LATE SHOW NEWS #229 December 29, 1998 published Dec. 30 by Aaron Barnhart To join or leave the LATE-SHOW-NEWS mailing list, see instructions at end of message. "Dear Aaron: "It has been more than 43 years since my first radio broadcast on a small radio station in my hometown of Milwaukee, and more than 30 since I first stepped in front of a television camera as a news reporter in Atlanta. And as you may know, I plan to leave the daily battlefield of five-nights-a-week broadcasting by stepping down as host of 'The Late Late Show' in March. "Although many things have changed for me through the years, one thing has remained consistent -- I have always enjoyed, and appreciate, extraordinary goodwill from those of you who write about television professionally. As you well know, people on my side of the camera are prone to complaining incessantly about the press. Either they are wrong or I am an exception; through the years, I honestly believe that your fairness, perceptiveness, consideration and constructive criticism have helped me a great deal. "And so I ask you one more indulgence. "Several people have begun inquiring about interviews or appearances in advance of my handing over the reins of 'The Late Late Show.' I would prefer, instead, to say goodbye in my own way -- speaking on the air and directly to the audiences who have been so generous to me, who have invited me into their homes virtually every night for several decades. "Again, please accept this note as thanks for all the kindnesses that you and your colleagues have shown to me through the years. I wish you the happiest of holidays and the best of things in the coming year. "Sincerely, Tom Snyder" Well. Perhaps I am not taking this letter in the spirit in which it was intended, but if I read it correctly T.S. has decided there really is no distinction between members of "the press" who questioned his CBS assignment from day one and those who defended it, between those who tried shamelessly to mount a whispering campaign against Snyder -- quoting "network sources" that said he was "skewing old" and a poor fit with the Letterman show -- and those in the press who pointed out, as LATE SHOW NEWS did more than once, that these grumps were pointing fingers at the wrong man, that Tom was doing the show he's always done as well as he's always done and that he was being made the scapegoat for Letterman's post-second-season plunge in the ratings. If I'm sounding churlish, it's because I know that TV publicity is oftentimes a bank where members deposit goodwill and withdraw favors. Favorably-disposed journalists get access (as do those who work for the top media outlets), while those that make too many withdrawals on credit are eventually frozen out. NBC hasn't been returning phone calls from the New York Observer for months because of its coverage of various network matters. Obviously the Peacock needs to lighten up. And I'm certainly not saying that puff pieces are a quid pro quo for preferred treatment. But the tone of this letter galls me. It seems to say, "Look, guys, don't ruin my sendoff" -- like we would. Snyder of all people knows who in "the press" would be likely to rain on his parade and who wouldn't. Present company included. Instead, he's decided it would be best if all of us were frozen out. The Post, the trades, LATE SHOW NEWS -- ciao. If that's the way he wants it, fine. In fact, allow me to reciprocate: We have just written our last Tom Snyder item. *** LATE SHOW NEWS has previewed the very funny Conan O'Brien episode of "Lateline," the Al Franken-John Markus sitcom based at a "Nightline"-like program, which returns to NBC next week. In it, "Lateline" anchor Pearce McKenzie (Robert Foxworth) agrees to do a taped bit for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" in which he interrupts Conan's show to do a wacky news bit, very much like those special reports with "Alan Richardson" that used to be a staple of the Letterman show. What's so satisfying about the episode -- and "Lateline" in general -- is the story writers' attention to detail. O'Brien and sidekick Andy Richter are kept faithful to their "real" personalities, which is to say their on-air comedic personalities. We even get to see Richter sport his "nude suit" (a la the steam-bath hoax sketch where Andy is tricked into walking onto the "Today" show set in the buff). And when Pearce gets his comeuppance at the end of the show, it involves two classic Conan devices I won't give away here. Also in the episode, Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford appear on the set of their daytime show, chatting about Pearce's appearance on Conan the night before. William F. Buckley Jr. pops up as a "Lateline" guest and gets to deliver a punchline at Andy's expense. Robert Smigel makes a very special appearance. And for you "Late Shift" fans, Bob (I'm not Warren Littlefield, I just play him on TV) Balaban cameos as an egghead guest on "Lateline," the show within "Lateline." "Lateline" is returning to NBC next Wednesday, Jan. 6, at 9 p.m. Eastern. No word on when the Conan episode is expected to air. As long as I am quoting my form correspondence, I thought you'd get a kick out of the letter the producers enclosed with the preview tape sent to TV critics. It has that faintly insulting Frankenesque tone that I find hilarious but I know drives others nuts. The letter reads, "Hello. How are you? We hope you've had a good eight months since were last on the air. A lot has happened in that time. The media has been obsessed with a Presidential affair, Mark McGwire hit 70 home runs and the president of our network was replaced. "We ourselves have been busy filling our mid-season order of 13 new episodes. Though we were passed over for the NBC fall schedule in favor of other shows, we did not allow ourselves to descend into the sort of self-righteous bitterness indulged in by lesser television producers. Instead, we kept our eyes on the prize and put all our considerable energies into making entertaining and sometimes thought-provoking television." Don't know about the thought-provoking part, but I had a ball with the two new eps I watched. (The second, which involves Al going to jail to protect a source, is even funnier than the Conan one.) Do yourself a favor -- put aside all your petty grievances against Franken for whatever he did to you during those years on "SNL" and watch this smart and surprisingly un-NBC-like sitcom, "Lateline." *** If I were ever to construct a LATE SHOW NEWS Wall of Champions, Alec Baldwin would be right up there on it for his raconteurship and his ability to panel intelligently, and with humor, on real-world issues. He's also got a reckless quality -- exemplified by his Letterman appearance of four years ago when he accompanied two audience members on a bumpy snowmobile ride -- and you sometimes wonder if he'll sail past the line of decorum or even good taste. Sure enough, earlier this month, during a "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" appearance, Baldwin went off the map in denouncing the Republicans' pursuit of President Clinton. "I am thinking to myself, in other countries they are laughing at us 24 hours a day," Baldwin said. "And I'm thinking to myself, if we were in other countries, we would all, right now, all of us together, all of us together would go down to Washington and we would stone Henry Hyde to death." At this point the studio audience went bananas, prompting Baldwin to yell, "Wait! Shut up! Shut up! No, shut up! I'm not finished. We would stone Henry Hyde to death and we would go to their homes and we'd kill their wives and their children. We would kill their families." The appearance drew angry responses from Hyde and other GOP (for "get our president") types. Later, as the New York Post put it, "Baldwin's camp said the angered parties were stiffs. 'They ought to lighten up, it's a comedy show,' said a rep for the chubby Clintonista." *** Here is the year-end count of quotations that each late show landed in the Entertainment Weekly "Sound Bites" section in 1998, as compiled by Tom Heald: "Late Show with David Letterman ... 28 "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" ... 26 "The Daily Show" ... 21 "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" ... 15 "Saturday Night Live's" Colin Quinn ... 12 "Dennis Miller Live" ... 6 "Politically Incorrect" ... 5 "The Chris Rock Show" ... 5 "The Late Late Show With Tom Snyder" ... 2 *** The Kiwanis sent me a darling picture of Letterman's mom Dorothy in her kitchen, decked out in a blue apron with the Kiwanis logo on it. The Hoosier State service organization is promoting her appearance Friday on its float in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena. Dorothy's book, "Home Cookin' with Dave's Mom," which she's promoted pretty much nonstop since it came out two years ago, has raised more than $150,000 for the Kiwanis in their fight against mental retardation ... Turns out those repeats of "SCTV" are going to air through January on NBC overnights. "Later" will return Feb. 1 ... Harrison Wyman heard this anchor banter recently on the late newscast of CBS affiliate WUSA-TV in Washington, D.C.: Andrea Roane (news anchor): "Who's on Dave tonight?" Frank Herzog (sportscaster): "John Travolta -- and he may be naked!" *** We of the Barnhart household were broadsided this holiday season by the sudden demise of one of God's most perfect creatures ever, our German shepherd mix, Kaila. She had been, for more than 13 years, a protector, companion and comforter to Diane, her two children, and later to me. Kaila had an extra measure of that extraordinary compassion dogs have for anyone who is in tears. Maybe that's because, as a puppy, she had experienced that compassion first hand, having been thrown in Lake Michigan with the rest of her litter, only to be rescued from drowning by an alert Costa Rican graduate student. That woman trained Kaila and loved her dearly, but was forced to give her up a year later when she returned to her native country. That's when Kaila became part of the family I eventually married into. In recent months her energy seemed to fluctuate from day to day. What we realized only much later was that this was Kaila's attempt at hiding her pain from us -- slowing her steps in the hope that we would not notice. When she could bear it no longer, she surrendered. The end came quickly, hastened by her refusal to eat or drink. In a final, heartbreaking gesture, she started to turn that familiar, soul-searching gaze away from those she loved. On Monday, the four of us cradled her on the veterinarian's table as she was put to sleep. She swooned, suddenly and gracefully, into our arms. It was, and this is the only way I can describe it, a holy moment, the "sweet release of death" in its sincerest form, a tragic goodbye to a being who had known from birth what it was like to love unconditionally. Kaila's death was also a surprisingly poignant reminder to me of the value of a life well lived, completely and without regrets. I am not the first dog owner to have recalled that beautiful passage from Scripture: "Well done, good and faithful servant." *** Reader mail: Actually, this one comes from another publication's reader, one Mark Mongandahl of New York City, in a letter that appeared recently in The New York Observer: "The media, especially television, not only condones but virtually promotes disdain and mockery of homosexuality. Turn to a show hosted by David Letterman, Howard Stern or Jay Leno, or 'Saturday Night Live,' and count the number of jokes and smirks that censors permit at the expense of gays and lesbians. If a skit or interview even hints at same-sex attraction or caring, a snide remark or joke is made to affirm the speaker's heterosexual status. ... If homosexuality is promoted and perceived as negative then it stands to reason that people will try to 'kill' it." Paging Alec Baldwin ... Bob Martin writes, "Bonnie Hunt is one of the best guests on TV. Yet Letterman has not had her on in forever. Snyder had her on a lonnnnng time ago. I don't recall ever seeing her on Leno. Every week I scour LSN to see if she will be a guest. What I would like to know is what's Bonnie Hunt doing. Where could a guy see an interview or comedy bit with her. Would you expect her to show up on Letterman, Snyder, Leno or some other gig in the near future?" I dunno, Bob. You'd have to call her mother. Heck, she's probably *at* her mother's ... And while we're onto reader inquiries, Philip Mo was the first to respond to the complaint, aired here last issue, that rappers weren't being featured by late-night talk shows. Philip writes, "Puff Daddy has been on Letterman twice. In the first appearance, he performed his hit, 'I'll be Missing You' along with 112 and Faith Evans. The second time, he was presenting #8 on the Top 10 list in David Letterman's 5th anniversary special." A behind-the-scenes friend wrote to inform me that according to research she's seen, ratings go down when hip-hop acts appear on the late-night shows. Of course, that's no different than when most musical acts appear on late-night shows, which is why they're appearing less often these days ... Andrew Solmssen writes, "Did my eyes deceive me or did Dave do a 15+ minute segment with Barbara Walters? Were there heart attacks among production staff? Frantic waving that caused producers to lift slowly off the ground? Whatever happened, it was a definite highlight -- great, intelligent, and funny" ... Jeff Robbins is annoyed that NBC is doing nothing to promote the special encore episodes of "SCTV" airing at 1:35 a.m. this month and next. "Even Conan O'Brien last night just said to stay tuned for 'Later' without indicating the SCTV material," writes Jeff. "Although I'm happy for the SCTV exposure, it's a shame that NBC is airing the eighties butchered syndication episodes. I hear that the estate of John Candy and various music rights are holding up any possible home video release, but I feel NBC is sitting on a potentially nice profit in home video sales" ... I wasn't the only one mystified by Adam Buckman's New York Post column heralding Letterman and Leno as "better" than Carson. Our pal Damone writes, "What in the hell is he smoking? Aside from the fact that Conan's on the air *cough*, things were much better in the Carson era than they are now. Carson did a 'Tonight Show' with wit and charm that could appeal to the entire spectrum of viewers without pandering to the middle, like Leno does. And let's not even talk about Letterman, who has mushed up his performance so much to try to be the new Carson that he's not even the old Letterman anymore. There was a big deal about Carson and a fight over his mantle for a reason. Both Letterman and Leno have aspired to it in their own ways, but neither has suceeded. To say that late night television is better now is to question whether you were watching it when Carson was around" ... Longtime reader Dave Schultheis writes, "I haven't seen any mention of what must be called the Anton-cam on 'Late Show.' It isn't used on every show, and when (director) Jerry Foley does use that shot, it's only held for a few seconds at most. Sometimes when other cameras show the horn section (etc.), I can see the Anton-cam in a small housing in front of him and to his left. Though this is not Earth-shaking news, as was the Monkey-cam, the Thrill-cam, and of course, the Shower Copier and Dave's reaction (Nov. 6, 1985), I think history demands that we at least mention it." And so we have. *** Tom Heald's THIS NIGHT IN HISTORY We 12/23: In 1943, Harry Shearer is born. A "Saturday Night Live" regular during the 1979-80 and 1984-5 seasons, Shearer is currently hard at work writing "Saturday Night Dead," a movie which he will also direct next year. He's also developing "Inside Out," a new computer animated series for HBO. Th 12/24: In 1948, for the first time ever, a midnight Mass is broadcast on television, from St. Patrick's Cathedral. Fr 12/25: In 1996, News takes a holiday, as "NBC News Nightside" hits the road for a two-day roadtrip to San Francisco, for interviews with Mayor Willie Brown and local skating hero Kristi Yamaguchi. And to think, you slept through it. Sa 12/26: In 1991, "Talk Soup" debuts on E!, bringing smirkmiester Greg Kinnear fame and eventually a decent paycheck. Su 12/27: In 1961, "The Steve Allen Show" last airs on ABC, allowing Allen time to write about 3,000 books before attempting another version. Mo 12/28: In 1994, "The Late Show with David Letterman's" Top Ten list is heckled by a talking Christmas tree. "The Top Ten Signs You're Sick of The Holidays - 6. You think you hear your Christmas tree taunting you." At this point the Christmas tree on the set says "Hey Letterman, you and Shaffer -- Dumb and Dumber. Ha ha ha ha!" Tu 12/29: In 1982, the always tactful David Letterman describes "Late Night with David Letterman" guest Nastassja Kinski's hair (done in a bizarre bun-like configuration) as "an owl perched on her head." Letterman sends the show to commercial by saying, "We'll be right back with the rinse and set." We 12/30: In 1983: David Letterman appears as a guest on "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" for the first time since his own show began. Th 12/31: In 1995, Andy Richter and the denizens of NBC's "Friday Night" usher in the New Year live from Times Square for NBC. Well, at least it wasn't pretaped months earlier like some other show ... Fr 1/1: In 1995, The professional, if occasionally inaccurate, "fan" guide "Dave's World: The Unofficial Guide to the Late Show With David Letterman" by Michael Cader is published. Sa 1/2: In 1990, an out-of-court settlement is reached in comic Richard Belzer's $5,000,000 suit against pro wrestler Hulk Hogan. On Belzer's Lifetime late-night talk show "Hot Properties," Hogan demonstrated a "choke hold" on "The Belz" who then passed out and banged his head on the floor, requiring 8 stitches. Su 1/3: In 1989, "The Arsenio Hall Show" debuts. Hall's secret to success? Doing everything right that Magic Johnson will later do wrong. Mo 1/4 : Depending on your source, in either 1963 or 1966, "Kid in the Hall" Dave Foley is born. Tu 1/5: In 1981, ABC's "Nightline" is extended from 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Ted Koppel's hair remains just as dorky. Thanks to David Tanny. Special thanks to Donz5, star of Fox television's "Alien Autopsy." Ring in the new year with a purchase from Heald's "This Night in History" Bookstore at . THE LINEUPS with Sue Trowbridge (http://www.interbridge.com/) LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN, CBS Mo 12/21 Barbara Walters, Josh Hartnett, Cyndi Lauper Tu 12/22 Maya Angelou, Jessye Norman We 12/23 John Travolta, John Witherspoon, Darlene Love Th 12/24 Preempted Fr 12/25 Quentin Tarantino, Anne Heche, Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band (R 12/26/97) Mo 12/28 Chazz Palminteri, Ann Curry Tu 12/29 James Woods, David Brenner, dance troupe The Second Hand We 12/30 Jay Thomas, Liam Aiken, Patti Smith Th 12/31 Stupid Human Tricks, Nathan Lane, the St. Luke's Bottle Band THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO, NBC Mo 12/21 Charlize Theron, Greg Kinnear, Brian Setzer Orchestra Tu 12/22 Robin Williams, Timothy "Speed" Levitch, Paulist Boys Choristers We 12/23 Roma Downey, The Rockettes Th 12/24 Preempted Fr 12/25 Teri Hatcher, Tyson Beckford, Dwight Yoakam (R 12/18/97) Mo 12/28 Julie Scardina and Sea World animals, Debra Messing, Barry Manilow Tu 12/29 Sumo wrestler Konishiki LATE LATE SHOW WITH TOM SNYDER, CBS Mo 12/21 Gloria Estefan, Mitch Albom (R 6/13/98) Tu 12/22 Ben Stiller, Joe Queenan (R 9/19/98) We 12/23 Milton Berle, L.A. school student Deonte Allen (R 7/10/98) Th 12/24 Preempted Fr 12/25 Angelina Jolie, scientist Donna Shirley (R 8/4/98) Mo 12/18 Grace Slick, Mary Stuart Masterson (R 9/16/98) Tu 12/29 Paul Rodriguez, Meredith Viera (R 4/28/98) We 12/30 Pam Grier, Dr. Dean Edell (R 1/14/98) Th 12/31 Dr. Laura Schlessinger (R 9/23/98) Fr 1/1 Reba McEntire, Marsha Kight (R 9/17/98) LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O'BRIEN, NBC Mo 12/21 Jay Mohr, Charles Dutton, Dom Irrera (R 8/20/97) Tu 12/22 Tom Brokaw, Caroline Rhea, Tony Bennett We 12/23 Barney Frank, Wanda Sykes-Hall Th 12/24 Preempted Fr 12/25 Rerun TBA Mo 12/28 Jay Mohr, Timothy Olyphant, Janine DiTullio (R 12/29/97) Tu 12/29 Camryn Manheim, Limp Bizkit We 12/30 Charles Grodin, Ozomatli Th 12/31 James Woods, Wayne Newton, Brian Kiley Fr 1/1 Colin Quinn, Thane Maynard, Southern Culture on the Skids LATER, NBC Reruns of "SCTV" airing through January THE DAILY SHOW, Comedy Central Mo 12/28 Deborah Norville (R) Tu 12/29 Jon Stewart (R) We 12/30 Richard Lewis (R) Th 12/31 preempted Mo 1/4 When Animals Go On TV (Brian Unger) (R) Tu 1/5 Weirder Than Whitney (A. Whitney Brown) (R) *** PICK TO CLICK *** We 1/6 Beth Littleford Interview Special (R) Th 1/7 Stephen Colbert Across America (Stephen Colbert) (R) Mo 1/11 "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" debuts CHARLIE ROSE, PBS We 12/30 Tom Stoppard (R 12/3/98) Th 12/31 Holly Hunter, Joan Allen, Ally Sheedy, Garry Shandling (R) Fr 1/1 TBA Mo 1/4 John Travolta POLITICALLY INCORRECT WITH BILL MAHER, ABC We 12/30 Pamela Anderson, Marilyn Manson, Cyndi Mosteller, Robert Reich Th 12/31 Preempted Fr 1/1 Charles Shaughnessy, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Adam Goldberg, Laura Ingraham (R 10/5/98) Mo 1/4 Illeana Douglas, Adam Carolla, Kellyanne Fitzpatrick, Malcolm Jamal-Warner Tu 1/5 Morgan Fairchild, Dan Cortese, Holly McClure, Harlan Ellison We 1/6 Elayne Boosler, Brad Keena, Dee Dee Myers Th 1/7 Vicki Lawrence, James Coburn, Jack Burkman HOWARD STERN, E! Mo 12/28 Hypno Scores Girls Part 1 (R), Don Cornelius (R), Jack Gordon (R) Tu 12/29 Hypno Scores Girls Part 2 (R), David Lee Roth (R), Malika Kinison (R) We 12/30 Hypno Scores Girls Part 3 (R), Wheel Of Asians (R), Penthouse Pets Part 1 (R) Th 12/31 Houston In Jail Part 1 (R), Alexa & April (R), Penthouse Pets Part 2 (R) Fr 1/1 Houston In Jail Part 2 (R), Savannah & Scores (R), Amy Lynn's Cabaret (R) Su 1/3 Holland Penthouse Pet (R), O.J. Juror Hampton (R) Mo 1/4 Jaid Barrymore Part 1 (R), Mira Segal Part 1 (R), Superbowl Party (R) Tu 1/5 Jaid Barrymore Part 2 (R), Mira Segal Part 2 (R), Tempest & Amy Lynn Part 1 (R) We 1/6 Carol Alt vs. Fred, Breast Pageant Part 1 (R), Tempest & Amy Lynn Part 2 (R) Th 1/7 Houston Dating Game Part 1, Breast Pageant Part 2 (R), Tawny Kitaen Part 1 (R) Fr 1/8 Houston Dating Game Part 2, Breast Pageant Part 3 (R), Tawny Kitaen Part 2 (R) Su 1/10 Penthouse Jeopardy Parts 1 and 2 (R) MAD TV, FOX Sa 1/2 Vivica Fox; "There's Something About Monica"; Funky Walker/ Dirty Talker (R 9/12.98) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, NBC Sa 1/2 Garth Brooks with Robert Duvall, featuring "Mango," "Oprah" and "Goat Boy" (R 2/28/98) SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, Comedy Central (repeats) Tu 12/29 Noon & Midnight - Harvey Keitel/Madonna (92-'93) :Bathroom Attendant;Subway;Pat;Deer Heads; 6:00PM - Charles Barkley/ Nirvana (93-'94) :Clinton Health Plan;Daily Affirmation;Coffee Talk;Deep Thoughts; Gap Girls We 12/30 Noon & Midnight - Luke Perry/Mick Jagger (92-'93) :Chameleon XLE;Magic Fish;Sassy Sassiest Boys; 6:00PM - Andie MacDowell / Tracy Chapman (89-'90) Hannukah Harry; Church Chat about the film Sex, Lies, and Videotape Also on late nights: NIGHTLINE and WORLD NEWS NOW, ABC BET TONIGHT WITH TAVIS SMILEY, BET LOVELINE, MTV THE HOWARD STERN RADIO SHOW, CBS and syndicated UP TO THE MINUTE, CBS DIE HARALD SCHMIDT SHOW, SAT.1 THE CHRIS ROCK SHOW, HBO SPACE GHOST COAST TO COAST, Cartoon Network Entire contents Copyright 1998 by Aaron Barnhart. All rights reserved. If you'd like to receive LATE SHOW NEWS in handy Palm DOC format, write me (barnhart@echonyc.com) and say so. I try to post each issue by 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Central time, to latest.html LATE SHOW NEWS is made possible with the generous assistance of ECHO, New York City's premiere online service. http://www.echonyc.com