LATE SHOW NEWS #219 September 15 and 22, 1998 posted Sept. 19 by Aaron Barnhart To join or leave the LATE-SHOW-NEWS mailing list, see instructions at end of message. (Advertisement) "I just got your BARNHART'S UNAUTHORIZED TV '98 today. It looks great! And it's got a ton of information that'll come in handy on the nights ahead." -- Ron Casalotti "Enjoyed it enormously ... you did a terrific job with the layout, included just enough info on the small stuff (MSNBC, etc.), and I love the little boxes of info interspersed throughout the text. Kudos!" -- Paul Harris "I like the solid info, the insights and the conversational tone." -- Bill Partsch "It has a great sense of style. I love the nostalgic noir vibe/energy. I think you have a winner!" -- Derrick Milligan The reviews are beginning to trickle in from ambitious readers who tore the wrapper off their copy of BARNHART'S UNAUTHORIZED TV '98 as soon as it arrived in their mailboxes this weekend. I'm glad to see people are as enthustiastic about reading B.U.T.V. '98 as I was in writing and publishing it. And why not? There's none of that patronizing celebrity ogling in B.U.T.V. No photo spreads of those fresh-faced "Dawson's Creek" nitwits in this description-packed 112-page guide to the 1998-99 TV season. Instead, I cut to the chase: what the show's about, why it's on the air and whether it's even worth exerting your clicker muscle to sample. Judging from the early reviews, LATE SHOW NEWS readers are enjoying the chase. I think you will too. If you haven't ordered yet, head on over to the Web site for BARNHART'S UNAUTHORIZED TV '98 at http://lateshownews.com There's a 15-page sampler of the book in Acrobat format ready for downloading there. You can order the book from the Web site using a secure server. The price is $9.95 and that includes shipping by first-class mail. It'll go out immediately after Kagi processes your order. Kagi accepts Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover and Diners Card. (Add $5 if outside the U.S., Canada or Mexico.) Don't worry, I'll give you your money back if you don't like it. It's also a good way to support LATE SHOW NEWS, if you feel so inclined. You may also order order a copy by mailing $9.95 in U.S. funds made payable to Aaron Barnhart to P.O. Box 36331, Kansas City, MO 64171. Just bear in mind it'll take a little longer to process your order than with Kagi. *** I should've figured I was in trouble when I began writing this issue of LATE SHOW NEWS in the back of a taxicab going through the Lincoln Tunnel on Wednesday. (Remind me never again to plan a trip on the eve of the fall TV season when I've got a book to promote on the side.) By the time Thursday rolled around, and I was chasing around Manhattan trying to do three things at once -- a strategy, you might be interested to learn, that results in two of the three tasks not getting done -- then I knew I was licked. And that's why you're reading an improvised two-week edition of LSN. Just a reminder for those of you who are thinking of writing in to ask that I get my act together with regard to guest lineups: Sue Trowbridge's lineups page is always up to date and always on-line at http://www.interbridge.com. Now how can you forget a URL like that? I'll be posting my upcoming calendar of appearances here, in person and on radio, related to B.U.T.V. '98. Unfortunately, you didn't find out in time about my reading at Echo's monthly "Read Only" event at KGB in lower Manhattan. That happened on Thursday. Fear not; if you have RealPlayer you'll be able to hear my voice at least one of these nights. The current lineup: Oct. 1: WIBW, Topeka (580 AM), 8-9 a.m. Oct. 2: Prospero's Books, Kansas City, time TBA Oct. 8: KUSF, San Francisco, details TBA Oct. 15: WGN, Chicago (720 AM and netcasting 24/7 at http://www.wgnradio.com), 9-11 p.m. on "Extension 720." This could move to Oct. 14. *** Surprise surprise surprise, "Late Show with David Letterman" is your Emmy winner for best variety etc. show, beating out Jay Leno and -- much to his chagrin, I'm told -- Bill Maher. The winning episode aired on the final Friday of the Nagano Games and included a Sumo wrestler Top Ten and ski jumping on 53rd Street with Jonny Mosely. It's certainly debatable whether anyone who has been doing the same TV show for more than 16 years really needs any validation of this sort. But for better or probably worse, the Emmys have become a sort of yearly argument-settler between Leno and Letterman -- "may the better man win" and all that. Last year, of course, neither man won as the honor went instead to that rarest breed of late-night host, the female kind (Tracey Ullman). But Leno plainly relished his win in 1996 and no doubt rued his loss in '98. Were the Emmy voters seeking to validate Dave after three years of ratings decline that has taken him from desperation to despair to feigned indifference? Maybe. Were they taking part in that time-honored tradition of propping up the old guard in steadfast ignorance of the category's newer and possibly more deserving entrants? Sure, why not. (But hang in there, Bill -- if "Tracey Takes On" and "The Practice" can pull off upsets, so can "Politically Incorrect.") But the real question on viewers' minds was: Where was Johnny? The Emmys telecast a tribute to the king of late night, who's been retired, incredible as it may seem, nearly six and a half years. Carson knew of the tribute, since he had to lend permission to the clip from Bette Midler's 1992 swansong to him. But according to Variety, Carson was asked to attend, and as with all the other offers to return to TV that have been sent his way since he left the spotlight, Carson graciously declined. *** Al Franken has enlisted Conan O'Brien to supply the story line for an upcoming episode of "Lateline," the office comedy that's getting another mid-year run on NBC this season. It's a coup for Franken since, as O'Brien told LATE SHOW NEWS late Thursday, he doesn't lend his little late night show to just any sitcom. But it helped that former Letterman head writer Steve O'Donnell was behind the episode. (O'Brien and I chatted after "Lateline's" visit to Studio 6A to film the portions of the episode that take place on the "Late Night" set.) Here's the approximate storyline: Pompous "Lateline" anchor Pearce McKenzie (Robert Foxworth) agrees to take part in a taped bit to be used on "Late Night." The bit goes so well that Pearce appears on another broadcast, and then another, getting progressively sillier each time. When he finally realizes he might be harming his credibility, Pearce rudely calls an end to the proceedings, whereupon he's mocked in a "Clutch Cargo" piece. Et cetera. "Lateline" looks to be headed for a release in January; at least that's what Franken told me he's hoping for because he thinks he'll get a better time placement than if he were brought in following the unexpected collapse of, oh, maybe "Working." (My show selection, not Al's.) Which means the O'Brien episode won't air till late winter, which is fine with Conan. "I've had enough press for now," said the recent multiple cover boy. For those of you wondering how Wednesday's sensational prime time fifth-anniversary "Late Night" special performed in the ratings, I haven't seen numbers, but O'Brien said they were right about where NBC's crack research staff projected they'd be. Which means we likely haven't seen the last of "Late Night" in not-so-late-night. *** It was a tale of two audiences this week as I sat in on tapings of "The Daily Show" on Wednesday and "The Chris Rock Show" on Friday. In two years the audience component of "The Daily Show" has grown from zilch to a few chairs to carpeted benches for 60 to a full-fledged set of bleachers, seating in excess of 100 spectators at the show's new studio on West 54th Street. And yet size isn't everything. Wednesday's taping, those on hand to witness it agreed, played to an eerily quiet crowd. Even those seen convulsed with laughter during the broadcast -- a very funny show despite minimal references to the Monica Lewinsky matter -- convulsed *quietly.* By contrast, being in the audience at a taping of "The Chris Rock Show" was like, I don't know, going to church. Or a "Rikki Lake" taping. Maybe this is how they got the crowd fired up for the Arsenio show way back when. At any rate, I wasn't expecting so much volume. And I didn't expect the woman behind me to chide me out of my chair when everyone else was on their feet dancing. Shows you how many white-boy tapings I've sat in on. The warmup guy's tactics weren't exceptional: dividing the room into three portions and having them compete against each other, shades of "Tattle Tales," to see which was the loudest. But it was the right crowd, full of Brooklyners, and everybody but me, it seemed, knew the lyrics to the standard the show's music director, Grandmaster Flash, spun during the warmup. They tape "The Chris Rock Show" at the ancient Unitel facility at 55th and 9th, former home to Gordon Elliott's daytime talker. There's also an unannounced Thursday-night dress rehearsal, which the show's executive in charge of production (and LSN reader) John Fisher said was peopled largely by fans of the show. They know there won't be any band performance or interviews, just sketches and Rock's practice monologue, yet they come anyway. Do they get a full house on Thursdays, too? Absolutely, said Fisher, and usually it's the more enthusiastic of the two audiences. I seriously doubt whether that rule held this week. *** Conan O'Brien and Harry Shearer author the only two pieces worth reading in Sunday's (the 20th) poorly conceived, disgracefully executed, suck-yer-thumb-till-it-bleeds New York Times Magazine special issue on the present and future state of television. Much as I would like back that hour and a half of my life, I will content myself knowing I saved all of you the trouble of reading this peesacrap cover to cover like I did. You're welcome. (The low point, easily, was the our-tongue-is-in-our-cheek photo spread pushing the NBC-approved notion that Brooke Shields is a memorable comic actress.) O'Brien contributes a riotous TV show parody and Shearer writes about Skip E. Lowe's classic cable-access show in Hollywood, which for the 98 percent of you who've never seen it is like the old "Tomorrow Show" if it had featured C-grade celebrities and been hosted by a nostalgia buff instead of an actual broadcaster ... Oh, so *now* he's sorry: In an interview subsequent to one in which he blamed black entertainers not named Earvin Johnson for the failure of "The Magic Hour," Earvin Johnson finally admitted the real reason his show tanked had to do with Earvin Johnson. "I knew I was out of my element," he told Jay Leno during a "Tonight Show" interview Sept. 9. "I gave it a shot, but it didn't happen, so you just move on" ... "Open Mike with Mike Bullard" is moving to new digs this month when it launches its new, 40-week full season on Canada's Comedy Network and CTV. The fast-thinking funnyman will operate out of the Masonic Temple in Toronto, bought and rehabbed for him by Comedy (thanks David B. Feland for grabbing the info from http://www.open-mike.com/) ... Reader Bob Mackin clarifies the situation with Howard Stern being left off CHUM's CityTV in Toronto (see LSN #217): "CHUM owns CHOM-FM in Montreal. Stern is carried in Toronto by Q107-FM, owned by a different broadcaster. Both radio stations had their wrists slapped by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council last spring after listener complaints, mainly about Stern's unflattering comments about French-Canadians. The CBSC is an industry-financed watchdog with little regulatory power. The power lies with the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission. Many in the industry see the CBSC and CRTC as 'kissing cousins.' Basically, CityTV management wanted to avoid being censured by the CRTC." Got it. At least I think I've got it ... NBC is blowing out Saturday night to pave the way for the fall premier of "Saturday Night Live" next week. A two-hour primetime "SNL" special, "The Bad Boys of 'Saturday Night Live,'" featuring the best of David Spade, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Rob Schneider, airs Sept. 26 at 9 p.m. Eastern, followed by the premier at 11:30. The prime-timer is hosted by "Roxbury Guys" Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan ... Geof O'Keefe watched the miserable season premiere of "MAD TV" and along with other fans of the show is wondering: What happened to Nicole Sullivan? "She was just on Leno in the past two weeks promoting the show. Yet, the new intro credits didn't list her name. Maybe you can shed some light." Well, maybe if I weren't composing this thing at 1:20 on a Sunday morning ... Hey, here's a deal: FAIR, the progressive press watchdog group -- their bimonthly magazine Extra! makes Brill's Content seem like Reader's Digest -- is offering a videotape of the Rob Smigel video that "SNL" deleted this summer when it re-aired the broadcast on which the toon originally appeared. (See LSN #207.) Call 1-800-847-3993 to subscribe and mention the "SNL" offer. An aside here: Can you think of a more appropriate time to rewind Smigel's scathing comment on the ownership of media giants by an ever-shrinking band of corporations? There are more televised sources of news and information than ever. So why is it that not one of these outlets hasn't figured out how to break free of that Harlequin Romance-quality story in Washington? Are any of the media giants reading their research? Do they know, for instance, that African-Americans are turning away from this story in droves? Or is variety now the hobgoblin of newsmagazine competition? Conspiracy rock, indeed ... "World News Now" ex-anchors do battle in mornings to see which show can stay out of Nielsen's basement. Fast-dropping "Good Morning America," which has apparently forgotten that it became the No. 1 morning show 20 years ago by trying *not* to emulate the "Today" show, features former "WNN" anchors Lisa McRee and Kevin Newman. Now they're opposed on CBS by Thalia Assuras, the longest-lasting "WNN" anchor (and one of the most endearing as well), who joins Jane Robelot during the first hour of "CBS This Morning." Assuras will also do the early-early news on CBS ... And fabulous news for Houston viewers of "Late Night with Conan O'Brien": The NBC affiliate there has moved up the show's start time from 2:40 a.m. ... to 2:10 a.m. *** Do I have great readers or what? Markley Morris writes, "The reader who wrote, 'I thought it sucked Monday night when Letterman came out and re-buried the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. Jesus Christ, it's OVER!! Not funny anymore...' misunderstands Dave. Continuing to do a bit after it ceases to be funny is at the heart of his comedy. And he makes it work. It's annoying but it's funny and the more he does it the funnier it gets. Even if it wasn't funny to begin with, such as 'Don't Call Me Chief'" ... J. Slotek lives up north, as does a solid 10 percent of my readership, and writes, "I really enjoyed watching Dennis Miller receive his fourth consecutive Emmy award on Sunday night. I suppose I would have enjoyed it much more had I actually ever SEEN his show. When will some station in Canada clue in on shows like Miller's or 'Space Ghost Coast to Coast' that we in Canada can only hear about through reputation? I think the Canadian Comedy Network is too preoccupied with showing every minute of every 'Just for Laughs' festival EVER to care about quality programs and as for TMN (Canada's HBO), well, they're too excited about yet another wonderful season of 'Arli$$' to worry about trivial things like shows that continually win meaningless things like awards. WAKE UP, CANADIAN TV WEENIES!" ... Zen writes, "The media is savagely attacking Howard Stern. Personally, I think he deserves it because he had an opportunity to really go after 'SNL' and he dropped the ball by re-hashing his radio show. It's a veiled attempt to make more money. If Howard wants to regain my attention, dedicate 25 minutes to a weekly re-hash, 25 minutes to an original show. Howard says that if he does an original show he'll lose all of his free time. That's BS. Howard worked the same hours when he did the Channel 9 show, and that was a full hour of original comedy. And who says it has to be Howard doing all of the work? Let Pat Cooper come on and do 5-7 minutes of standup. Or anyone else do 5-7 minutes of standup. Have song parody music videos. More live acts. Remember, Howard technically 'broke' Sugar Ray -- why not other bands? Then again, I'm just a college senior and Howard is the king of all media. Hail to the king ... but he better watch out for the angry hordes ready to storm the castle." *** Tom Heald's THIS NIGHT IN HISTORY We 9/16: In 1991, the late night game show "Personals" debuts on CBS with host Michael Bergen. A bargain-basement rip-off of the popular "Studs," "Personals" gets by for a little over a season solely on its goofy charm. In the final round of the game, contestants must earn their vacation or wind up with the show's gag prize, a limo ride for a date at Pink's Hot Dog Stand on La Brea. Th 9/17: In 1951, Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira, is born. You don't get much later at night than Peterson as former L.A. midnight movie schlock hostess, who in this week's tabloids claims that Tom Jones "stole" her virginity. Fr 9/18: In 1984, movie comedian actor Gene Wilder weds "Saturday Night Live" alumni Gilda Radner. Sa 9/19: In 1994, "Late Show With David Letterman" presents its annual list dealing with the Miss America Pageant, the "Top Ten Signs You're Not Going to Win the Miss America Contest" (6. After your musical number, Regis turns to Kathie Lee and says, "Wow, that really sucked!"). Meanwhile, "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" sends Andy Richter to report from the pageant. Su 9/20: In 1996, "Late Show With David Letterman" airs on CBS commercial-free, forcing the host to work 60 minutes straight without a break, but viewers were treated to 33% more Dave during the hour. The gimmick works and the "Late Show" beats Leno for the first time in almost a year. Mo 9/21: In 1950, Bill Murray is born. Last seen in the movie "Wild Things," Murray's next film is the drama "The Cradle Will Rock," directed by Tim Robbins. Tu 9/22: In 1989, "Late Show with David Letterman" presents one of its truly legendary Top Ten lists, the "Top Ten Numbers Between One and Ten: 10. Seven / 9. Four / 8. Ten / 7. Three / 6. Eight and a half / 5. Nine / 4. Two / 3. One / 2. Eight / 1. Five & Six (tie) [Thanks to David Tanny. Special thanks to Donz5, he had style, he had flair, he was there, but still didn't win an Emmy.] Visit Tom Heald's New and Improved This Night In History Bookstore at THE LINEUPS with Sue Trowbridge (http://www.interbridge.com/) LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS Mo 9/21 Michael J. Fox, Evander Holyfield, the Dixie Chicks Tu 9/22 Jennifer Lopez, Lyle Lovett We 9/23 Stupid Pet Tricks, Kevin James Th 9/24 Howard Stern, Katie Holmes (*** PICK TO CLICK ***) Fr 9/25 Jon Stewart, Jean Reno, Rob Zombie Mo 9/28 Fran Drescher, Chris Kattan, Elvis Costello and Burt Bacharach (*** PICK TO AVOID AT ALL COSTS ***) Tu 9/29 Faith Ford THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, NBC Mo 9/21 Tim Allen, Christina Applegate, Patti LaBelle Tu 9/22 Jenna Elfman, John Waters, Professor of Physics David Willey We 9/23 Noah Wyle, Julie Scardina and Sea World animals, Miss America Th 9/24 Pamela Lee, Stephen King, Natalie Merchant Fr 9/25 Sarah Michelle Gellar, Oliver Platt, Chris Isaak Mo 9/28 Robin Williams, Martha Stewart Tu 9/29 Ryan Leaf We 9/30 Kirstie Alley, Emeril Lagasse, Liz Phair Th 10/1 Gina Gershon, Mark Vanderloo LATE LATE SHOW WITH TOM SNYDER, CBS Mo 9/21 George Segal, attorney Gladstone Jones Tu 9/22 Donny Osmond We 9/23 Dr. Laura Schlesinger, Waylon Jennings Th 9/24 Dee Dee Myers, Camryn Manheim Fr 9/25 Nathan Lane Mo 9/28 Laura San Giacomo Tu 9/29 Susan Sullivan LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC Mo 9/21 Chris Elliott, Larry Holmes, Joey Green (R 7/17/98) Tu 9/22 Pamela Anderson Lee, Ken Olin, Bonnie Raitt We 9/23 Martin Sheen, Local H Th 9/24 Denis Leary, Judge Judy, Jimeoin Fr 9/25 Janeane Garofalo, John Waters Mo 9/28 Rerun TBA Tu 9/29 Fran Drescher We 9/30 David Spade, Billy Bragg & Wilco Th 10/1 TBA Fr 10/2 Squirrel Nut Zippers LATER, NBC Mo 9/21 Greg Kinnear with David Hyde Pierce (R 9/19/96) Tu 9/22 Jeff Cesario with Peri Gilpin (R 4/16/96) We 9/23 Peri Gilpin with Jane Leeves (R 2/11/98) Th 9/24 Peri Gilpin with Kelsey Grammer (R 2/10/98) CHARLIE ROSE, PBS Please note that Charlie Rose listings are very tentative Mo 9/21 L.A. Mayor Richard Riordan, Sidney Sheldon POLITICALLY INCORRECT WITH BILL MAHER, ABC Mo 9/21 Robert Townsend, Joe Queenan, Aaron Sorkin, Kim Alexis Tu 9/22 Sheryl Lee Ralph, Thomas Gibson, Janet Parshall, Waylon Jennings We 9/23 Judd Nelson, Rev. Al Sharpton, Sue Costello, Amy Holmes Th 9/24 Sandra Bernhard, Billy Bragg, Jonah Goldberg, John Frankenheimer Fr 9/25 George Hamilton, Catherine Bell HOWARD STERN, E! shows are listed in the order of 11 p.m., 11:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. ET lineups not available Remember, Howard's weekend "Power Hour" has moved to Sunday. THE DAILY SHOW, Comedy Central Mo 9/14 Renee Hicks Tu 9/15 Dr. Ruth We 9/16 Ben Stiller Th 9/17 Vince Vaughn Mo 9/21 Jackie Chan Tu 9/22 Bonnie Raitt We 9/23 Denis Leary Th 9/24 Janeane Garofalo SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, Comedy Central (repeats) Mo 9/14 Matthew Broderick / Sugar Cubes (11 AM & Midnight); George Carlin / Frankie Goes To Hollywood (3 PM) Tu 9/15 John Malkovich / Anita Baker (11 AM & Midnight); Ed Asner / The Kinks (3 PM) We 9/16 Tony Danza / John Hiatt (11 AM & Midnight); Ed Begley, Jr. / Billy Squier (3 PM) Th 9/17 Ted Danson / Luther Vandross (11 AM & Midnight); Ringo Starr / Herbie Hancock (3 PM) Fr 9/18 Leslie Nielsen / The Cowboy Junkies (11 AM & Midnight); Eddie Murphy / Robert Plant (3 PM) Sa 9/19 Kathleen Turner / John Waite (11 AM) Su 9/20 Roy Scheider / Billy Ocean / Steven Wright (11 AM) Mo 9/21 Glenn Close / The Gipsy Kings (11 AM & Midnight); Alex Karras / Tina Turner (3 PM) Tu 9/22 Mary Tyler Moore / Elvis Costello (11 AM & Midnight); Harry Anderson / Bryan Adams (3 PM) We 9/23 Mel Gibson / Living Colour (11 AM & Midnight); Pamela Sue Martin / Power Station (3 PM) Th 9/24 Dolly Parton (11 AM & Midnight); Billy Crystal / Saturday Night Live Film Fest (3 PM) Fr 9/25 Geena Davis / John Cougar Mellencamp (11 AM & Midnight); Christopher Reeve / Santana / Steven Wright (3 PM) Sa 9/26 Howard Cosell / Greg Kihn /Fernando with "Howard Cosell" (11 AM) Su 9/27 Madonna / Simple Minds / Penn and Teller (11 AM) Mo 9/28 Wayne Gretzky / Fine Young Cannibals (11 AM & Midnight); Chevy Chase / Sheila E. (3 PM) Tu 9/29 Steve Martin / Tom Petty (11 AM & Midnight); Pee-Wee Herman / Queen Ida (3 PM) THE CHRIS ROCK SHOW, HBO Fr 9/18 Rosie Perez, Esthero LOVELINE, MTV Mo 9/15 Veronica Webb Tu 9/16 Gilbert Gottfried We 9/17 Ben Stein & Jimmy Kimmel *** PICK TO CLICK *** Fr 9/19 Chris Penn Sa 9/20 Dandy Warhols Su 9/21 Kelly Packard Also on late nights: NIGHTLINE and WORLD NEWS NOW, ABC THE HOWARD STERN RADIO SHOW, CBS and syndicated UP TO THE MINUTE, CBS NIGHTSIDE and LATER, NBC (going away soon) DIE HARALD SCHMIDT SHOW, SAT.1 Entire contents Copyright 1998 by Aaron Barnhart. All rights reserved. LATE SHOW NEWS is made possible with the generous assistance of ECHO, New York City's premiere online service. http://www.echonyc.com Send news for and comments about this newsletter to aaron@tvbarn.com