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June 02 New Time, Same Old ConanSo “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien” premiered last night with Will Ferrell and Pearl Jam as the show’s first guests, and despite the new time slot Conan seems to be his same old self. Fans concerned that the new “Tonight Show” would look more like Leno’s show than Conan’s “Late Night” were probably pleasantly surprised by this episode.
Although the show lacked some of Conan’s edgier material, it still had the same light-hearted, absurdist tone that fans have come to love, and it was full of the self-deprecating jokes that make Conan so endearing. The show opened with a ridiculous, but somewhat epic sketch of Conan running across America to get from New York to his new home in Los Angeles. Along the way he dashed across the outfield at Wrigley Field and swam the Mississippi River, only to find that he left the keys to his new studio back in his Manhattan apartment. Conan also took full advantage of his new home with a great sketch of him leading a tour group through the Universal Studios lot and into the streets of Los Angeles. Fans of Conan’s early years were surely glad to see Andy Richter back in his role of feeding Conan one-liners, or turning off-hand remarks about “choco tacos” into running gags. It was also good to see Max Weinberg and the Max Weinberg Seven in the new studio, although Max himself wasn’t used much in this episode.
We’ll see if Conan and his team can keep delivering the same kind of off-the-wall humor that helped him land Leno’s spot in the first place, or if the show becomes tamer and more predictable in the earlier time slot. But for this night anyway, it was vintage Conan. - Posted by Kate March 03 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon' Gets Off to a Rocky Start"Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" began Monday, and it was pretty weak. I watched it so you don't have to. It began with an awkward bit involving Conan O'Brien pretending to be packing up his stuff from the "Late Night" offices. Pretty much every joke in it fell flat, from Conan talking about TiVoing Jimmy's first show to Jay Leno's not moving out of his dressing room to the notion that Jimmy's guests would drop off from a high-powered first week to Gervase from "Survivor's" first season and Right Said Fred. He moved to a monologue that was hit-and-miss, heavy on the miss. He talked about how the troops in Iraq wanted to stay there because the economy's better there, how the budget deficit is going to mean Obama's next address was going to be brought by China. Then he used a joke that seemed tweaked from the 80s movie "Top Secret," in talking about how a 16 year-old boy who had sex with his teacher needed years of therapy "just to wipe the smile off his face." About the only one that I thought worked was about how a set of planned Microsoft Stores would be just like the Apple Stores, except the staff would freeze if you ask a question. Clearly the best part of the show was when Fallon "slow-jammed the news" -- in this case, he talked about the stimulus package set to the Roots playing a R&B song. But there, it was the Roots doing the heavy lifting. A bit about blonde mothers from Connecticut being the show's target demographic was also week was full of fail, as was a segment in which audience members licked things (a lawn mower, a scanner, and a bowl of goldfish) for $10. Robert DeNiro might be the greatest actor of our generation, but he couldn't even muster the skill to pretend like he wanted to be on the show. Fallon tried to play off DeNiro's supposedly being a difficult interview by giving him a line of questions that could be responded to by one-word answers. Hiiiiiii-larious. As was his impression of DeNiro in "Taxi Driver." And then there was a skit that wouldn't even have made the last half-hour of "Saturday Night Live" in which DeNiro was the conductor and he was a passenger in a fake trailer for a movie called "Space Train." All the while, he's clearly thinking: "It's so not worth it to plug the Tribeca Film Festival. It just isn't." Justin Timberlake was better as a guest, but he didn't exactly bring sexy back. And Van Morrision was good. But the bottom line: Fallon needs to be less nervous and more in command of his show. When the house band is far and away the best thing about the show, that's one sad statement. - posted by Raoul February 20 Say Goodbye to Conan O'Brien...for a Couple Months
Who will be helping Conan say goodbye? Well, he's booked The White Stripes, and that's all I know. We've got a fabulous rundown of all of Conan's greatest characters over on the main site. Me? I never stopped laughing at his Edith Bunker version of "Sabotage." Conan will take over "The Tonight Show" starting June 1. - Posted by Kate August 22 Late-Night Comedians Joke Less about ObamaA study has come out showing that the main late-night talkers joke more often about McCain (and for that matter, Hilary Clinton) than they do about Obama.
The trouble with this sort of study is that it's another example when numbers alone don't tell the whole story.
A lot of people will look at the stats and jump to the conclusion that they've been harboring all along: the late night comics are "laying off" on Obama in the hopes that he'll win. In fact, the L.A. Times story I linked to has "laying off" as part of their headline.
There are other potential reasons for the numerical discrepancy than political bias, and reasons why this study doesn't say all that much on that subject.
For one, McCain jokes, particularly about his age, are pretty easy. People have been telling jokes about old people so long that listeners fell off their dinosaurs and broke their stone underwear. Joking about Obama is probably not all that straightforward. Joking about his blackness is not PC. Apparently some have joked about his being a messiah figure.
For another, there's an unspoken assumption that in a balanced world, about the same number of jokes should be about each candidate. That's not the case. Sometimes one candidate is in the news more frequently than the other, and so (one would think) more jokes would be told about him. Sometimes one candidate does something that particularly deserves being mocked, and all the shows should seize on it.
And then finally, it's important to remember the difference between quantity and quality. A dozen mostly harmless jabs could lead to greater numbers of jokes being told about one politician, but a couple really harsh jokes against his opponent might show more bias.
In the end, I think if the numbers were reversed and the comics told more jokes about Obama than the other candidates, we would have some of the usual suspects claiming that as a sign that the liberal media was wanting to promote their man and make sure that he got the maximum free publicity. It's pretty much a no-win scenario.
- posted by Raoul April 25 Jimmy Fallon Is Taking Over Late Night
You know, there have been rumors of Jimmy Fallon taking over for Conan for a while now, and I never believed them. I like Jimmy Fallon a lot, it's just hard to manage him carrying an hour-long talk show five nights a week. He does tend to get...the giggles. - Posted by Kate March 17 Saturday Week Live
"''How about someone gets an allergic reaction at an outer-space-themed restaurant and the waiters refuse to break character?' suggests head writer and cast member Seth Meyers. Assorted 'Yeah, I could see that''-type snickers ripple through the crowd. Kenan Thompson pitches an idea in which 'an old lady tries to sell a masturbation instruction manual.' The reaction from the room is a mix of 'Go for it' glee and 'Ewwwww!'" - Posted by Kate January 29 Craig Ferguson Takes His Citizenship Test
Well, America's second favorite Scottish dude is now a Scottish-American dude. I love how funny he is and how the woman giving him the test barely cracks a smile. - Posted by Kate January 07 Jon and Steve Cross the Line
I've been grudgingly impressed by the writerless late night shows so far. Bearded troubadour Conan is a hard act to follow, but I bet Mr. Stewart and Mr. Colbert have some tricks up their sleeves. - Posted by Kate January 02 Jay, Dave, Conan, and Craig Are Back Tonight
Dave Letterman also arranged for the return of Craig Ferguson's writers, and America's second favorite Scottish dude will be back with a new show tonight. "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" will return on Monday, in case you're wondering. - Posted by Kate December 17 Late Night Television Rides Again
"In a statement, O'Brien, 44, said, 'An unwritten version of Late Night, though not desirable, is possible — and no one has to be fired. I will make clear, on the program, my support for the writers and I'll do the best version of Late Night I can under the circumstances.' Added Leno, 57, 'We fully support our writers and I think they understand my decision.'" David Letterman is also plotting his return to the air - and he's got an ace up his sleeve. Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, is trying to negotiate an "interim agreement" with "The Late Show" writers. Since the writers would be working for Worldwide Pants - an independent production company - rather than CBS, the writers wouldn't be violating their union's strike policies. Let's hope this works out, and let's hope Dave will also bring back a writer or two for "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" while he's at it! - Posted by Kate September 18 Al Gore Explains Current TV (Kinda) and Dances (Kinda)
Ever since Al Gore took home his Emmy on Sunday I've wondered what the deal is with Current TV, the network he started with Joel Hyatt. I did some looking around and I think it's like YouTube, but it's on TV instead of the internet. In this video Gore explains a little about the network - though I still basically think it's like YouTube on TV instead of the internet - and does some dancing. Dancing? He wants a Tony to go with his Emmy and Oscar. - Posted by Kate September 06 Fred Thompson on 'The Tonight Show'Any of you all catch Fred Thompson's announcement that he's running for president on "The Tonight Show" last night? If not, you can find video of it at the link.
I watched the version of it on YouTube, and while I am not of the political persuasion to vote for him, in the superficial setting of late-night talk, with all the softball questions lobbed at him, he seemed pretty charming.
Of course, that may be because in the eight minutes or so I watched, he didn't answer a single question of substance about what he would do that would be similar to or different from any of his rivals in either the Republican or Democratic camps.
The trouble in modern presidential politics is that the winner for the last 40 years or so (maybe more) has tended to be the guy you'd most rather have a beer with. And based on the interview, I feel like without having done anything Thompson probably wins that contest over anyone other than possibly Obama.
You may be aware that Thompson skipped a Republican debate to make the interview. He defended himself pretty well on that point, I thought, saying that he'll be involved in plenty of future debates and that he hopes the debates in the future will be more substantial ones instead of a series of sound bites.
Meanwhile, the Republicans made some pretty weak jokes about his absence.
Anyway, what did you all think about the appearance?
- posted by Raoul November 20 Seinfeld, Richards on Letterman TonightHow sorry is Michael Richards about his indefensible rant at a comedy club last weekend? We'll hear it straight from the horse's ass's mouth tonight, as regularly-scheduled guest Jerry Seinfeld and Dave Letterman talk to Richards, via satellite, on tonight's "Late Show" (CBS, 11:35 p.m. ET).
- posted by Kim September 20 'Saturday Night Live' Cast Announced
Cast members in for the new season: Fred Armisen, Will Forte, Bill Hader, Darrell Hammond, Seth Meyers, Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Andy Samberg, Jason Sudeikis, Kristen Wiig and my fave, Kenan Thompson. "SNL"-ers who won't be returning this season: Tim Parnell, Horatio Sanz, Finesse Mitchell, and Rachel Dratch and Tina Fey, who are working on the new NBC sitcom "30 Rock." And still no word on who will replace Fey as "Weekend Update" co-anchor with Amy Poehler, though Meyers will replace her as one of the head writers of the show. Maybe these change-ups are the push the show needs for a little revival of the funny stuff, no? - posted by Kim January 04 Letterman vs. O'ReillyIt was like the feisty Letterman of yore on last night's "Late Show," with Dave butting heads with Fox's Bill O'Reilly. Didja miss it? Then you MUST check out this clip to see what all the fuss is about.
I have to say, I would agree with Dave's estimate about the percentage of "crap" (60 percent, says Dave) that comes out of the arrogant O'Reilly, but I also begrudgingly have to admit that Dave didn't exactly make his point by telling O'Reilly that his opinions were based on "things that (he's) read." What do you think of the exchange?
- posted by Kim December 02 Dave and Oprah Sitting in a Tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-GThe television event of the decade? Please.
He joked about him and Oprah being "Broadway's other 'Odd Couple,'" that they tricked her into coming on the show by making her think she was seeing "Spamalot," that Jimmy Carter was needed to negotiate a peace treaty between his camp and Oprah's "plus, we had to give her a Pontiac," and that she was hugely popular despite giving us Dr. Phil.
"Even my mother said she may switch over from Leno" was about the only thing that got a giggle from me.
I'd say almost none of the "Top 10 Messages on Oprah's Answering Machine" worked. For the record, the list was:
10. "This is Martha Stewart, If you need it, I've planted a box cutter in the guest chair."
9. "It's Paul Shaffer. So you know, Letterman's had a lotof work done since you last saw him."
8. "Hey, Oprah, it's Larry, your neighbor. Can you get me Tony Danza's autograph?"
7. Dr. Phil here. Cleared my schedule so we can have a full session tomorrow."
6. "This is Dubya. If you need a presidential pardon to get you out of this, gimme a holler."
5. "Julia Roberts here. Letterman's all hands during commercial breaks."
4. "It's Jets coach Herm Edwards. Since you're in New York, we could use some help at quarterback."
3. "Regis here. Letterman's all hands during commercial breaks."
2. "Letterman thinks you're coming. This is gonna be the best 'Punk'd' ever!"
1. "It's Nick. Hey, have you seen Jessica?"
And the interview was pretty straightforward too. Although I was glad to hear about the girls leadership academy Oprah is planning for South Africa. Where was the cynicism, the wise-guy stuff that made Dave the star he is today?
I just feel sorry for Bonnie Raitt, cause all that sap left on the stage after Dave and Oprah were done must have made performing there rough.
- posted by Raoul November 21 At Last! Oprah Does DaveIt hasn't been for a lack of trying, but Dave Letterman has been unable to get Queen of All Media Oprah to appear on his CBS talk show. Until now. CBS announced today that Oprah will make the trip to New York to sit down for a chat with Dave on "The Late Show" on Dec. 1.
This is truly must-see-TV.
And speaking of things you should see, if you missed Oprah's own show today and have the chance to check out a rebroadcast, it's a good one: Oprah's annual Favorite Things episode, in which she bestows tons of goodies on a shocked audience. This time around, she doled out the treats--including a laptop, Ralph Lauren sweater, Burberry coat and bag and the new video iPod--to a very worthy group, kind-hearted volunteers of Hurricane Katrina.
- posted by Kim September 01 Rummy Does DaveThis should make for a great Top 10 list … Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is scheduled to appear on "The Late Show with David Letterman" next Tuesday (CBS, 11:35 p.m. ET). Check out this classic Top 10, with a nod to Rummy.
In other late night news, I'm so bummed I missed Tuesday night's "Jimmy Kimmel Live," where guest Vivica Fox got into a spat with Kimmel about remarks he made about her good friend Star Jones. Fox threatened to beat Jimmy with her shoe if he continued to diss Jones, but I'm betting most of us don't disagree with Jimmy's anti-Star jones, right?
- posted by Kim August 15 Are Late-Night Newcomers Ready to Challenge the Big Guns?The L.A. Times takes a look here at how cable is increasingly encroaching on turf that had been owned by Dave and Jay with edgier programs.
What do you think? Do the established stars have much to worry about?
I hope not. Give me stale formats and unrevealing celebrity interviews over fart jokes any day.
- posted by Raoul August 09 Tucker's New 'Situation'This was my first time watching "The Situation with Tucker Carlson," and I enjoyed it. Not enough to make it a weekday habit, mind you, but I figure I'll be dropping in every once in a while. (I suppose I should put in a disclaimer that his show is on MSNBC and obviously TV Filter is a Microsoft project. But FWIW, I wouldn't hold back if it sucked.)
The strange thing is, I don't have much love for Tucker himself. He's this odd combination of wimpy and arrogant. But seems like he's able to attract a good group of guests and hit on a wide enough range of topics (female Viagra, controversial comments by Harry Belafonte, spider sumo wrestling, and the virtually obligatory item on Natalee Holloway) that there's going to be something of interest for any viewer during a given hour. There might be a little too much on the frivolous side, but such is a matter of taste.
Tucker kept trumpeting that "Situation" is the only late-night cable news show to go live, but for the most part, that liveness didn't seem to matter on this first show in the new time slot. They screwed up a couple times with graphics and video not being in sync with what Tucker was saying. That was about it.
I think the part that worked best were the look at tomorrow's top stories. That's something that actually takes advantage of the show's new time slot. They could have extended that to have Tucker talk about those stories more at length.
Second was the "debate" Tucker had with Max Kellerman. And yes, as the caller on the show said he does routinely, Max completely dominated Tucker.
I also liked producer Willie Geist (sp?). He managed to get more laughs than Tucker did from the people on set and me. Give that guy a raise.
- posted by Raoul
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