Jack Logan HOWARD STERN, E! Tu 8/19 Jasmine St. Claire, Pt. 2, Smelly James/Comedy Doctor We 8/20 Jasmine St. Claire, Pt. 3, Stut. John w/Richard Simmons Th 8/21 The Urine Drinker, Cyndi Lauper, Pt. 1 Fr 8/22 The Jesus Twins Perform, Cyndi Lauper, Pt. 2 Sa 8/23 Nude Sunbather, Michael Buffer and Girlfriend THE DAILY SHOW, Comedy Central didn't update their guest list (again). Also on late nights: NIGHTLINE and WORLD NEWS NOW, ABC CHARLES GRODIN, CNBC CARSON'S COMEDY CLASSICS, Family Channel 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 DIE HARALD SCHMIDT SHOW, SAT.1 (returns August 28) KEENEN IVORY WAYANS, Syndicated Entire contents Copyright 1997 by Aaron Barnhart. All rights reserved. Distributed by e-mail and BBS to over 10,000 readers weekly. 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